Agreement Boosts Academic Mobility Across BRICS Borders

 

BRICS countries, a grouping of emerging economies, agreed to facilitate the recognition of academic qualifications among members to ensure the mobility of skilled professionals, academics and students.

This emerged during a summit held from 22-24 August 2023 in Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa. The group consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The theme of the 15th summit was ‘BRICS and Africa: Partnership for mutually accelerated growth, sustainable development and inclusive multilateralism’.

BRICS countries are perceived as seeking to bolster their geopolitical power to counter the often US-led West on economic and political issues. The bloc also agreed to grant membership to six other countries: Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates from 1 January 2024.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa attended the summit in person, while Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin, participated virtually after an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for him over the war in Ukraine complicated his travelling to South Africa.

Following the meeting, the group issued a declaration touching on educational, political, economic, security and cultural matters.

“We support the principle of facilitating mutual recognition of academic qualifications among BRICS countries to ensure the mobility of skilled professionals, academics and students and recognition of qualifications obtained in each other’s countries, subject to compliance with applicable domestic laws,” according to the Johannesburg II Declaration.

“We welcome concrete proposals made during the 10th meeting of BRICS Ministers of Education focusing on critical areas in education and training such as entrepreneurship development, skills for the changing world, out-of-school youth, climate change, labour market intelligence, early childhood development and university global ranking.”  (more...)

Agreement Boosts Academic Mobility Across BRICS Borders