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The BRICS Think Tanks Council has suggested that BRICS countries should facilitate visas for researchers, by making special arrangements to facilitate and encourage exchanges among BRICS researchers, including simplifying visa approval procedures and reducing approval times.
This was one of the many recommendations to the BRICS Summit leaders made by the Think Tanks Council which met in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, last year in March. In 2014, Brazil held the pro tempore presidency of BRICS.
During the Council’s third meeting after its inception in 2013, it also recommended that BRICS should strengthen cooperation under the Patent Cooperation Treaty to facilitate the simultaneous registration of patents in all BRICS countries. It also suggested establishing a fund to finance patent applications.
The Council suggested that BRICS should support joint projects carried out by researchers and institutions from all BRICS countries. It should create a BRICS framework programme similar to the EU FP7 to finance joint projects with funding allocated from the New Development Bank.
Additionally, partnerships should be established among funds supporting research projects in each of the BRICS countries to finance joint projects carried out by researchers and institutions from all BRICS countries.
It also recommended that BRICS should facilitate technology and knowledge transfer. This includes by establishing a fund for technology transfer which will act as a depository where owners of the rights to technologies will be able to apply for assistance in their commercialisation. Projects may be financed by the fund or jointly with private companies and development institutions from BRICS countries.
Another important recommendation was to establish a BRICS institute of innovation and technology, along the lines of that successfully developed in the European context.90. It said BRICS should increase its focus on innovation for inclusive development. Science and technology in BRICS countries should be harnessed to the benefit of poor and marginalised populations, and not only focus on the forefront of technology and catch-up.
For more details click on TOWARDS A LONG-TERM STRATEGY FOR BRICS: A proposal by the BRICS Think Tanks Council
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