New African Members Integration into BRICS: Evidence from STI and Educational Policy

This article explores the integration of new African BRICS members into the scientific and educational cooperation within BRICS. Despite significant criticism regarding the still limited scope of scientific collaborations between BRICS countries, there is a steadily growing number of interaction formats in the fields of science, technology, and education. To provide an accurate assessment, the study analyzes and systematizes existing BRICS cooperation formats, including infrastructure to share research results, scientific conferences, regular ministerial meetings, international laboratories and other cooperative mechanisms. Developing cooperation meets the BRICS goals, as the emergence of these formats was outlined in the 2015 Memorandum on Cooperation in Science, Technology, and Innovation. The question of how new BRICS members are integrated into these existing mechanisms is raised. To address the question, the study analyzes the science and education interaction within BRICS, as well as the national strategic documents in these fields of two new members: Egypt and Ethiopia. There is a significant gap between these countries in terms of economic development, scientific and technological progress, and basic literacy rates. This disparity creates diverging challenges and opportunities for Egypt and Ethiopia. Such imbalances pose risks to intensifying cooperation within BRICS, particularly because of limited economic capabilities of these states to cooperate in scientific and educational fields. For instance, Egypt joined the 2015 Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of the BRICS Network University, participated in the meeting of education ministers, and has engaged in the BRICS Working Group meeting on research infrastructure and MegaScience projects. In contrast, Ethiopia has not participated in these events, hence the risks of deepening inequality within BRICS. The challenge is recognized by member states. In 2025, many poor and small countries aspiring to participate in BRICS activities were granted partner country status instead of full membership. Despite the broad range of cooperation formats and their ongoing expansion, disparities in the economic and scientific-technological development levels of new African members pose challenges to their full integration. This gap requires that BRICS adjust its mechanisms to ensure inclusive and sustainable scientific partnerships.

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