Comparative Analysis of the Scientific, Educational and Digital Potential of the BRICS and G7 Countries: Conclusions for Public Administration Systems

Abstract

The relevance of the study lies in the need to assess the capabilities of the BRICS and G7 international alliances in the context of increasing uncertainty and shifting centers of global leadership. The purpose of the study is to conduct a comprehensive comparative analysis of the BRICS and G7 countries' scientific, educational and digital capabilities to determine the prospects of the impact of the two international alliances on the development of the global economy.Objectives: to study the indicators of the BRICS and G7 countries' scientific and educational potential; to study the components of the BRICS and G7 countries' digital potential; to substantiate the tools for expanding the scientific, educational and digital potential of the countries to strengthen the BRICS position in the global economy.Methodology. The study is based on the use of methods of statistical information collection, comparative and economic analysis, systematization, and the graphical method.Results. The analysis of indicators of the BRICS and G7 countries' scientific and educational potential shows, on the one hand, the advantage of the alliance of developed G7 countries and, on the other hand, the clear leadership potential of China, Russia and Brazil in various groups of indicators, which determines the probability of strengthening the positions of these countries and the entire BRICS alliance in the implementation of an active government policy in the field of education and science. The current gap between the BRICS alliance and the G7 countries in terms of digital capacity has narrowed during the pandemic, which creates the preconditions for developing countries to strengthen and achieve digital leadership in the world.Conclusions. It is concluded that the strengthening of the BRICS countries' position on the world stage in terms of GDP over the past 10 years, as well as the presence of strong elements of scientific, educational and digital potential of individual countries of this alliance, and their strengthening during the pandemic have formed the prerequisites for the alliance to take leadership positions in the near future.