The big picture:
Among BRICS structures, science and technology maintain the most coherent and organized framework. The meeting highlights how emerging economies are shaping the future of global research collaboration to address common challenges, especially in the Global South.
Key points:
- The BRICS Steering Committee on Science, Technology, and Innovation oversees 13 specialized working groups
- The Research Infrastructure group—founded in 2015—is among its most strategic initiatives
- China, Russia, India, Brazil, South Africa, the UAE, Iran, and Indonesia participated actively in the Tehran meeting
- Discussions focused on advancing mechanisms for defining and financing mega scientific projects
- Enhancing the role of research infrastructure in innovation, sustainable development, and scientific diplomacy was another point of focus
Why it matters:
This meeting signifies BRICS’s commitment to institutionalize scientific cooperation and reduce reliance on Western research systems—advancing a model centered on mutual benefit, equality, and development in the Global South.
Go deeper:
Iran’s decision to host the Working Group signals its aspiration to become a scientific bridge among BRICS nations, leveraging its existing research capacities and regional partnerships to enhance its role in global innovation networks.
seyed mohammad kazemi - Mojtaba Darabi
