On Tuesday, September 15, a special commission of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation approved plans of the Radiophysical Research Institute (NIRFI), based in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, to merge with its partner, Lobachevsky University. The Radiophysical Research Institute (NIRFI) is internationally renowned for its work in radio astronomy, cosmology, radio engineering, solar physics, sun-earth physics and related geophysics research.

The Radiophysical Research Institute (NIRFI) was established as a ‘research institute of the Soviet Ministry of Education and Science’ in 1956. Over the last few decades, the Institute has earned a reputation for being on the cutting edge of research and has been placed in the Register of the leading scientific organizations of Russia. In 2014, the Radiophysical Research Institute (NIRFI) conducted research under four federal programs and for the Russian Federal Space Agency.

Collaboration between Lobachevsky University and the Radiophysical Research Institute has developed over a long period of time. Springer publishes the translation of their jointly published journal, Radiophysics and Quantum Electronics.

In April 2015, the scientific councils of both institutions announced their plans to merge into one organization. Now that the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation has approved their plans, the Radiophysical Research Institute (NIRFI) becomes a division of Lobachevsky University.

Website of the Radiophysical Research Institute (NIRFI) in Russian: http://nirfi.ru/