The 7th BRICS Young Scientist Forum and the 5th BRICS Young Innovator Prize was successfully held in Xiamen, China from August 29 to September 1, 2022. The event was co-organized by the Department of International Cooperation, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and the Xiamen Municipal People’s Government, and jointly undertaken by China Science and Technology Exchange Center (CSTEC), the Torch High Technology Industry Development Center of MOST, Xiamen Bureau of Science and Technology and Xiamen University. At the opening ceremony on August 29, Dai Gang, Director General of the MOST Department of International Cooperation, and delegations from other BRICS members made online speeches; Xiamen Vice Mayor Zhuang Rongliang and Xiamen University Vice President Jiang Yunbao attended the forum at the main venue in Xiamen. In his address, Dai Gang said the BRICS Young Scientist Forum and the BRICS Young Innovator Prize are important activities to promote cultural and people-to-people exchanges under the BRICS Science and Technology Innovation (STI) Cooperation Mechanism, and are of great significance for young scientists to learn from each other and improve their innovation capabilities. He hoped that young scientists and innovators from the five countries can deepen understandings, enhance mutual trust, build friendship, and play active roles in advancing the BRICS STI Cooperation.

It’s the first time for China to host the forum via a hybrid fomat, and the second time for China to host the forum since 2017. The theme of the forum was “Inspire Youth Potential, Shape BRICS's Future”. During the four-day forum, some 200 young scientists and entrepreneurs from BRICS countries made discussions at the online platform and shared their academic opinions in the frontier domains of low-carbon technology, biomedicine, artificial intelligence and new materials, and produced a lot of insightful views and suggestions. Young scientists have displayed their innovative thinking through the fierce contention for the Innovator Prize. The organizing committee launched an online exhibition to display young scientists’ research achievements and provide them with a sharing and learning platform.

The forum wrapped up on September 1, 2022. Gao Xiang, Director General of CSTEC, Wu Cheng, Deputy Director General of CSTEC, Kong Shuguang, Director of Xiamen Bureau of Science and Technology and representatives from BRICS member countries attended the closing ceremony. Winners of the 5th BRICS Innovator Prize were announced at the closing ceremony. Three scientists from China were honored with a first prize, a second prize and a third prize; two scientists from Russia secured a second prize and a third prize; one scientist from Brazil received a third prize. In the meantime, young scholars shared what they have learned from the parallel sessions and made valuable comments and suggestions. Heads of BRICS delegations also put forward their visions to advance scientific and technological cooperation. In his closing address Gao Xiang, Director General of CSTEC, expressed his hope that young scholars will continue to follow and participate in STI cooperation among BRICS countries, strengthen cultural and people-to-people exchanges, enhance friendship, maintain strong enthusiasm for scientific explorations, and contribute to science development in their own countries and to BRICS STI cooperation.

STI cooperation is one of the cooperation mechanisms under the BRICS Summit Framework. It has demonstrated resilience and lasting vitality in the spirit of openness, inclusiveness and reciprocal cooperation. Under the STI cooperation mechanism, the BRICS Young Scientist Forum has been held for seven consecutive sessions, and become the highlight and a signature event for BRICS scientific and technological cooperation.

(Source: Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China)