IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/palcom/v12y2025i1d10.1057_s41599-025-05947-w.html

Science diplomacy in small states: a case study of global players’ engagement in Slovakia

Author

Listed:
  • Boris Mattoš

    (Bratislava University of Economics and Business (EUBA))

  • Michaela Grinaj

    (Bratislava University of Economics and Business (EUBA))

  • Paskal Zhelev

    (University of National and World Economy(UNWE))

Abstract

This paper examines the science diplomacy strategies employed in Slovakia by three major global players from America, Europe, and Asia: the United States, France, and China. Through a comparative analysis, it assesses the impact of these countries’ efforts on Slovakia’s scientific and technological development, as well as on human capital outflow, commonly referred to as ‘brain drain’. The study adopts a qualitative methodology, combining secondary sources with key informant interviews conducted with embassy representatives involved in science diplomacy initiatives. The findings highlight the distinctive approaches of each country: the United States focuses on educational exchanges and fostering entrepreneurship; France emphasizes academic cooperation through EU research frameworks; and China prioritizes investment in technological partnerships. The research also reveals the challenges Slovakia faces in leveraging these international collaborations to address its brain drain problem. While these initiatives strengthen bilateral relations and support capacity-building, they often fail to directly address talent retention within Slovakia. This study sheds light on the strategic role that science diplomacy plays in shaping the scientific landscape and the international standing of smaller states, such as Slovakia. It offers policymakers and scholars valuable insights into the complexities of science diplomacy and its broader implications for global cooperation and development.

Suggested Citation

  • Boris Mattoš & Michaela Grinaj & Paskal Zhelev, 2025. "Science diplomacy in small states: a case study of global players’ engagement in Slovakia," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:12:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-025-05947-w
    DOI: 10.1057/s41599-025-05947-w
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41599-025-05947-w
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41599-025-05947-w?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Damián Tuset Varela, 2024. "Diplomacy in the Age of AI: Challenges and Opportunities," Journal of Artificial Intelligence General science (JAIGS) ISSN:3006-4023, Open Knowledge, vol. 2(1), pages 101-128.
    2. Vaughan Turekian, 2018. "The Evolution of Science Diplomacy," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 9(S3), pages 5-7, November.
    3. William R. Moomaw, 2018. "Scientist Diplomats or Diplomat Scientists: Who Makes Science Diplomacy Effective?," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 9(S3), pages 78-80, November.
    4. Ping Su & Maximilian Mayer, 2018. "Science Diplomacy and Trust Building: ‘Science China’ in the Arctic," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 9(S3), pages 23-28, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Andrei Polejack & Sigi Gruber & Mary S. Wisz, 2021. "Atlantic Ocean science diplomacy in action: the pole-to-pole All Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Rüffin, Nicolas, 2020. "EU science diplomacy in a contested space of multi-level governance: Ambitions, constraints and options for action," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(1).
    3. Rüffin, Nicolas, 2020. "EU science diplomacy in a contested space of multi-level governance: Ambitions, constraints and options for action," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 49(1), pages 1-1.
    4. Casper Andersen & Cristina Clopot & Jan Ifversen, 2020. "Heritage and interculturality in EU science diplomacy," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 7(1), pages 1-8, December.
    5. Eric Paglia, 2021. "The Swedish initiative and the 1972 Stockholm Conference: the decisive role of science diplomacy in the emergence of global environmental governance," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-10, December.
    6. Diego Lawler & Miguel Fuentes, 2022. "Presidential diplomacy meets science diplomacy," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 13(4), pages 606-613, September.
    7. Alexander Raev & Ellen Minkman, 2020. "Emotional policies: Introducing branding as a tool for science diplomacy," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 7(1), pages 1-10, December.
    8. Elias G. Carayannis & John Draper & Balwant Bhaneja, 2021. "Towards Fusion Energy in the Industry 5.0 and Society 5.0 Context: Call for a Global Commission for Urgent Action on Fusion Energy," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 12(4), pages 1891-1904, December.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:12:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-025-05947-w. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.nature.com/palcomms/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.