Second International Workshop of the BRICS Project Rio de Janeiro, April 25-27, 2007

       The basic idea of Globelics (www.globelics.org) is to establish a global network of scholars who apply the concept 'system of innovation and competence building' as their analytical framework. The focus of the network is on processes of competence building and innovation and comparative studies across continents and cultures are stimulated.

       The BRICS-project is one specific effort to accomplish these basic principles. The project aims at analyzing and comparing the different trajectories and strategies of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa from the National Systems of Innovation perspective. One important point of the project is to address both analytical and conceptual challenges associated with the use of the systems of innovation framework.

       In February 2006, The IKE-group, Aalborg University organized the first BRICS coordination meeting in Aalborg that set the project into motion. Now, RedeSist (www.redesist.ie.ufrj.br) and the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro promotes, in Rio de Janeiro, the second International Workshop of the BRICS project.

        Besides discussing aspects of the national innovation system of these countries, the workshop will address specific topics such as: sectoral innovation systems (IT and telecom, health and pharmaceuticals, energy and oil, cultural industries), industrial and innovation policies, financing of innovation systems, innovation indicators, inequality and the environment dimension of the national innovation systems. A second purpose of the workshop is to further discuss the implementation of the research program and methodology.