This panel, moderated by Shkendije Himaj and titled “Moving from Brain-Drain to Brain Circulation”, focused on a practical shift in mindset: instead of treating talent loss as a one-way tragedy, the Western Balkans should build systems that make movement circular, so knowledge, investment, skills, and networks flow back into the region even when people live abroad.
The discussion brought together perspectives from policy, academia, innovation agencies, youth cooperation, and business networks.
Uroš Živković (Returning Point Serbia) highlighted the need for structured “return and connect” pathways, programs that reduce the friction for professionals abroad to contribute, relocate, or collaborate with institutions at home.
From the academic side, Prof. Pëllumb Kelmendi (Auburn University) emphasized that brain circulation is not only physical return: it is also joint research, teaching exchanges, mentorship and institutional partnerships that link diaspora expertise to local universities and policy needs.
Jan Tkáč (Research and Innovation Agency of Slovakia) shared lessons from a country that has actively worked to mobilize talent and innovation networks, underscoring that brain circulation becomes real only when it is backed by instruments: funding schemes, clear evaluation standards, and dedicated institutional capacity to manage collaboration across borders.
Nina Vujanović (Bruegel) framed the issue in economic and governance terms: the region needs to compete for talent through credible reforms, predictable institutions, and policies that reward merit, because talented people circulate toward places where rules work and opportunities are real.
From the business community, Hudi Shehu (Business Network Albania) stressed the private sector’s role as the fastest channel for circulation, through diaspora entrepreneurship, investment partnerships, market access, and professional networks that connect companies at home with expertise abroad.
Anja Bebekov (RYCO) brought the youth angle: circulation starts early, through mobility, exchanges, and regional programs that create trust, skills, and a sense of shared future, so that young people do not only leave, but remain connected and able to return or contribute.
The panel’s core message was straightforward: brain circulation is not a slogan. It requires platforms that match diaspora skills with concrete opportunities, transparent institutions that build trust, and programs that make engagement easy—whether through returning, investing, mentoring, collaborating, or building cross-border projects that keep talent anchored to the region’s future.
