Bhubaneswar, Aug. 4 (UDN): Odisha’s capital is set to host the 13th BRICS Education Ministers’ Meeting and the 3rd BRICS Senior Officials’ Meeting from August 5 to 7, as India, under its BRICS Chairship 2026, brings together education leaders from member nations to strengthen cooperation in education, research and skill development.
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Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi will lead the Indian delegation at the ministerial meeting, which is expected to witness the participation of education ministers, senior officials and policy experts from BRICS countries. The three-day event is being organised by the Ministry of Education and marks one of the key engagements under India’s BRICS presidency.
The discussions will focus on five priority areas aimed at deepening educational collaboration among member nations. These include strengthening Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), expanding cooperation in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and skill development, promoting collaborative research, innovation and start-up ecosystems, advancing the Mutual Recognition of Qualifications (MRQ), and enhancing capacity building for academic leadership.
India’s BRICS Chairship is being guided by the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,” reflecting the country’s emphasis on inclusive development, global cooperation and sustainable growth.
The ministerial meeting follows a series of engagements held throughout the year under the BRICS Education Track. Two Senior Officials’ Meetings, organised in April, and the BRICS Network University Conference and International Governing Board Meeting held in July laid the foundation for the discussions and policy outcomes expected during the Bhubaneswar summit.
In preparation for the education meeting, the BRICS TVET Symposium and the Joint Management Committee Meeting of the BRICS TVET Cooperation Alliance were held in New Delhi on August 3 and 4. The deliberations focused on strengthening technical education, workforce readiness and the exchange of best practices among BRICS nations.
The Ministry of Education is also promoting greater youth participation during India’s chairship through the Model BRICS initiative. The student-centric programme, to be organised alongside ministerial meetings, aims to familiarise young people with international diplomacy, multilateral institutions and consensus-based decision-making while encouraging meaningful people-to-people exchanges.
The Bhubaneswar meeting is expected to culminate in a joint ministerial outcome document outlining future areas of cooperation and reinforcing the commitment of BRICS nations to building resilient and inclusive education systems.