Moscow Hosts Expanded Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Science, Technology, and Innovation

The 12th Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Science, Technology, and Innovation took place in Moscow on 27 September 2024. The meeting was chaired by Russian Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov.

Opening of the meeting, Falkov noted that science is currently one of the most important focuses within BRICS and that new initiatives emerge each year.

“Joint projects are always discussed at such meetings. Today, special attention was paid to Russia’s proposal to develop common approaches to the creation of scientometric databases. And in this regard, the initiative has been generally supported and it was included as part of the Moscow Declaration of the BRICS Ministers of Science, Technology, and Innovation,” Valery Falkov said.

The meeting participants agreed upon new thematic areas of cooperation. In particular, a BRICS working group on social and humanitarian sciences will be created and will focus on conducting research and implementing joint projects in linguistics, sociology, history, archaeology, and ethnography.

As part of Russia’s BRICS chairship, BRICS Geographer Day was established (18 August) and a scientific expedition to the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia has been timed to coincide with the holiday. Work on this initiative was carried out jointly with the Russian Geographical Society.

Falkov invited researchers from BRICS member countries to the Young Scientists Congress, which will be held at Sirius Federal Territory on 20–22 November. As one of the key events of Russia’s Decade of Science and Technology, the BRICS Young Scientist Forum and the BRICS Young Innovator Prize will be held.

“Cooperation in scientific and technical information within the group involves an exchange of experience and serves as a basis for investment in the future that is capable of accelerating the development of advanced technologies and creating a competitive economy for BRICS countries. In Russia 2022-2031 have been declared the Decade of Science and Technology by Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which programmes to provide comprehensive support for scientific activity and develop international cooperation are being implemented. This makes the agreements we reached today an important step in the development of scientific exchange, taking into account the association’s expansion,” Adviser to the Russian President and Executive Secretary of the Organizing Committee for Russia’s BRICS Chairship Anton Kobyakov said.

A calendar of key scientific and technical information events for 2024–2025 was also adopted at the meeting.

Several new countries joined BRICS this year. One of the priorities of Russia’s BRICS chairship was to introduce the new states to the group’s scientific cooperation architecture and integrate them into the current processes of collaboration.

The Roscongress Foundation manages the events of Russia’s BRICS chairship.