BRICS Universities League is a consortium of leading research universities from BRICS countries including Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Initiated at Fudan University, Shanghai on July 6, 2013, the League aims to become a platform for academic and expert cooperation, comparative research, and international educational projects. In October 2015, around 40 outstanding universities from the five BRICS countries gathered in Beijing Normal University, Beijing to hold the BRICS Universities Presidents Forum. After this Forum, the participating universities declared the Beijing Consensus, and they decided to establish the BRICS Universities League. The League Secretariat is located in Beijing Normal University, with the BNU as a leading university in terms of BRICS higher education and academic cooperation. The League is expanding to attract more and more outstanding BRICS universities to participate in its activities. The BRICS Universities League has performed as a strategic pillar for the BRICS cooperation.
Recent developments In the years following its establishment, the League has expanded its activities significantly. In 2024 a new event — the BRICS+ Universities Rectors' Forum — was held for the first time at Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russia, bringing together rectors and presidents of BRICS and BRICS-partner universities. The 2025 edition will take place in Rio de Janeiro (5-7 June) under the theme “Education, Artificial Intelligence, Sustainable Development, Inclusion, Diversity, Poverty Alleviation and Standardisation in the BRICS+ Space”.
In March 2024, a wider initiative — the BRICS+ Universities Association — was launched to include not only core BRICS universities but also partner-country universities across Asia, Africa and Latin America, aiming at a broader “BRICS+” higher education network.
According to a 2025 analysis, BRICS-based universities are increasing their international visibility and shifting from regional to global scale research cooperation, assisted by networks such as the League.
Current members
Brazil University Location Year founded NoteFederal University of Minas GeraisBelo Horizonte1927Federal University of Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro1920Federal University of Rio Grande do SulPorto Alegre1934Federal University of Santa CatarinaSanta Catarina1960Federal University of ViçosaViçosa1922Fluminense Federal UniversityNiterói1960National Institute of Amazonian ResearchManaus1952Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro1940University of CampinasSão Paulo1964
China University Location Year founded NoteBeijing Normal UniversityBeijing1902Project 985, Project 211, Double First Class UniversityFudan UniversityShanghai1905C9 League, Project 985, Project 211, Double First Class UniversityHarbin Engineering UniversityHarbin, Heilongjiang1953Project 211, Double First Class UniversityHohai UniversityNanjing, Jiangsu1915Project 211, Double First Class UniversityHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan, Hubei1952Project 985, Project 211, Double First Class UniversityHunan UniversityChangsha, Hunan1903Project 985, Project 211, Double First Class UniversityJiangsu Normal UniversityXuzhou, Jiangsu 1952Provincial Public UniversityJilin UniversityChangchun, Jilin1946Project 985, Project 211, Double First Class UniversityNorth China University of Water Resources and Electric PowerZhengzhou, Henan1951Provincial Public UniversityNortheast Forestry UniversityHarbin, Heilongjiang1952Project 211, Double First Class UniversitySichuan UniversityChengdu, Sichuan1896Project 985, Project 211, Double First Class UniversitySouthwest UniversityChongqing1906Project 211, Double First Class UniversityYanshan UniversityQinhuangdao, Hebei1920Provincial Public UniversityYunnan UniversityKunming, Yunnan1922Project 211, Double First Class UniversityZhejiang UniversityHangzhou, Zhejiang1897C9 League, Project 985, Project 211, Double First Class University
India University Location Year founded NoteBanaras Hindu UniversityVaranasi, Uttar Pradesh1916Indian Institute of Technology BombayMumbai, Maharashtra1958Indian Institute of Technology KanpurKanpur, Uttar Pradesh1959Indian Institute of Technology KharagpurKharagpur, West Bengal1951Indian Institute of Technology RoorkeeRoorkee, Uttarakhand1847Indira Gandhi Institute of Development ResearchMumbai, Maharashtra1987Jamia Millia IslamiaNew Delhi1920National Forensic Sciences UniversityGandhinagar, Gujarat2008National Institute of Technology Durgapur Durgapur, West Bengal1960National Institute of Technology Warangal Warangal, Telangana1959Rashtriya Raksha UniversityGandhinagar, Gujarat2009Has 6 campuses across India Tata Institute of Social SciencesMumbai, Maharashtra1936Has 3 campuses across IndiaTERI School of Advanced StudiesNew Delhi1998University of DelhiNew Delhi1922Visvesvaraya National Institute of TechnologyNagpur, Maharashtra1960
Russia University Location Year founded NoteHigher School of EconomicsMoscow1992Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics UniversitySaint Petersburg1900Moscow State Institute of International RelationsMoscow1944Moscow Institute of Physics and TechnologyMoscow1946National University of Science and TechnologyMoscow1918Moscow Power Engineering InstituteMoscow1930Moscow State UniversityMoscow1755Peoples' Friendship University of RussiaMoscow1960Saint Petersburg State UniversitySaint Petersburg1724Tomsk Polytechnic UniversityTomsk1896Tomsk State UniversityTomsk1878Ural Federal UniversityYekaterinburg1920
South Africa University Location Year founded NoteCentral University of TechnologyBloemfontein1981Durban University of TechnologyKwaZulu-Natal2002North West UniversityPotchefstroom, Mahikeng and Vanderbijlpark 2004Rhodes UniversityMakhanda, Eastern Cape Province1904Stellenbosch UniversityStellenbosch, Western Cape1918Tshwane University of TechnologyPretoria, Mbombela, Polokwane, Ga-Rankuwa, Soshanguve, Witbank (eMalahleni)2004University of Cape TownCape Town, Western Cape1829University of JohannesburgJohannesburg2005University of LimpopoLimpopo Province2005University of PretoriaPretoria1908University of VendaThohoyandou, Limpopo province1982University of WitwatersrandJohannesburg1922
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