Next Steps to Developing the BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation Environment

15:54, July 18, 2018

The meetings of BRICS STI senior officials and ministers took place in Durban, South Africa, in the beginning of July

The senior officials and ministers for science, technology and innovation met in Durban to discuss the relevant topics of developing effective collaboration within BRICS. The theme of the 6th BRICS STI Ministerial Meeting was “Leveraging BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation to Enhance Inclusive Growth and Development”.

The meetings were attended by the senior officials for STI from 5 member countries; Russia was represented by Mr. Victor Smirnov, Deputy Director of International Department of RF Ministry of Education and Science. The Russian delegation also included the representatives of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR), Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, International Centre for Innovations in Science, Technology and Education, Russian Foundation for Basic Research and Ural Federal University.

The list of subjects discussed included various topics in the area of expanding the scale, scope and intensity of partnership and innovation for inclusive development. The discussions resulted in the adoption of the Durban declaration, which emphasized the fundamental role of Science, Technology & Innovation as key socio-economic change agents for global and regional progress, growth and stability. It welcomed the proposal to establish a BRICS Vaccine Research & Development Center to create synergies between Science, Technology & Innovation and Health Sector. Another important decision taken during the meetings was the initiative to establish an official Secretariat to enhance and accelerate the development of science, technology and innovation transfer within BRICS countries.

According to Vladimir Kruzhaev, UrFU Vice-rector for Research, the senior officials and ministers of BRICS countries approved the Charter of the Network Center for Materials Science and Nanotechnology, successfully operating in Ural Federal University since October 2017, and included the issues related to the development of this initiative and expanding the consortium in the declaration. The 2^nd Meeting of BRICS Working Group on Materials Science and Nanotechnologies will take place in Brazil or Russia (to be confirmed) in 2019. 

The next meeting of BRICS STI officials will be held in Brazil in 2019.