Day 4. VII BRICS International School

The 4th day of the BRICS International School, November 16, has started with a workshop on academic writing. Svetlana Suchkova, Director of the academic  writing center, National Research University Higher School of Economics, has provided a thorough analysis how to approach a task of writing an academic article, how to communicate with editors and publishers, and how to succeed in being published. It is crucial to choose journal appropriately to your field and topic, and strictly comply with the requirements for style and formatting. “You should be aware what type of articles do they publish, and what type of article you want to publish”, has emphasized the speaker. Trendy topics are usually more attractive, word counting matters, style matters. “You should first select a journal”, has added the speaker. In is important to keep in mind that a “logic” of structuring a text differs from country to country, and it is useful learn cultural thought patterns in inter-cultural education, in any case a text should be coherent. “Academic writing is nobody first language”, that’s why it is taught in most of the Western countries, though these types of courses lack in some other countries. The expert has encouraged the student “the first draft is never perfect”, the one should read and rewrite, and then reread and rewrite again. “No one will ever complain because you have made something too easy to understand”, has recommended the expert.

The second session has focused on different dimension of security problems related to BRICS, and impact of BRICS enlargement to global situation.

Kaushik Pal, Professor, Department of mechanical and industrial engineering, associate faculty, Center for nanotechnology, Indian institute of technology (Roorkee, India), has reminded the stages of BRICS development and factors influencing BRICS global stability. The speaker has attempted to evaluate risks and prospects for BRICS expansion. Professor has argued that to contribute to global stability BRICS should pay particular attention and work on the following issues: contribute to conflict prevention and resolution; focus on international cooperation and sustainable development, apply economic policies promoting economic stability; promote cultural understanding and gender equality.

Bruno De Conti, Associate professor at the Institute of economics, University of Campinas (Brazil), has highlighted the international monetary and financial system as a crucial element for stability and security. The speaker has briefly reminded the history of International monetary and financial system establishment, has evaluated the current situation in IMFS (international monetary financial system), has talked on in internationalization of the Chinese RMB, and BRICS’ intention to change IMFS.

Victor Heifetz, Professor of theory and history of international relations, St. Petersburg State University, Director of the Ibero-American research center, SPBSU, Editor-in-chief, "Latin America" journal, has concentrated on BRICS enlargement and internal BRICS developments, and highlighted the question if BRICS able to transform the existing global system and global order. According to the expert, BRICS extension is on the agenda, though the group is still just a club of countries. While more countries are interested to deepen cooperation with BRICS, not all of them are looking for joining the group, for example, this this the case of Mexico. “If Argentina joins, it is an open question”, and a lot “will depend on the results of the upcoming elections”, has argued the expert. The expert has attempted to explain challenges in case of extension: it is complicated to find consensus among 5 countries within BRICS, it might be even more difficult if there are eleven or more; the group can grow, though the risk of diffuse is there. Above that, some of probable newcomers have intrastate bilateral disagreements, “this fact won’t add political power to BRICS”, but a chance for enhancing an economic potential is still there.  However, BRICS is not an integration group, it doesn’t intend to establish a free trade zone; BRICS is not a military alliance and is never going to be the one. It is unlikely that such an informal group will have a chance to change the existing global world order, though “could offer an alter-Western model”, said the expert.

During the session on BRICS enlargement and what prospects it has for Russia,   Karin Vasquez, Assistant Dean for global engagements, Associate professor and Executive director, Centre for African, Latin American, and Caribbean studies at O.P. Jindal Global University (Brazil),  has shared how she sees evolution of BRICS, mentioning that the group is entering in the 4th five-year cycle in 2024. The speaker also shared some thoughts, what BRICS will be like for the years to come in a new geopolitical context. The expert has stressed that BRICS has been constantly changing under political circumstances.  In the new geopolitical context BRICS could be even more successful in regard the global governance. The situation shows that bilateral contacts are not enough, multilateral cooperation has prospects.  Financial cooperation could be one of the most perspective on multilateral level. Entering in a new cycle, BRICS should invent efficient mechanisms for communication and cooperation with countries of Global South, for example, with African countries, with the UN, G-20. New Development Bank could be powerful instrument for BRICS global governance. BRICS and Global South have a potential to strengthen multipolarity, believes the speaker. 

Later Alexey Kuznetsov, Director OF INION RAS, has delivered a lecture on scenarios of BRICS enlargement. The speaker believes that BRICS+ could become an alternative for G-20. The first possible scenarios of enlargement is the BRICS of 11 participants. Several additional countries may join, though not now, but in several years – this is the nother scenario, BRICS of 20 countries. Theoretically, there can be more, believes the expert, though in this case an efficiency may go down. He sees three main functions for BRICS+: to be a voice of non-Western countries; a forum to discuss economic instruments appropriate for developing countries; a platform to discuss and implement practical cooperation withing BRICS+. There could be two prospect dimensions for practical cooperation: energy and food, mainly, grain. Alexey Kuznetsov has highlighted one particularity of BRICS+, it will unite diverse political elites belonging to different languages, and he assesses it as a strength of BRICS+, since language is not just cultural, but also economic and political aspect.

Press service
National Committee on BRICS Research