BRICS Education Ministers' adopt declaration, set five key priorities
Bhubaneswar, Aug 7
Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Friday that the 13th BRICS Education Ministers' Meeting in Odisha's state capital Bhubaneswar, unanimously adopted the BRICS Education Ministers' Declaration, marking an important milestone in strengthening cooperation among member countries in the education sector.
Speaking to media persons, Joshi added that the meeting brought together Education Ministers, delegates and senior officials from Brazil, Russia, China, South Africa, Indonesia, Iran, The UAE and Ethiopia.
The summit began in Bhubaneswar with the third BRICS Education Senior Officials' Meeting on August 5.
Briefing the media, the Union Minister said the theme of this year's summit, held under India's BRICS chairship for the third time, is "Building Resilience and Innovation for Cooperation and Sustainability", with a strong focus on youth participation and people-to-people exchanges.
"Delegates exchanged the perspectives and recommendations, strengthened the consciousness on the proposed outcomes and reaffirmed their shared commitment building inclusive, resilient and future ready education system through deeper infrastructure, deeper institutional cooperation, capacity building and knowledge exchange," Joshi added.
He said the declaration focuses on five key priorities, which include strengthening early childhood care and education; skill development, the mutual recognition of qualifications, and enhanced cooperation under the BRICS TVET cooperation alliance; promotion of collaborative research, innovation and start-ups; mutual recognition of qualifications; and capacity building for academic leadership.
Union Minister Joshi said the meeting also provided an opportunity for deeper institutional cooperation, capacity building and knowledge exchange to build inclusive, resilient and future-ready education systems.
He added that he held bilateral meetings with Education Ministers from Iran, Indonesia and South Africa to explore cooperation in higher education, research and innovation.
On the Model BRICS initiative, Joshi said it seeks to familiarise young citizens with the BRICS process and enhance their understanding of diplomacy and multilateral cooperation.
He added that detailed provisions of the declaration would be shared through the Ministry's website.
Joshi also said preliminary work has begun on the outcomes of the BRICS summit and expressed confidence that states across India, including Odisha, would benefit from the initiatives.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting to see the emphasis on early childhood care and education. This is such a crucial foundation that often gets overlooked. Hope India learns from Brazil and Russia's experiences in this area.
The skill development priority is exactly what we need! Our country has so much young talent but the skill gap is real. If BRICS cooperation can help bridge that through the TVET alliance, it'll be a game changer for our youth. 🙏
While the declaration sounds good on paper, I wish there was more concrete action planned. These meetings often end with grand statements but implementation takes years. Let's see how the groundwork translates into real opportunities for students and researchers.
Good to see Odisha hosting such an important international event. The state has been improving its education infrastructure, and this kind of exposure will definitely benefit local institutions and put Bhubaneswar on the global education map.
The startup focus in education is much needed. Our students have brilliant ideas but lack the right ecosystem. BRICS collaboration on research and innovation could open up new funding opportunities and cross-border mentoring. Meanwhile, let's hope the qualification recognition becomes a reality - that'll make life easier for so many international students! ✨
The Model BRICS initiative for
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