France and the EU intend to step up their efforts to attract American scientists affected by US President Donald Trump’s restrictions on academia as they prepare announcements on incentives for researchers to settle in Europe.
French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will deliver speeches on Monday morning at the Sorbonne University in Paris, surrounded by European university leaders and researchers, where they are expected to announce potential incentives and protective measures for researchers wishing to move to Europe.
The event, which will be attended by European scientists and European commissioners, is the latest step towards opening Europe’s doors to American scientists and researchers who fear that their jobs are threatened by federal spending cuts on universities and research organisations, as well as the persecution of US higher education institutions for their diversity policies.
Macron’s office said the move was taken “at a time when academic freedoms are facing a number of threats” and when Europe “is an attractive continent.”
According to an official, the aim of the event is to “affirm France and Europe as stable spaces that can guarantee freedom and academic research.”
France is believed to be particularly interested in attracting scientists working in the field of health, especially infectious diseases, as well as climate research and artificial intelligence.
The event, entitled “Choose Europe for Science,” was organised on Monday after 13 European countries, including France, Germany and Spain, sent a letter to the European Commission calling on it to speed up the recruitment of academic talent.
