BRICS Summer School in South Africa highlights youth participation and knowledge cooperation
Two-day programme in Pretoria focused on youth agency, knowledge democracy and greater participation in shaping the Global South’s future
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Photo source: SABYA
The 5th BRICS Summer School South Africa 2026, organised by South African BRICS Youth Association (SABYA) and the University of South Africa (UNISA), concluded in Pretoria, bringing together representatives of academia, government, business and youth to discuss the future of BRICS and opportunities for greater participation across the Global South.
The Summer School focused on youth agency, knowledge production, inclusive development and the role of education in strengthening cooperation among BRICS countries. A key outcome of the programme was a broader understanding of BRICS as not only an intergovernmental platform but also a people-to-people space where young people, academics, business representatives and civil society can contribute to shaping the group's future.
The discussions highlighted the importance of making BRICS-related opportunities more accessible to young people. Education, skills development, scholarships, economic opportunities and cultural exchange were identified as practical areas through which youth can engage with the BRICS agenda.
The role of universities in strengthening knowledge cooperation across the Global South was also highlighted. Speakers called for knowledge and research from Africa, Asia, South America and the Middle East to play a greater role in defining global approaches to development and education.
South Africa's BRICS Presidency provided an important context for the discussions. Ben Joubert, South African BRICS Sous-Sherpa at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, highlighted youth, education and humanitarian cooperation among the country's priorities.
“BRICS has become one of the key pillars of the emerging multipolar international system; strengthening the youth, educational and humanitarian dimensions of BRICS is among our top priorities,” he stated.
Koketjo Tsebe, Programme Director of the 5th BRICS Summer School, framed the programme as a space for dialogue built around shared ideas and relationships. She highlighted the people-to-people dimension of BRICS and stressed the importance of participants collectively producing knowledge rather than simply receiving it. Tsebe also underlined the significance of BRICS' expansion for South Africa.
“It is fulfilling to see we are now sitting at the ten full members of BRICS, which indicates the significance of BRICS, more particularly to South Africa,” she said.
The Summer School concluded with a focus on young people as active participants in shaping development across the Global South. As one of the central messages of the programme, youth were encouraged not simply to prepare for the future but to contribute to building it through knowledge, innovation and cooperation.
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