Europe unveils $567 million push to attract researchers as French president decries US ‘mistake’ over science policy
Olesya Dmitracova, CNN
Mon, May 5, 2025
French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech during the "Choose Europe for science" event at the Sorbonne university in Paris on May 5. - Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters
The European Union will spend €500 million ($567 million) over the next three years “to make Europe a magnet for researchers,” a top official announced Monday in a veiled response to the Trump administration’s cuts to research funding and changes to science policy.
Speaking alongside Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the EU’s executive arm, French President Emmanuel Macron was more direct, criticizing recent actions by “one of the largest democracies in the world,” such as cancellation of hundreds of research grants, and calling them “a mistake.”
The two European leaders spoke at the “Choose Europe for science” event at the prestigious Sorbonne university in Paris.
“Unfortunately, we see today that the role of science in today’s world is questioned. The investment in fundamental, free and open research is questioned. What a gigantic miscalculation,” von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said in a speech, which didn’t mention the United States.
The comments by von der Leyen and Macron follow a string of changes to US science policy since Trump’s return to the White House.
For example, the National Science Foundation, a federal agency charged with advancing discoveries across the scientific spectrum, announced last month that it will cancel hundreds of grants for programs that include — but are not limited to — research related to diversity, equity and inclusion, “vaccine information integrity,” and misinformation and disinformation.
The NSF said on its website it will stop funding any misinformation research that goes against Trump’s January 20 executive order on “restoring freedom of speech.”
Meanwhile, a budget proposal unveiled by the White House Friday includes a large reduction in funding for the NSF, cuts to climate science research and the elimination of an institute focused on nursing research.
“No one could have imagined a few years ago that one of the largest democracies in the world would cancel research programs simply because the word ‘diversity’ was in the program,” Macron said Monday.
“No one could have thought that one of the largest democracies in the world would erase, with a stroke of the pen, the ability to grant visas to certain researchers,” he continued. “No one could have thought that this great democracy, whose economic model relies so heavily on free science, on innovation and on its ability to innovate more than Europeans and to spread that innovation over the past three decades, would make such a mistake. But here we are.”
In contrast with that assessment, von der Leyen said “open and free” science is Europe’s “calling card.” “We must do everything we can to uphold it — now more than ever before,” she added.
Von der Leyen also said the European Commission wants “to enshrine freedom of scientific research into law” and that EU member states “have to” achieve a target of investing 3% of gross domestic product in research and development by 2030.
Lisa Klaassen in Paris contributed reporting.
France and EU to incentivise US-based scientists to come to Europe
Angelique Chrisafis in Paris
THE GUARDIAN
Sun, May 4, 2025
The move is the latest push to open Europe’s doors to US-based academics and researchers who fear their work is threatened by federal spending cuts for universities and research bodies.Photograph: Tom Nicholson/Getty ImagesMore
France and the EU are to step up their efforts to attract US-based scientists hit by Donald Trump’s crackdown on academia, as they prepare announcements on incentives for researchers to settle in Europe.
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, alongside the European commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, will make speeches on Monday morning at Sorbonne University in Paris, flanked by European university leaders and researchers, in which they are expected to announce potential incentives and protections for researchers seeking to relocate to Europe.
The event, bringing together European academics and European commissioners, is the latest push to open Europe’s doors to US-based academics and researchers who fear their work is threatened by federal spending cuts for universities and research bodies, as well as the targeting of US higher education institutions over diversity policies.
Macron’s office said the move comes “at a time when academic freedoms face a number … of threats” and when Europe “is an attractive continent”. An Élysée official said: “We are a space where there is freedom of research and no taboo topics.” The official said the event was about “affirming France and Europe as stable spaces that can guarantee freedoms and academic research”.
France is thought to be particularly keen to attract scientists working on health – particularly infectious diseases – as well as climate research and artificial intelligence.
Monday’s event, titled Choose Europe for science, comes after 13 European countries, including France, Germany and Spain, wrote to the European Commission urging it to move fast to attract academic talent.
France launched its own Choose France for science initiative in April with a dedicated platform for applications to host international researchers.
The French research ministry told Agence France-Presse: “Some foreign researchers have already arrived in France to familiarise themselves with the infrastructure, waiting for the funds and platform to be set up.”
In recent days, France’s flagship scientific research centre CNRS launched a new initiative to attract foreign workers whose research is threatened, as well as French researchers working abroad, some of whom “don’t want to live and raise their children in Trump’s United States”, its president, Antoine Petit, told AFP.
In France, Aix-Marseille University launched its “Safe place for science” programme in March. It will receive its first foreign researchers in June.
In a letter to French universities in March, Philippe Baptiste, France’s minister for higher education and research, wrote: “Many well-known researchers are already questioning their future in the United States. We would naturally wish to welcome a certain number of them.”
Challenges remain because research investment in the US – including private-public partnerships – has for many years been greater than in Europe. For decades, Europe has lagged behind the US on investment in universities and research centres.
French researchers have regularly raised the issue of the comparatively low salaries and precarious contracts for many researchers in France. On average, an academic researcher in the US is paid more than their French equivalent. Trade unions in France have called for better contracts, better salary provisions and better funding across the board at research institutions.
