Will Vietnam's science stipends be enough to keep scientists at home or will corruption, entrenched hierarchies and poor facilities prevail, asks Mike Ives?

Romain Murenzi, the new executive director of TWAS, the developing world's science academy, talks to SciDev.Net about his plans for the organisation.

The Royal Society's new foreign secretary, Martyn Poliakoff, talks to SciDev.Net about his plans to develop links with African scientists.

Can recent policies and new programmes tackle Mexico's serious shortage of homegrown science and technology? Cecilia Rosen finds out.

Munyaradzi Makoni explains how an economic crisis and a brain drain have created problems for Zimbabwe's science minister, Heneri Dzinotyiweyi.

From Cambodia to Singapore, Shiow Chin Tan finds the situation for scientists varies enormously across South-East Asia.

Can Brazil use its booming economy and abundant natural resources to become a life sciences juggernaut, asks Gene Russo.

Post-apartheid South African science faces many challenges but boosts in science spending mean the country is making strides.

Sian Lewis charts the ups and downs in donor funding for higher education in developing countries over the last half century.

Fostering a research culture has put Uganda's Makerere University back on its feet and is inspiring others, says Peter Wamboga-Mugirya.

Mozambique's science and technology minister, Venâncio Massingue, tells SciDev.Net how he hopes to ensure that science benefits everyone.

Jacob Palis, president of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, talks about shared responsibility and a rosy future for South–South research collaboration.

Robert Koenig reports on the challenges faced by Zimbabwean researchers, and how they are overcoming them.

Academics fleeing death threats in Iraq are struggling to gain asylum and face a tough time breaking into the West's research community.

Hao Xin reports on China's controversial payouts that lure academic 'stars' based abroad back to China for a few months.

John Bohannon reports on efforts to bridge the divide between science and religion in Iran.

South Africa's physics community has mirrored the country's move from apartheid to liberation, and is now working hard to attract fresh talent. Christina Scott reports.

Qatar is investing billions in becoming the Gulf's top knowledge economy – but will research excellence follow the money? Lone Frank investigates.

Zohra Ben Lakhdar leads by example in showing how Tunisians can join the science community by persevering — regardless of gender.

Efforts to revive science in Iraq remain fragile because of poor funding, political instability and death threats to scientists; Richard Stone reports.