The DONES programme is one of the key European initiatives supporting the development of fusion energy and research in plasma physics. It is now entering a further stage of institutional and technical maturation. At the Steering Committee meeting in Misawa, Japan, attended by representatives from 14 countries and European institutions, a series of decisions were made to strengthen programme governance and accelerate the implementation of the IFMIF-DONES infrastructure, which will be a high-performance neutron source for materials research in thermonuclear fusion reactors.

The most significant outcome for Poland is the granting of observer status to the CeNTE (Scientific and Industrial Centre for New Energy Technologies) consortium, coordinated by the Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion (IPPLM). Including CeNTE in the DONES framework is an important step towards increasing the participation of Polish scientific and industrial institutions in international nuclear fusion research and the development of advanced materials technologies for future fusion reactors.

A revised programme governance structure was also approved during the meeting, including key leadership appointments and the establishment of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC). The STAC will provide independent expert advice to support the scientific and technical excellence of the project. Discussions also focused on assessing technical and organisational progress, updating key performance indicators and planning subsequent implementation phases.

The IFMIF-DONES facility, which is set to be built in Granada, Spain, is expected to play a pivotal role in investigating the impact of intense neutron radiation on structural materials, which is one of the most significant challenges in developing fusion energy systems.

The decisions made in Japan confirm the increasing momentum of the DONES Programme and its position as a global platform for scientific collaboration. The involvement of the Polish CeNTE consortium also strengthens Poland's position within the European and international fusion energy research ecosystem.

Source: IFMIF-DONES, IPPLM

On 23 March 2026, the Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion (IPPLM) joined, with its technological offer, the group of entities affiliated with the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), interested in cooperation with international business and technology partners.

The network enables participation in international brokerage events, trade fairs, business missions, webinars and conferences, as well as the establishment of international cooperation. It provides access to a database of international cooperation offers, including business requests and partnership opportunities from companies in over 60 countries, and allows companies to register their profiles in an international database of enterprises seeking business partners.

Cooperation opportunities database

The cooperation opportunities database, managed by Enterprise Europe Network centres, enables contacts with subcontractors, distributors and technology partners.

The Partnership Opportunities Database (POD) is an international database of cooperation offers, maintained in English by the European Commission through the EEN network. It contains company profiles from over 60 countries where the network operates.

The database facilitates contacts with foreign manufacturers, distributors, commercial agents and subcontractors. It also includes technology offers supporting cooperation in technology transfer (e.g. sale or acquisition of machinery and equipment, licences), knowledge exchange (know-how) and research and development (R&D), including work on new technologies and products.

Sample offers from foreign companies.
Success stories of companies that have already benefited from Enterprise Europe Network services.

Opportunities for companies

Companies may create their own profiles, which will be distributed among enterprises in selected countries through the databases of Enterprise Europe Network centres, chambers of commerce and industry associations, as well as publications, newsletters and websites. To do so, a completed application form should be submitted to the relevant regional EEN centre.

Using the POD search engine, it is possible to browse cooperation offers from all countries participating in the network. To find offers targeted at Polish companies, select "Poland" in the "Client requested" field. The tool also enables submitting enquiries regarding selected offers.

In the case of establishing cooperation with an international partner via POD, the relevant Enterprise Europe Network centre may request information on the cooperation, including the partner’s name, scope of cooperation and activities carried out to date.

Cooperation offers are available in the database managed by the Enterprise Europe Network centre at PARP under the SME Development Centre, as well as on the European Commission’s website.

On 16 February 2026, the official opening of two new permanent exhibitions took place at the National Museum of Technology in Warsaw. The Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion (IPPLM) had the honour of co-creating one of them – the exhibition "E = mc² – the formula that changed the world."

The exhibition offers a modern and engaging narrative about one of the most important equations in the history of science, formulated by Albert Einstein in 1905, and its impact on the development of technology, energy, and contemporary civilisation.

A special section of the exhibition is dedicated to the future of energy and research on nuclear fusion. Visitors can take a virtual journey, using VR headsets, through the construction site and inside the international experimental thermonuclear reactor ITER. Another attraction is a live demonstration of plasma generation and its electrostatic–inertial confinement in a fusor-type device, designed and built at the IPPLM.

The exhibition was created with audiences of all ages in mind – from young science enthusiasts, through school students and university communities, to adults seeking new perspectives and inspiration.

During the opening ceremony, alongside museum representatives, remarks were delivered by Dr hab. Monika Kubkowska, Director of the Institute. In her speech, the Professor of IPPLM emphasised the importance of science communication and the role of cooperation between research institutions and cultural organisations.

The event brought together numerous representatives of the scientific, cultural, and museum communities.

We encourage you to visit the exhibition at the National Museum of Technology in Warsaw and explore together the ideas that are changing the world.

Photos: Michał Bojara, National Museum of Technology

Photos: IPPLM

The Sylwester Kaliski Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion (IPPLM) has for many years been actively engaged in initiatives supporting children and young people supported by the TPD "Helenów" Rehabilitation, Education and Care Centre in Warsaw.

On 9 December 2025, a group of students accompanied by their carers visited IPPLM. The Institute’s research staff prepared demonstrations devoted to phenomena related to laser light. Participants had the opportunity to learn, among other topics, about the basic mechanisms of light propagation in various material media and to observe these processes through accessible and engaging demonstrations.

Following the demonstrations, a Christmas fair was held, featuring ornaments and decorations made by the beneficiaries of the "Helenów" Centre. The event attracted considerable interest among Institute employees.

From 24 November to 5 December, a fundraising campaign was organised at IPPLM. Donations could be made both on site and online. The collected funds were used to purchase Christmas gifts for children and young people, including clothing, gift cards, puzzles, electronic accessories, and cosmetic sets.

The ceremonial handover of the gifts took place on 18 December during a Christmas Eve meeting at the "Helenów" Centre. On behalf of the Institute, the gifts were presented by the Deputy Director for Administration, Paweł Nadrowski, together with representatives of the Employees’ Council: Dr Agnieszka Zaraś-Szydłowska and Dr Agnieszka Jardin. The collective commitment of the Institute’s staff once again brought joy and smiles to the Centre’s beneficiaries, reaffirming the value of the long-term cooperation between IPPLM and the TPD "Helenów" Centre.

Photos: IPPLM

On 10–14 November 2025, a research team from the Sylwester Kaliski Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion (IPPLM) – Prof. Katarzyna Batani, Dr Hanna Marchenko and Dr Agnieszka Zaraś-Szydłowska from the Department of Laser Plasma Physics and Magnetized Dense Plasma – participated in an experimental campaign carried out on one of the world’s most powerful laser facilities, GEKKO XII, at the Institute for Laser Engineering at the University of Osaka (Japan).

The experiment, led by Prof. Katarzyna Batani, focused on studying the equation of state (EOS) for cubic boron nitride (c-BN) and aluminium silicate under extreme conditions (compression to megabar pressures) generated using high-power laser pulses.

The participation of IPPLM researchers in the experimental campaign in Osaka marks another significant step in advancing research on matter under extreme conditions and confirms the active role of Polish scientific teams in international research project.

From left: Dr Agnieszka Zaraś-Szydłowska, Dr Hanna Marchenko, Prof. Katarzyna Batani

Photo: IPPLM