Donald Trump is attempting to purge research institutions in the United States of scholars engaged in progressive studies.
The European Union is eager to welcome these scholars.
From universities to cities and regions, the message is clear — Europe is committed to attracting America’s top talent.
“This global landscape presents an opportunity for Europe to demonstrate that it remains a safe haven for science and research,” stated European Commissioner for Startups, Research, and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva during an address to EU lawmakers. “Europe should be the premier location for scientific inquiry, drawing in and retaining researchers, both European and international.”
Referencing substantial cuts to federal research funding in the U.S., along with coercive actions aimed at specific universities and researchers studying climate science, vaccines, and minority and gender issues, the commissioner emphasized that Europe is uniquely positioned to serve as a refuge for exceptional scientists. She outlined various incentives to attract researchers affected by Trump’s policies.
To boost Europe’s appeal for top-tier talent, Zaharieva announced that the Commission would embed the freedom of scientific research into EU law and immediately enhance financial support from the European Research Council (ERC), the EU’s public body for scientific and technological research.
Researchers relocating from the U.S. to Europe can currently apply for €1 million in addition to the usual maximum grant, which is set to double to €2 million. This means researchers could potentially access grants totaling up to €4.5 million.
ERC President Maria Leptin conveyed to POLITICO the organization’s aim to uphold “Europe’s tradition of openness and support for independent, investigator-driven research, irrespective of the applicant’s nationality or current location.”
Leptin clarified that the ERC is not deliberately attempting to attract U.S. talent, but rather aims to assist their colleagues across the ocean if possible.
In light of a letter from 13 member states urging Brussels to formulate a strategy to recruit U.S. researchers, Zaharieva mentioned that the Commission is developing a special visa for top talent and a framework to enable governments and universities in the EU to pool resources to attract American scholars. A meeting will be scheduled to synchronize these efforts with EU nations.
“Europe bears a historical obligation to uphold academic freedom,” the commissioner remarked, referencing the persecution of scholars under Nazi and fascist regimes during the 1930s and 1940s. “Without freedom, knowledge cannot genuinely flourish.”
Open doors, open labs
Several universities have swiftly recognized the opportunity, launching specific recruitment initiatives aimed at U.S. talent.
Last month, Aix Marseille University (AMU) in Provence gained attention by introducing the Safe Space for Science scheme, a $16 million program designed to recruit up to 15 American scientists whose research is being “threatened or hindered” by the current administration.
AMU President Eric Berton shared with POLITICO that the initiative was “born out of indignation at the situation faced by our American colleagues” and that they received nearly 150 applications from esteemed institutions including Yale, Columbia, and Stanford, as well as from U.S. government entities like the National Institutes of Health, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and NASA.
The majority of applicants are engaged in research concerning climate change, immunology, infectious diseases, or social sciences involving gender, diversity, and migration — all areas targeted by the Trump administration’s war on science and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) issues. Berton noted that even historians have applied to the program.
Recently, similar initiatives have emerged at other institutions. Belgium’s Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) has allocated resources and opened a dedicated welcome center providing visa guidance for postdoctoral scholars who are “victims of political and ideological interference” in the U.S.
In Sweden, the renowned Karolinska Institute, known for its contributions to medicine and infectious diseases, has enhanced its capacity to address inquiries regarding relocation opportunities to Sweden. They are also collaborating with other universities to determine the best methods to support academic emigrants from the U.S.
Intellectual gold rush
European cities, along with regional and national governments, are racing to attract top talent that has typically gravitated towards more prominent and better-funded research institutions in the United States.
To strengthen Berlin’s reputation as a hub for international cutting-edge research in medicine and social sciences, the city is establishing a special fund to attract U.S. researchers.
Additionally, Catalan President Salvador Illa recently launched the €30 million Catalonian Talent Bridge regional recruitment initiative, which will fund positions for 78 American researchers at local universities and high-tech research institutions such as the Barcelona Supercomputing Center and the National Centre for Genome Analysis.
Leading scholars are urging national governments to mobilize resources as well. Eight senior scientists and professors in Germany recently published an op-ed in Der Spiegel, calling on the nation’s leaders to target “100 bright minds for Germany” in a focused recruitment campaign.
By referencing eminent figures like physicists Albert Einstein and Lise Meitner, who emigrated to escape Nazi persecution, the scientists articulated that Germany and Europe now have the chance to “reverse the brain drain” and not only bolster their own innovation and research capabilities but also mitigate the global loss of knowledge progress.
Despite significant budget cuts in the Netherlands, Minister of Education, Culture, and Science Eppo Bruins recently assured lawmakers that the government would prioritize funding to recruit international scientists deemed “valuable to Europe and the Netherlands.”
Spain is already utilizing Atrae, a program initially created to assist the repatriation of high-level Spanish scientists who emigrated for economic reasons, to attract American scholars. Similarly, Belgium’s established Brains for Brussels initiative, which finances foreign scholars in fields such as artificial intelligence, IVF, and others critical to Belgium’s capital, is expected to target U.S. applicants this year.
AMU President Berton stated that European academic institutions would have preferred not to initiate these programs, but the talent they attract will aid in the development of new research and enhance their activities.
Most importantly, he emphasized that the presence of these scholars on European campuses will serve as “a response from the Europe of knowledge to a form of obscurantism gaining ground in the United States.”
