Foreign universities poaching top US scientists hit by Trump-era budget, job cuts
Governments and universities worldwide have launched aggressive recruitment campaigns. (Photo: Reuters)
The proposed budget for next year calls for a 40% cut to the NIH and a staggering 55% reduction for the NSF.These measures have already led to hiring freezes, layoffs, and canceled grants at major US universities, leaving thousands of scientists—especially early-career researchers—scrambling for opportunities.Sensing an opportunity, governments and universities worldwide have launched aggressive recruitment campaigns. advertisementCanada's "Canada Leads" program, announced in April, aims to bring early-career biomedical researchers north, promising resources and a supportive environment. France's Aix-Marseille University introduced the "Safe Place for Science" initiative in March, pledging to welcome US scientists who feel "threatened or hindered" in their research, the Associated Press reported.Australia, too, has rolled out its "Global Talent Attraction Program," offering competitive salaries and relocation packages to lure top talent. European leaders have also moved to enshrine academic freedom in law, with the European Union's "Choose Europe for Science" campaign seeking to capitalise on the moment.The response has been swift: nearly half of the 300 applications to France's "Safe Place for Science" came from US-based researchers, and the Max Planck Society in Germany reported a threefold increase in applications from American scientists to its Lise Meitner Excellence Program.Recruiters note a 25–35% rise in inquiries from US scientists, many of whom are motivated less by money than by the desire to continue their research without political interference.Yet, practical hurdles remain, including family ties, language barriers, and differences in pension systems.While it is too early to quantify the full extent of the exodus, the trend is clear: foreign institutions are actively courting US talent, and many American scientists are seriously considering offers abroad.advertisementAs the world's largest funder of research and development, the US still holds a commanding position, but the current climate has injected uncertainty into a system long seen as the gold standard for global science.The coming months will reveal whether the US can stem the tide—or if the world's laboratories will gain a new generation of American pioneers.
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