On 30th April 2010 the Academy of Sciences of Moldova (ASM) and Cooperation@epfl officially launched in Chisinau a joint research pro-i ject, which is intended to "Connect the scientific diaspora of the Republic of Moldova to the scientific and economic development of the home country".

Dr Gabriela TEjada, "Flash" Journal interne d'information et d'opinion, nr.6 - 19.05.10

Cooperation@epfl

This research project emphasizes that the emigrated human capital should not be considered as a definite loss for the country of origin (brain-drain), but rather as an accumulation of a plethora of skills, knowledge and valuable resources that can be mobilised for the benefit of the home country (brain-gain). Its overall aim is to provide evidence on skilled migration from the Republic of Moldova and to design a specific mechanism to connect the scientific diaspora of this country to the national scientific and economic development on a permanent basis. The project will offer a number of policy rec¬ommendations that can be useful in leveraging the potentialities of Moldovan emigrated human capital.

The Republic of Moldova, a small landlocked country in Eastern Europe, achieved its independence relatively recently (1991) and it now has the highest emigration rate in Europe. Due to the combination of an unstable market economy in transition and a lack of job opportunities, almost 1 million people have left the Republic of Moldova since 1991. Indeed, some estimates indicate that as many as 25% of the labour force of this country, which has a population of 4 million people, are now working abroad. Furthermore, official sources show that the scientific potential of the country was reduced by more than three times, with the number of researchers falling from 20,000 to 6,000 between 1990 and 2004. The situation is the consequence of a drastic reduction in S&T investment between 1990 (0.73% of GDP) and 2000 (0.18% of GDP). Despite all obstacles, the intellectual level of Moldovan scientists and research¬ers has remained quite high.

Since the adoption in 2004 of the new Code on Science and Innovation of the Republic of Moldova, the increase in incentives and investment in R&D activi¬ties and S&T has been apparent. Investment in S&T was 0.74% of GDP in 2008 and it is expected to reach 1.0% of GDP by 2011. Moreover, the participation of the scientific community in international research programmes and collaborations has been strongly encouraged, while the potential of the expatriate scientists and their resources for the home country have been greatly recognised.

During the conference launch of the project, the Academician Gheorghe Duca, President of the ASM underlined the efforts that have been made to enhance the collaboration between the scientific community of the Republic of Moldova and its scientific diaspora, but he added that further steps are required. Prof. Jean-Claude Bolay, Director of Cooperation at EPFL, stressed the importance of international scientific cooperation and of leveraging the skills and resources of expatriated human capital for the advancement of home development.

At the Conference launch, representatives of the International Organization for Migration (I0M Moldova) stressed their inter¬est on addressing brain drain and strengthening Moldova as a R&D hub through temporary return of expatriated scientists.

With an overall duration of three years (2010-2012), the project is being financed by the SCOPES Programme of the SNF and the SDC, and it will be coordinated by Dr. Gabriela Tejada, scientific collaborator at the Cooperation Unit.