From 9 to 10 September 2025, the CONNECT-NM community came together at the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava (STUBA) for the first Annual Plenary Meeting. The event brought together more than 70 participants, marking a key milestone in the Partnership’s journey to advance European excellence in nuclear materials research.
Over two days, the programme featured strategic dialogue, technical updates, and collaborative exchanges across CONNECT-NM’s research lines and work packages. Participants engaged in sessions covering:
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Coordination and management updates on project progress.
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Communication and dissemination achievements, with a focus on open science and stakeholder engagement.
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Cross-cutting issues, including gender dimension and training.
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Research and infrastructure access, highlighting progress and challenges.
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Strategic synergies, focusing this year on discussions with the community in charge of developing next-generation nuclear systems on related materials issues.
The meeting also welcomed high-level contributions from international organisations such as the IAEA, the OECD-NEA, and EUROfusion, strengthening CONNECT-NM’s role in the global research ecosystem.
On top of the thematic sessions, the meeting also came at a key moment: the closing of the first CONNECT-NM call for projects, following the two-stage procedure launched earlier this year. This provided an opportunity to look back at the process and gather interactive feedback from the community on what worked well and what could be improved. This exchange proved to be one of the most lively and constructive discussions of the event, ensuring that lessons learned will shape future calls.
“The feedback session was extremely valuable. It showed the level of engagement of our community and gave us clear directions on how to improve the process. CONNECT-NM is not only about advancing research but also about learning together how to make collaboration more effective,” said Lorenzo Malerba (CIEMAT), Project Coordinator.
On 11 September, the Partnership held its General Assembly, where members reviewed progress and endorsed next steps for the coming year.
In parallel, on 11 September, the launch of the CONNECT-NM Young Researcher Network (YRN) took place. The inaugural workshop gathered early-career scientists for training sessions on innovation, exchanges with industry experts, and a visit to STUBA’s research facilities. The YRN is set to become a vibrant platform for connecting and empowering the next generation of nuclear materials researchers.
Beyond the formal sessions, participants also had the chance to network informally, including a guided tour of Bratislava’s historic centre, a moment to strengthen the community ties that underpin the Partnership’s success.
“This first Plenary Meeting shows how CONNECT-NM is already building a strong community that bridges research, industry, and policy. The exchanges in Bratislava further reinforced the foundations for the collaborative work ahead. We now expect this momentum to grow as the results of the financed projects begin to emerge, and we hope that the interactions and connections established here will continue throughout the implementation of these projects,” concluded Malerba.
