The 14 countries bordering the Danube have pledged to combine funds to try to keep top researchers in the region.
Research ministers from the nine EU member states in the Danube region, as well as from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Moldova and Ukraine, met for talks in Bratislava on 3 November.
In a joint statement, they took responsibility for creating research environments that will encourage young researchers to remain in the region—and outlined plans to establish a joint research fund.