Russian academic Evgeny Velikhov was in Hefei, East China's Anhui province, to attend the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) Training Forum & Second Workshop on Magnetic Fusion Energy (MFE) Development Strategy, which was held on May 30- June 1 at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC).

The forum and workshop were co-hosted by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (MOST), the school and ITER Organization, and co-organized by the National Integration Design Group for Magnetic Confinement Fusion Reactor and the School of Nuclear Science and Technology at USTC.

As a founder of ITER, Velikhov is a well-known expert in the field of fusion, which is a kind of inexhaustible clean energy deemed the most promising way to solve the energy crisis and the environment problems at present all over the world. He has also been engaged in the research of plasma physics and confinement fusion.

At the training forum, Velikhov presented a report, Russian Strategy for Controlled Fusion, and introduced the current development situation of fusion in Russia.

At the workshop, Velikhov listened to scientific goal and preliminary design reports related to Chinese Fusion Engineering Testing. Reactor from experts. He then expressed his affirmation of the scientific goal of the reactor and had discussions with Chinese fusion experts, offering suggestions about specific design.

He currently holds the post of president at the Kurchatov Institute (named after Igor Kurchatov) and first secretary of the Public Chamber of Russia. He is also a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences and has been vice-president of the Soviet Academy of Sciences.

Velikhov was educated at the same college as the former Soviet Union general secretary Mikhail Gorbachev. Based on their consensus that research into fusion requires worldwide cooperation, Velikhov successfully promoted the formation of ITER and was appointed chairman of the ITER Council.

Velikhov's visit to USTC was significant in promoting the development of Chinese nuclear fusion and strengthening extensive cooperation and thorough exchanges between China and Russia.