The project Piloting Solutions for Alleviating Brain Drain in South East Europe is just one of UNESCO’s contributions to international action in response to the brain drain phenomenon that countries in South East Europe are facing. It aims to contribute towards turning “brain drain” into “brain gain” by offering modern technological and financial facilities to young scientists from the region to co-operate - within the framework of joint research projects - with their fellow-nationals living abroad.

The first meeting of the project’s Steering Group, hosted by UNESCO-ROSTE in Venice in 2003, brought together UNESCO, HP and representatives of the three target countries of the pilot phase: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia & Montenegro. Latest technology HP Grid computing equipment was handed over to five Universities in Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia & Montenegro in the framework the UNESCO project ‘Piloting Solutions for Alleviating Brain Drain in South East Europe’. A UNESCO-HEWLETT PACKARD PARTNERSHIP Get-together Meeting of the scientists participating in the project took place in Dubrovnik (Croatia) in October 2004, to offer the opportunity to the scientists participating in the project (5 Countries and 7 Universities) to know one other and learn about their work in the frame of the project.

New Launch Events of the Project at the Polytechnic University of Tirana, Albania (12 April 2005) and 'Ss Cyril annd Methoudius' University, Skopje, FYR of Macedonia (15 April 2005) and 2nd Project Review Meeting, Ohrid, FYR of Macedonia, 12-14 April 2005