At a meeting of the DONES Programme Steering Committee, held in the Japanese city of Misawa, key steps were confirmed for the further development of the international DONES Programme, one of Europe’s most important projects for the future of fusion energy.

At a session held on 16 February 2026, the Board of Governors of the Ruđer Bošković Institute (IRB), following consideration of the positive opinion of the Selection Committee and the unanimous decision of the IRB Scientific Council, confirmed a new four-year term for Dr. David M. Smith as Director General of IRB. This confirms continuity in the Institute’s leadership during a period of intensive infrastructure modernisation, strengthened international partnerships, and further connection of science with the needs of the economy and society.

This week, Zagreb is at the centre of the European debate on one of fusion energy’s most demanding challenges, how to efficiently manage heat and particle exhaust in future fusion power plants.

Today in Madrid, the Multilateral International DONES Agreement (MIDA) was signed, establishing a solid institutional and legal framework for governing the DONES project, an international research mega facility essential for the development of fusion energy.

From Croatia’s earliest forays into the EU’s research and development programs during the Sixth and Seventh Framework Programmes in 2007, through Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe, RBI has consistently ranked as Croatia’s leading scientific institution in both the number and value of awarded projects.

With a symbolic laying of the foundation stone in Escúzar, Spain, the construction of the IFMIF-DONES infrastructure has officially begun.

We’re thrilled to invite all interested parties, especially young researchers and scientists, to the presentation of career opportunities for young scientists within the DONES project, which will be held on October 2, 2024, starting at 5:00 p.m. at the House of Europe (Augusta Cesarca 4, Zagreb).

In a groundbreaking move for the future of sustainable energy, the DONES Program has emerged as a pivotal player in the construction of next-generation fusion power plants, underscoring the united commitment of Croatia, Spain, and the international community towards advancing fusion technologies and materials.

The second DONES Steering Committee, the highest governing body of the DONES Fusion Programme, met in Granada on 26 October to review the progress of the programme, in particular the findings of the panel of independent experts who analysed the current state of the DONES baseline data.

The Croatian city of Dubrovnik provided a magnificent setting for the 32nd Symposium on Fusion Technology (SOFT 2022), the most prestigious conference in this field in Europe, hosted by Croatia's Ruđer Bošković Institute (RBI).