The Union Ministry of Education successfully convened the International Governing Board (IGB) meeting of the BRICS Network University on July 21, 2026, in virtual mode as part of India's BRICS Presidency 2026. This followed the BRICS Network University Conference on Traditional and Indigenous Knowledge Systems held on July 20, 2026. The two-day engagement brought together government representatives, university leaders, academics, and experts from BRICS member countries including Brazil, China, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates.
The IGB meeting was inaugurated by Joint Secretary Dr. K. M. Praphullachandra Sharma, while Prof. Sudarshan Kumar, Dean (International Relations) at IIT Bombay, presented an overview of the BRICS Network University, its expanding institutional network, and ongoing collaborative initiatives. Member countries shared updates on their participating universities and academic cooperation activities undertaken during the past year.
A key outcome was the presentation from the Conference on Traditional and Indigenous Knowledge Systems, which deliberated on mapping, documentation, preservation, and responsible digital dissemination of traditional knowledge. The conference emphasized ethical governance, community ownership, equitable benefit-sharing, and responsible use of emerging technologies including Artificial Intelligence. It developed Guiding Principles on Strengthening Academic Collaboration on Traditional and Indigenous Knowledge Systems for the IGB's consideration.
The International Governing Board deliberated on including Traditional and Indigenous Knowledge Systems as a new International Thematic Group under the BRICS Network University, receiving broad support from member countries. The Board reviewed the BRICS Network University Action Plan (2025–2028), discussed development of a new BRICS NU website, considered measures to enhance institutional cooperation, academic mobility, and collaborative research, and adopted the BRICS Network University International Governing Board Declaration after detailed deliberations.
The meeting reaffirmed commitment to strengthening the BRICS Network University as a platform for higher education, research, innovation, and people-to-people exchanges, aligning with India's BRICS Presidency theme of "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability."