In 2023, Artificial Intelligence (AI) entered the public discourse becoming a household term. The conversation has ranged from AI making human labour redundant to an AI-based super intelligenceemerging in the near future, triggering an extinction level event across society (Vallance, 2023). The AIheadlines have been especially shocking, with an Open Letter signed by notable Western AI experts calling for a six-month pause on AI development, given its potential exponential increase in capabiliti...

BRICS countries collectively comprise 40 percent of the world’s population (Statista, 2014). However, what truly defines this shared commonality among the nations is the diversity of population, culture and languages within the borders. India has 28 States and 8 Union Territories and according to the latest Census (2011), more than 19,500 mother tongues are spoken in India (Indian Express, 2018). Similarly, Africa is home to about one-third of the world’s languages with about 1,000 to 2,000 lan...

Currently, politicians and experts are increasingly talking about moving towards a polycentric world order. The unipolar world with the hegemony of the United States is becoming a thing of the past. It is unlikely that there will be a new bipolarity in the form of Chimerica. However, it is not yet clear which powers will become key in the new polycentric world. So far, the comparison of twelve countries, namely the G7 and BRICS participants, has become the most popular. Read more

China has the world’s largest vocational education system with 11,200 vocational schools and 29.15 million students, offering more than 1,300 majors which cover almost all areas of the national economy (Workers’ Daily, 19 August 2022). A system of Secondary Vocational High School + Vocational College + Vocational and Technical University was established. The Chinese government stresses the importance of craftsmanship and vocational education and has implemented a series of laws, mechanisms and ...

The 2023 BRICS Academic Forum brought together leading scholars, researchers, and policymakers from Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa to discuss pressing global challenges and opportunities for collaboration. In his opening address, on the 14th May 2023, South Africa’s Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, highlighted, “The 15th BRICS Academic Forum provides us with another opportunity to strengthen our relations and reaffirm our values in an eve...

The BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) have displayed a growing interest in Africa in recent years. This interest is driven by the continent’s potential for economic growth and investment prospects. As a result, the BRICS (collectively or individually) have established various forms of partnerships with African countries, aimed at stimulating economic development, trade, and investment in Africa (Prabhakar, Azam, Bakhtyar, & Ibrahim, 2015). Read more

In mid-May 2023 South Africa hosted the BRICS Academic Forum in Cape Town, where discussions focused on the most pressing issues on the BRICS agenda such as the modalities of BRICS-Africa cooperation, including through the advancement of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Perhaps the key message that came from the Forum was the call for collective action and cooperation not only among the BRICS economies but also with the wider BRICS+ space of the Global South. In particular, reg...

The year 2023 marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Africa. Over the past quarter century, the bilateral relationship has withstood the test of time and international vicissitudes. Under the cooperation of both governments, China and South Africa have achieved a “triple jump” from a partnership to a strategic partnership, and then to a comprehensive strategic partnership. This progression has continually moved towards higher quality, bro...