Some in France hoped the pay gap between scientists in France and the US would narrow, once the lower cost of education and health, and more generous social benefits in France were taken into account.
Germany’s incoming chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said last month: “The American government is currently using brute force against the universities in the US, so that researchers from America are now contacting Europe. This is a huge opportunity for us.”
EU, UK eye weary US scientists with €500M plan
Sun, May 4, 2025
The move is the latest push to open Europe’s doors to US-based academics and researchers who fear their work is threatened by federal spending cuts for universities and research bodies.Photograph: Tom Nicholson/Getty ImagesMore
France and the EU are to step up their efforts to attract US-based scientists hit by Donald Trump’s crackdown on academia, as they prepare announcements on incentives for researchers to settle in Europe.
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, alongside the European commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, will make speeches on Monday morning at Sorbonne University in Paris, flanked by European university leaders and researchers, in which they are expected to announce potential incentives and protections for researchers seeking to relocate to Europe.
The event, bringing together European academics and European commissioners, is the latest push to open Europe’s doors to US-based academics and researchers who fear their work is threatened by federal spending cuts for universities and research bodies, as well as the targeting of US higher education institutions over diversity policies.
Macron’s office said the move comes “at a time when academic freedoms face a number … of threats” and when Europe “is an attractive continent”. An Élysée official said: “We are a space where there is freedom of research and no taboo topics.” The official said the event was about “affirming France and Europe as stable spaces that can guarantee freedoms and academic research”.
France is thought to be particularly keen to attract scientists working on health – particularly infectious diseases – as well as climate research and artificial intelligence.
Monday’s event, titled Choose Europe for science, comes after 13 European countries, including France, Germany and Spain, wrote to the European Commission urging it to move fast to attract academic talent.
France launched its own Choose France for science initiative in April with a dedicated platform for applications to host international researchers.
The French research ministry told Agence France-Presse: “Some foreign researchers have already arrived in France to familiarise themselves with the infrastructure, waiting for the funds and platform to be set up.”
In recent days, France’s flagship scientific research centre CNRS launched a new initiative to attract foreign workers whose research is threatened, as well as French researchers working abroad, some of whom “don’t want to live and raise their children in Trump’s United States”, its president, Antoine Petit, told AFP.
In France, Aix-Marseille University launched its “Safe place for science” programme in March. It will receive its first foreign researchers in June.
In a letter to French universities in March, Philippe Baptiste, France’s minister for higher education and research, wrote: “Many well-known researchers are already questioning their future in the United States. We would naturally wish to welcome a certain number of them.”
Challenges remain because research investment in the US – including private-public partnerships – has for many years been greater than in Europe. For decades, Europe has lagged behind the US on investment in universities and research centres.
French researchers have regularly raised the issue of the comparatively low salaries and precarious contracts for many researchers in France. On average, an academic researcher in the US is paid more than their French equivalent. Trade unions in France have called for better contracts, better salary provisions and better funding across the board at research institutions.
Some in France hoped the pay gap between scientists in France and the US would narrow, once the lower cost of education and health, and more generous social benefits in France were taken into account.
Germany’s incoming chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said last month: “The American government is currently using brute force against the universities in the US, so that researchers from America are now contacting Europe. This is a huge opportunity for us.”
EU, UK eye weary US scientists with €500M plan
Tom Chivers
Mon, May 5, 2025
SEMAFOR
The News
French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen announced Monday an initiative aimed at attracting US researchers fleeing funding cuts and restrictions on academic freedom under US President Donald Trump. The plan will see half a billion euros in funding between 2025 and 2027.
“The role of science in today’s world is questioned. The investment in fundamental, free and open research is questioned. What a gigantic miscalculation,” von der Leyen said.
The announcement followed one made by France’s flagship scientific research center Sunday. The president of the French National Center for Scientific Research, Antoine Petit, said the program was designed to attract foreign scientists whose work is under threat, as well as French researchers who “don’t want to live and raise their children in Trump’s United States.”
The UK is also considering a similar scheme, which will be supported by £50 million in government funding, the Financial Times reported.
Europe is keen to lure American researchers. Petit said France’s strong welfare state, as well as the lower cost of education and health care, would make up for any pay gap with the US.
The News
French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen announced Monday an initiative aimed at attracting US researchers fleeing funding cuts and restrictions on academic freedom under US President Donald Trump. The plan will see half a billion euros in funding between 2025 and 2027.
“The role of science in today’s world is questioned. The investment in fundamental, free and open research is questioned. What a gigantic miscalculation,” von der Leyen said.
The announcement followed one made by France’s flagship scientific research center Sunday. The president of the French National Center for Scientific Research, Antoine Petit, said the program was designed to attract foreign scientists whose work is under threat, as well as French researchers who “don’t want to live and raise their children in Trump’s United States.”
The UK is also considering a similar scheme, which will be supported by £50 million in government funding, the Financial Times reported.
Europe is keen to lure American researchers. Petit said France’s strong welfare state, as well as the lower cost of education and health care, would make up for any pay gap with the US.
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