BRICS countries on Saturday supported the safe, ethical and people-centred use of new technologies, including artificial intelligence, in education, as well as increased cooperation on mutual recognition of qualifications and academic and professional mobility.
The commitments were set out in the New Delhi Declaration adopted at the BRICS 2026 summit, which will be held in Delhi on September 12 and 13. The group supported continued cooperation through existing education mechanisms, including the BRICS Network University, and called for strengthening institutional partnerships among BRICS countries.
The declaration also called for greater sharing of best practices in education, including collaboration on early childhood care and education (ECCE) and basic literacy and numeracy (FLN). He supported mutual recognition of qualifications, academic and professional mobility and digital literacy, as well as the use of new technologies, including artificial intelligence, in education.
Regarding higher education, the BRICS countries called for joint efforts to improve institutional governance and improve the quality and accessibility of education. The declaration also supported exchange and scholarship programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, including in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem).
The group also supported stronger institutional partnerships, as well as the sharing of innovation and knowledge, to empower students and institutions to address future opportunities and challenges. It says closer links between technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions and industry can boost innovation and improve employment opportunities.
Regarding traditional and indigenous knowledge, the declaration noted India’s initiative on guidelines for strengthening academic collaboration in traditional and indigenous knowledge systems. He encouraged the BRICS Network University to consider including traditional, indigenous and local knowledge systems as an additional international thematic group, taking into account existing governance procedures as well as the national laws and policies of the BRICS countries.
The BRICS Network University was founded in 2015 as a consortium of higher education institutions from the BRICS countries to promote joint research, academic mobility and educational programs in common areas of interest.
Currently, 178 universities from 11 thematic groups are participating, including IIT Bombay, IIT Kanpur, Banaras Hindu University, Moscow State University, Beijing Normal University, University of Cape Town and Federal University of Minas Gerais.
The declaration also calls for the continuation of the organization of the BRICS Rectors’ Forum and the discussion of the BRICS Educational Olympiad. In addition, he supported the study of the development of the Global University Ranking and Evaluation System of the BRICS countries.
The declaration specifically highlights BRICS youth cooperation in the areas of education, vocational training and skills, youth entrepreneurship, science, technology and innovation, social and cultural participation, youth exchanges and inclusion. He also welcomed the progress under the BRICS Youth Cooperation Framework.