Results of second meeting on megascience computing On 10–15 March, the International Workshop on Mega-Science Computing for High-Energy Physics (MSCHEP’2026) was held on the unique Lake Baikal in Listvyanka (Irkutsk region, Russia). The workshop was attended by approximately 70 specialists from scientific organizations of China, Russia, and JINR, as well as representatives of companies in the area of telecommunications and computing hardware. The Advisory Committee of the workshop embraced prominent scientists from Armenia, Belarus, China, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Russia, and South Africa. The event, organized by the Meshcheryakov Laboratory of Information Technologies, marked the 70th anniversary of JINR’s establishment and MLIT’s 60th anniversary.. During the workshop, the participants reviewed the principles of organizing data processing and computing at JINR, the Institute of High Energy Physics (IHEP, CAS, China), and the Logunov Institute for High Energy Physics (IHEP, NRC Kurchatov Institute, Russia), discussed the issues of automated data processing, including the application of machine learning methods, online and offline event classification, monitoring, long-term data storage, the computing and engineering infrastructures in the experiments at the NICA accelerator complex (BM@N, MPD, SPD) and in the Baikal-GVD, JUNO, TAIGA, NEVOD, BESIII experiments, as well as joint participation in the LHC experiments at CERN. The features of the deployment and work of software tools for distributed experimental data storage and processing, such as DIRAC and PanDA, were examined. Future large-scale experiments, such as Chinese megascience projects, namely, CEPC, STCF, and HERD, were also considered. Particular attention was paid to the possibilities of organizing a direct telecommunications channel between JINR and China. Commenting on the workshop, MLIT Director Sergei Shmatov said that MSCHEP’2026 had become a follow-up to the JINR-China workshop held in September 2024. However, this time, the range of participants and the topics discussed were significantly expanded due to the presence of a number of leading Russian scientific organizations. Sergei Shmatov highlighted that the event had provided an opportunity to exchange information on how large-scale computing in high-energy physics is organized at JINR and in the scientific communities of Russia and China, what computing and data models exist, and to present the results of applying various models and approaches in ongoing and planned large-scale experiments. In his comment, MLIT Director pointed out: “We also discussed the possibilities of developing various distributed systems. I am talking about transferring the experience gained within the distributed WLCG (Worldwide LHC Computing Grid) computing system project for the Large Hadron Collider to JINR megascience projects. We are working to ensure that Chinese scientific centers become part of distributed computing for NICA. At the same time, for JINR, being one of the Tier1 data centers for the JUNO experiment, which started receiving physics results this year, it is very useful to assess its effectiveness in this distributed computing system and define our pros and cons.” Sergei Shmatov identified the organization of a high-speed telecommunications channel between JINR and IHEP as a priority task. Approaches to solving the issue of organizing a direct telecommunications channel with China, taking into account the development of RDIG-M (Russian Data-Intensive Grid Certificate Authority), a distributed platform for processing, storing, and analyzing data from large-scale scientific projects, were presented in a report by Deputy Director for Information Technologies and Systems of the NRC Kurchatov Institute Vasily Velikhov. MLIT Scientific Leader Vladimir Korenkov delivered a talk on digital technologies and data mining in large-scale scientific projects. He also noted the importance of holding MSCHEP’2026, which enriches the program of conferences organized with MLIT’s participation, covering relevant topics of computing for large-scale experiments in high-energy physics and neutrino physics, in addition to the Laboratory’s events such as GRID and MMCP. Xiaomei Zhang from IHEP, responsible for organizing distributed computing for the JUNO experiment, spoke about her participation in the workshop: “During this workshop, we managed to hold a multitude of truly fruitful meetings and discussions. In particular, we managed to establish effective scientific networking between Chinese and Russian scientific organizations that participated in MSCHEP’2026. For example, we talked over the future of telecommunications channels between China and JINR, which, I hope, will be built soon. The topic of computing in large-scale experiments brought together participants whose tasks were largely similar. For example, distributed computing for the BM@N, BESIII, and JUNO experiments is implemented on the DIRAC platform. Therefore, the exchange of experience and developments, the joint search for solutions and ways to develop computing, including for future projects, turned out to be very useful.” Xingtao Huang (Shandong University, China) continued the topic of cooperation development and the need to organize direct communication: “Our university became the first Chinese scientific organization to join the collaboration of the SPD experiment at the NICA collider. During this workshop, we had very useful discussions, including on elaborating detailed plans for cooperation in the near future. For example, we agreed that several of our students would come to Dubna to take part in this experiment. We also plan to organize a meeting in China this July to deepen and enhance our cooperation within SPD. Several of my colleagues and I are already involved in the other NICA experiment, MPD. Some of our developments for MPD in the field of physics, computing, and software will be used in our work on SPD. We are committed to strengthening cooperation within the NICA experiments, and I would highlight the establishment of a direct telecommunications channel between Russia and China as one of the uppermost issues here, especially considering the upcoming start of data taking in MPD.” Among the representatives of partner business companies, Ilya Nikishin from the REal Time Network company participated in MSCHEP’2026. RETNNet is an international backbone telecommunications operator that connects 40 countries on three continents. Ilya Nikishin shared his experience working with large scientific organizations such as JINR and NRC KI and presented logistical and technical proposals for establishing a high-speed secure telecommunications channel between Moscow and Beijing. The workshop was interesting not only for IT specialists. The discussion of a report by Maria Savina (BLTP JINR) on new physics with the Higgs boson at the LHC and CEPC facilities went beyond the working session and continued on the sidelines of the workshop. Mingshui Chen (IHEP) said that participating in the workshop had provided ideas for new collaborations with JINR scientists at the Large Hadron Collider. "I work in the CMS experiment at the LHC, and at the MSCHEP'2026 workshop, I had the opportunity to discuss not only the enhancement of cooperation within this experiment, but also the prospects for joint work at CEPC, the future circular electron-positron collider in China, and to talk about the cutting edge of high-energy physics in general. The development of cooperation in neutrino physics within the joint construction of the next-generation Baikal-HUNT neutrino telescope with a planned volume of up to 30 km³ is also very interesting. As a physicist, I learned a lot here and gained new knowledge in computing.” One of the discussions was held in a roundtable format and was devoted to the organization of computing for the JINR neutrino program. In addition to one of JINR’s flagship projects, the Baikal-GVD neutrino telescope, the participants also reviewed information on projects such as JUNO, TAIGA, and the NEVOD experiment, in which JINR is a partner. Within the workshop, the participants visited the Baikal Neutrino Telescope Ice Camp, where, in addition to learning about the expedition’s progress, a meeting on the development of the experiment’s computer support with the participation of the Baikal-GVD experiment’s management, MLIT representatives, and representatives of the RETNNet telecommunications company took place. The reports presented at MSCHEP’2026 were met with a lively response from the audience and generated a large number of questions and discussions, which continued both during breaks and in special open sessions where the participants worked informally in small groups, discussing in detail the specific topics of interest and prospects for fostering cooperation. A total of 45 talks were delivered at the workshop. Within the MSCHEP’2026 social program there was organized a tour to Lake Baikal in ice, during which the workshop’s participants were able to learn about the history and natural peculiarities of this unique lake and enjoy its stunning beauty.
