BRICS Youth Innovation Summit 2025
Students from the Faculty of Economics share their experiences from their trip to South Africa, details of their project presentation at the BRICS Summit, penguin encounters and more!
The BRICS Youth Innovation Summit 2025 was held in Cape Town on 10-11 April 2025. The event was attended by political and business leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The Summit focused on the theme "Innovating the Future: Technology for Sustainability and Social Good", under which the participants' projects were presented. The event was organised by the South African BRICS Youth Association (SABYA). Diana Fakhritdinova and Meri Oganesyan, bachelor students of the Economics and Statistics programme, represented the Faculty of Economics at the international event.
Head of the International Office at the Faculty of Economic Sciences
Participation in the BRICS Youth Innovation Summit provided FES students with a unique opportunity to exchange knowledge, ideas and experience with experts from around the world. We are proud of our students and thank them for representing the faculty at the prestigious international forum. Their achievements inspire and motivate other students to participate in the international life of the faculty and strive for new heights.
Decision to participate and project
We decided to apply for the project competition for the trip to the summit in South Africa rather spontaneously and, to be honest, we did not expect a positive response from the admissions committee. But as soon as we received it, we decided to seize this opportunity without any doubts! We really did not think that the project would be so highly evaluated by the committee. The main thing for us was to share ideas and ways of implementing them. Besides, taking part in the contest was a great opportunity to test our strengths and knowledge.
Our company just.display is a convenient solution on the Russian market for managing advertising and information screens. We offer ease of use and effective content management. The company has a long history of development, we began the project while we were still in school, and our solution has already been used in such places as Skolkovo Technopark, Donstroy, and the educational quarter School #1409.
At such an international event, we wanted to see how the issue of digitalisation is discussed, meet experts in the field, and learn more about the real opportunities in BRICS countries. And, of course, we dreamed of seeing South Africa, local culture and people.
The Summit
The BRICS Summit focused on sustainability and environmental issues in the world. The main theme was how entrepreneurs can keep in mind the important issues of humanity while maximising profits. The organisation was top notch. The first day included not only speeches from the summit participants, but also networking sessions, workshops and lectures from global speakers. Each participant was able to learn about the culture of other countries and interact with BRICS representatives.
There was a slight feeling of nervousness before delivering the speech, but overall the presentation of the project went well. The results were presented as clearly and simply as possible and there is no doubt that the presentation aroused the interest of other participants at the summit. The trip exceeded all our expectations! Not only did we present our project and receive valuable feedback, but we also made contacts with experts in the field.
Achievements and insights
First of all, of course, we would like to emphasise the strengthening of our communication skills and the broadening of our horizons. Our main goal was to represent our university and our company honourably on the international stage. We believe that we succeeded in this task, as we were among the three best projects presented, which we are very happy about. We are now in contact with the Summit organisers and representatives of international companies to discuss further cooperation. Of course, this is an incredible opportunity for our project and we are very thankful for it. Anything is possible, the main thing is to be open to opportunities and willing to deal with potential risks.
By the end of the summit, we were fortunate to communicate with representatives of all BRICS countries, as well as with experts from other regions of the world. Of particular interest were the discussions with representatives from Brazil and China, who shared their experience in the development of innovations. We gained a better understanding of cultural differences and learned to adapt to the circumstances, as well as enhanced our presentation and negotiation skills. We would like to apply this experience to our future professions as economists, where we will carry out research and development in the field of digital transformation.
South Africa through the eyes of a tourist
South Africa is an amazing country, combining a developed infrastructure with stunning wildlife. It is a country with a complicated history, but with huge potential and incredibly friendly people. What impressed us most was the diversity of cultures and languages. Different ethnic groups coexist here, each with their own traditions and customs.
The Cape of Good Hope was the most memorable place we visited. Watching wildlife in their natural habitat with our own eyes on the way there and enjoying the incredible views from the Cape was an unforgettable experience. We also visited Cape Town and saw Table Mountain!
The accommodation was more than comfortable. We stayed in a good hotel in a convenient area with everything we needed for work and leisure. To be honest, we were a bit wary of the crime rate in some areas. But we took precautions and avoided visiting dangerous places.
Advice for students
We urge you not to be afraid and to take part! This is a great opportunity to broaden your horizons, develop your skills, promote your project internationally, meet interesting people and learn a lot! It is important to prepare well for the event, study the programme, make a list of questions that interest you. And above all, be open to new knowledge and experiences!
We would like to thank the organisers of the summit and our university for this opportunity. It was an unforgettable trip that changed our lives and inspired us to further achievements. We hope that our experience will be useful to other students and that they will be able to participate in similar events!
Diana Fakhritdinova and Meri Oganesyan, bachelor students of the Economics and Statistics programme