The authors of the study shed light on the question whether there is scope for further initiatives to encourage and increase mobility-based training of researchers from the Western Balkans. The first part of the study deals with analysing the research and development systems and the economic performance of the Western Balkan Six (WB6)1, looking amongst other things at their Gross Domestic R&D Expenditure. Secondly, the study sets out to analyse mobility streams of researchers from the WB6 within structured regional and European mobility-based training programmes such as ERASMUS+, MSCA and COST. A third focus deals with the exploration of intersectoral mobility: what are the motives and drivers of policy makers for launching intersectoral mobility policies? What are barriers and obstacles to intersectoral mobility-based training and how can they be removed? Does the encouragement of intersectoral mobility-based training constitute an explicit policy priority in WB6 and if so, how is cooperation between academia and industry promoted?

On the basis of empirical observations as well as on findings from the literature research, the authors suggest four mobility schemes, of which three are related to geographical mobility and one to intersectoral mobility. The first scheme is a support measure based on the 'Seal of Excellence' for post-doctoral researchers. Secondly, the authors suggest forming a voluntary alliance of major mid- to large-scale research infrastructure providers in order to enable excellent researchers from the WB6 to access their European research infrastructures. A third suggestion deals with forming international research teams that jointly develop European and international research projects with special emphasis on transfer of knowledge between academia and the business sector. With respect to the encouragement of intersectoral mobility, the authors propose a regional adaptation of the very successful Knowledge Transfer Partnerships-Programme (KTP) that has been operating in the UK since 1975.