18th BRICS Academic Forum Convenes in Lucknow

The 18th BRICS Academic Forum convened in Lucknow from August 23-25, 2026, organized by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in partnership with the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) and the University of Lucknow, under India's 2026 BRICS Chairship. Academics, researchers, experts and policymakers from BRICS member states gathered under the Chairship theme 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability' to discuss AI, quantum technology, digital infrastructure and global governance, marking 20 years since the BRIC(S) acronym was coined and offering a forum to reflect on the bloc's evolution ahead of the September 12-13 New Delhi Leaders' Summit.