The article addresses the potential for BRICS to emerge as an international center for science and technology development, despite facing external and structural obstacles such as limited financing, insufficient foreign direct investment, dependence on natural resources, and the impact of Western sanctions. The primary objective of the study is to identify promising directions for BRICS cooperation in science, technology, and innovation (STI) under contemporary conditions. The research was conducted using a systematic approach and comparative analysis of scientific and technological documents from the five BRICS countries, alongside data from the Global Innovation Index 2023. The findings reveal a distinctive system of STI cooperation among BRICS nations. The systematization of priority areas for STI development allowed for the identification of 31 key priorities for scientific and technological collaboration. The strongest areas of innovation within the BRICS countries are linked to lending, investment, trade, and diversification, as well as to the creation, amplification, and dissemination of knowledge. The article concludes with recommendations for enhancing cooperation in the most impactful fields of science and technology. BRICS has the potential to become an international center for scientific and technological development, provided that development banks are stimulated, a common BRICS currency and bilateral mutual investment funds are established, and initiatives in “green” technology and human capital development are prioritized.
BRICS; Global innovation index; innovative development; scientific and technological cooperation; STI.