"Brain gain" in planning academia: learning from Albania’s practical approaches

This Review Note presents two successful “brain gain” initiatives implemented in Albania — READ, a planning research project, and GERMIN, a planning education project. Both programs represent structured efforts to mobilize diaspora expertise in order to strengthen higher education, research, and professional practice, addressing capacity gaps intensified by the prolonged emigration of skilled professionals. In this context, “brain gain” is understood not as permanent return, but as the circulation of talent. These models emphasize knowledge exchange, research partnerships, co-teaching, and global networking, often driven by strong personal and professional ties and implemented at relatively low financial cost. The lessons drawn may provide useful insights for policymakers, educators, and researchers confronting similar issues along the Mediterranean.