20 May 2026
Policy Paper – Unlocking the Potential of Mobility-Driven Research and Innovation to Enable Brain Circulation in the Western Balkans
Country Western Balkans
Date 21 July 2025
Author Alba Brojka
Publisher SCiDEV
This policy paper calls for a set of recommendations to foster brain circulation and counter the persistent problem of brain drain in the Western Balkans. After outlining the challenge, the ongoing outflow of researchers leaving the region rather than returning or settling there, the author, Alba Brojka, emphasizes that the agreements signed during the Tirana Summit to promote regional mobility require stronger implementation, clearer follow-up mechanisms, and closer government monitoring. While EU integration has already driven important political, economic, and social transformations, recent trends point toward a “drift into stabilitocracy”, raising serious concerns about democratic resilience and long-term progress. The recommandations in this policy paper are addressed to Western Balkans governments and Research institutions as well as EU institutions and Member States.
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