Albania

To create the necessary incentives and mechanisms for halting and reversing Albania's "brain drain." To achieve this, the Programme will support the Government in preparation of a policy framework on the Diaspora's engagement with Albanian development; build an online database to identify eligible individuals that will be part of the brain gain, and support academia, the private sector and other stakeholders to utilize the expertise of the Diaspora.

The development and implementation of a comprehensive programme to facilitate a greater contribution of the Albanian Diaspora to Albania's socio-economic development is the main goal of the initiative. The programme consists of three separate yet related components. The first relates to the contribution the Diaspora can make towards Albania's stock of human entrepreneurial activities, income generation and employment creation. The third aims to ensure that adequate capacities are in place to develop and implement the right policies to achieve the programme's aim. This proposal includes concrete interventions that will feed into the main objective of the Brain Gain Programme ranging from identification and bringing together of Albanian students abroad, to a fellowship scheme for CEOs with the most important public enterprises, enabling legal and regulatory environment for the inclusion of overseas graduates in the Albanian civil service, promotion of Diaspora entrepreneurship in Albania and developing trade links, including capacity building. In cooperation with the Albanian Ministry of Education and Science, and Albanian universities, the Brain Gain initiative will bring Albanian lecturers that teach at renowned and established western universities to Albanian universities for a specific series of lectures, while exploring the possibility of using their academic and research expertise in the preparation of platforms and future strategies for the Albanian higher education system. The launch of a Brain Gain Fund - to provide public sector employment incentives for highly qualified returning migrants - with contributions from international partners and the private sector will be the first step in this direction. Other mechanisms can be developed to attract and channel resources to specific projects aimed at poverty reduction and the promotion of human development, especially at the local level.

UNDP will work in close cooperation with key international and national partners to provide technical assistance and implementation support to this important initiative. The Programme will adopt a multi-partner approach that aims at bringing together Government, its international development partners and national civil society organizations. Partnerships with academic institutions and the private sector will play a crucial role in implementation and sustainability of the programme.