IFMIF-DONES and the Netherlands explore new avenues for collaboration in Granada
On 2 June 2026, the Palacio de Quinta Alegre in Granada hosted the “Workshop Netherlands-DONES”, an institutional and technical meeting between representatives from the Netherlands and the DONES Programme, aimed at reviewing the current status of the project and exploring potential collaboration opportunities.
The Dutch delegation included a strong representation from the institutional, scientific, and industrial sectors, with participants from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of the Netherlands, the research centre DIFFER, as well as companies from the technological and industrial domains, reflecting the country’s comprehensive interest in participating in this European research infrastructure.
The workshop opened with welcome remarks delivered by:
- Moisés Weber, Director of the IFMIF-DONES Spain Consortium
- Mirjam Lieshout, Coordinator of Research Infrastructures at the Directorate of Research and Science Policy, Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of the Netherlands
- Inmaculada Figueroa, Deputy Director General for International Consortia, Organisations and Research Infrastructures at the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities
This was followed by a high-level institutional session with contributions from:
- Óscar Delnooz, Director of Research and Science Policy at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of the Netherlands
- Eva Ortega-Paíno, Secretary General for Research at the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities
During the technical session, Philippe Cara, DONES Programme Manager, presented the DONES Programme Overview, providing a comprehensive insight into the project, its main achievements, and opportunities for international collaboration.
The agenda combined plenary sessions with parallel meetings focused on both institutional cooperation and the capabilities of Dutch industry, as well as a session dedicated to identifying next steps for collaboration. The workshop concluded with a visit to the IFMIF-DONES site, where the delegation had the opportunity to learn first-hand about the facility and the prototypes under development.
The meeting was held in a highly constructive atmosphere, characterised by a strong spirit of interest, collaboration and shared vision for the future. Both parties highlighted the strategic importance of IFMIF-DONES for the development of fusion energy and expressed their willingness to continue working together on next steps, with the aim of enabling the Netherlands’ participation in this key project for Europe’s future energy landscape.
