On September 17–18, 2024, representatives from BRICS countries gathered in Moscow for the first official meeting to discuss creating a university ranking system tailored to BRICS institutions. Organized by the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, the meeting brought together education ministries and academic experts to exchange insights on developing rankings that reflect the unique educational characteristics of each BRICS nation.
This initiative stems from discussions held during the BRICS education ministers’ meetings in June 2023 in South Africa and again in June 2024 in Kazan. These discussions emphasized the importance of developing an independent ranking framework for BRICS universities, separate from existing global systems, which participants argued fail to account for the distinctive features of BRICS nations.
Russia, represented by Dmitry Grishankov, deputy chairman of the Public Council under the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, proposed the use of the ‘BRICS Principles’ as a common foundation for these rankings. The principles, first introduced at the Congress of the Russian Union of Rectors in July 2024, aim to standardize the ranking process across member states.
A second seminar is scheduled for October 17–18, 2024, during the BRICS Rectors’ Forum, where Russia will present a pilot version of the new BRICS university ranking system. The initiative, which is being developed in collaboration with the Russian Ministry of Education and Science and the Russian Union of Rectors, follows instructions from President Vladimir Putin to establish a ranking that better serves the academic interests of BRICS countries.
