How the BRICS+ Cultural and Educational Agenda is Becoming a Strategic Business Advantage

The catalyst was a cultural signal: the shortlist for the 2025 BRICS Literary Prize has been announced in Jakarta, featuring 10 authors from Brazil to Egypt. Russia is represented by Alexey Varlamov, and the winner will be announced on November 27 in Khabarovsk, as reported by Rossiyskaya Gazeta (https://rg.ru/2025/10/27/aleksej-varlamov-voshel-v-korotkij-spisok-literaturnoj-premii-briks.html). Against the backdrop of this cultural institutionalization, educational and technological initiatives are accelerating in parallel – from international forums and university networks to the BRICS Cybersecurity Alliance proposed by Sber.

What Signal Does the BRICS Literary Prize Shortlist Send, and Why Is It More Than Just a Prize?

The shortlist confirms the institutionalization of the BRICS+ cultural agenda and the expansion of the association's geography. In addition to the core member states, the finalists include authors from Indonesia, the UAE, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Iran. The prize, established in 2024, aims to support authors whose works convey the cultural and spiritual values of BRICS, as was emphasized at a press conference in Jakarta (https://artmoskovia.ru/v-dzhakarte-obyavlen-korotkij-spisok-literaturnoj-premii-briks.html). Speeches highlighted intercultural dialogue, translation, and the promotion of authors to an audience of over 3 billion people. This framework was reinforced by statements from the organizing committee and partners at the same event (https://artmoskovia.ru/v-dzhakarte-obyavlen-korotkij-spisok-literaturnoj-premii-briks.html).

Simultaneously, the finalists define a value framework: literature is a tool for empathy and shared meanings, as noted by Indonesian nominee Denny JA, quoted by Smotrim (https://smotrim.ru/article/4752992).

"Literature is not a luxury of peacetime, but the seed of peace itself… When empires collapse and markets disappear, stories remain. It is through them that we will remember who we were, who we are now, and who we can become – all together."

What New Cooperation Formats is BRICS+ Launching in Education, Science, and Media?

Educational and media tracks complement the cultural framework. At the 17th Assembly of the Russian World in Moscow, proposals were formulated to support translators, Russian language educators, and multilateral information exchange among BRICS countries. Representatives from 105 countries participated in the forum, according to the Assembly's outcomes (https://russkie.org/news/rekordnyy-forum-podvedeny-itogi-xvii-assamblei-russkogo-mira/).

The focus is shifting towards Africa and the digital marketing of education. The Russian International Affairs Council, in conjunction with the Russian Association of Foreign University Services (RAFUS) and the Center for African Studies at the National Research University Higher School of Economics, held a roundtable and presented the report "E-Internationalization: English-Language Online Resources of Russian Universities (2025)" (https://russiancouncil.ru/news/rsmd-rafu-i-tsentr-izucheniya-afriki-niu-vshe-proveli-kruglyy-stol-obrazovatelnye-rynki-afriki-i-tsi/). Concurrently, international cooperation is increasing in the regions. The Northern (Arctic) Federal University reported 79 active agreements with organizations from 13 countries and 11 new agreements in 2025, along with active participation in RAFUS and relevant BRICS events (https://bclass.ru/karera/vakansii_i_obuchenie/safu-posetila-delegatsiya-ministerstva-inostrannykh-del-rossii/).

The scientific and technological agenda requires a reboot. The first ranking of engineering universities by Expert Analytical Center indicates a decline in publication activity after a peak in 2020 and a cooling of patenting, with low commercialization of university patents. Simultaneously, applications for software, databases, and TIPMS are growing, and a pool of patent leaders is forming (MSU, Skoltech, MIPT, etc.), according to the report (http://expert-ural.com/archive/nomer-11-907/puls-inzhenernoy-nauki.html).

What Does This Mean for BRICS+ Companies Right Now?

This presents an window of opportunity for the book business and translations, edtech and recruitment, as well as for applied IP partnerships and media cooperation in the markets of the Global South.

• Books and Translations: The prize final and the Eurasian Book Agency's role in translating and publishing finalists open up deals for rights, joint series, and content showcases in BRICS+ countries.
• African Educational Markets: English-language landing pages, digital funnels, and partnerships within the RAFUS/RIAC framework offer a fast track to student enrollment and B2B programs for corporations.
• University R&D: Focus on commercializing joint developments with leading engineering schools and top universities from the Expert ranking – with KPIs for licenses, pilot projects, and implementation.
• HR Channel: Long-term trajectories for internships and employment through key regional universities with proven international activities (such as NArFU), including for branches and production facilities.
• Media and "People's Diplomacy": Supporting translation and media initiatives outlined at the "Russian World" forum is a direct path to a loyal audience and reputational capital.

What Are the Key Risks and Barriers?

The main risks include accelerating cyber threats and weak conversion of academic technologies into market-ready products. According to Sber, every organization globally faces approximately 2,000 attacks per week on average. In Russia, attacks on government bodies, IT, and banks tripled in 2025, and vishing has increased by a third over three years (affecting around 600 million victims, half of whom are in Asia-Pacific). This motivated the BRICS Cybersecurity Alliance initiative (https://regnum.ru/news/3997103). In the university sector, Expert notes a decline in patent applications in the long term and a low rate of commercialization, despite partial growth in IP programs (http://expert-ural.com/archive/nomer-11-907/puls-inzhenernoy-nauki.html).

There is also an institutional risk: the complexity of coordinating multilateral projects. However, BRICS and ASEAN are based on principles of sovereign equality and consensus, which create compatible frameworks for aligning initiatives, noted Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk, commenting on the BRICS–ASEAN agenda (https://tass.ru/politika/25465537).

Tactically, this requires: preemptive establishment of cyber-information exchange (CERT-to-CERT), incident response, and contractor chain audits; structuring IP agreements with a focus on licensing/royalties; and ensuring compliance with cross-border educational services and data protection regulations.

What Key Milestones and Horizons Should Be Monitored?

The short-term horizon includes three markers that provide businesses with an entry window and strategic calibration.

• November 27, 2025: Announcement of the BRICS Literary Prize laureate in Khabarovsk. This is an occasion for rights deals, co-publishing, and marketing collaborations around the winner (https://smotrim.ru/article/4752992).
• 2026–2027: Institutionalization of the digital perimeter. A special session of the BRICS summit in India in 2026 will consider the Cybersecurity Alliance roadmap. With consensus, a launch in 2027 is possible. In parallel, the BRICS–ASEAN track is developing (https://regnum.ru/news/3997103, https://tass.ru/politika/25465537).

In summary, the "culture–education–technology" agenda in BRICS+ is ceasing to be a humanitarian "add-on" and is becoming market infrastructure. Companies that are first to connect content, recruitment, and IP partnerships with secure digital infrastructure will gain a scale advantage in the growing BRICS markets and adjacent regions.