When Trump attacks researchers, Europe makes a pitch to attract scientists

When the Trump administration reduces support for research institutions and threatens to freeze federal funds for universities such as Harvard and Columbia, European leaders offer financial assistance to scientists based in the USA and hope to apply what they call “a gigantic calculation error.”

“A few years ago no one could imagine that one of the great democracy of the world would eliminate research programs under the pretext that the word” diversity “appeared in his program,” said President Emmanuel Macron from France on Monday.

He spoke at the Sorbonne University in Paris during the event, choose Europe for the science organized by the French government and the European Union.

Macron said that it was unthinkable, also referring to the withdrawal of the visas of researchers in the United States that the nation whose “economy depends so much on free learning”, “would make such a mistake.”

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, announced the investment EUR 500 million, or 566 million dollars, at a conference to “make Europe a magnet for researchers” over the next two years.

Although this amount does not have much compared to billions in the cuts facing American universities, it is a complementary international research program worth $ 105 billion called Horizon Europe, which supports the scientific breakthrough, just like the sequencing of genome and MRNA vaccine, said von der Leyen.

She did not mention the United States by name, but described the global environment in which “basic, free and open are questioned.”

“What a gigantic incorrect calculation!” She said.

In Europe, there is a widespread feeling that Mr. Trump has abandoned America’s classic support for freedom, freedom of speech and democracy through an autocrats’ embrace and an assault on science and academic community. This created strains, but also a sense of possibilities on the continent, where attracting the best scientific minds to energetic and independent universities is seen as part of a wider campaign aimed at “strengthening” Europe as independent power.

In the long run, the European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, is planning double subsidies for researchers who are moving and saving the freedom of scientific research in the Act on the European Act on the area of ​​research.

“The first priority is to ensure that learning in Europe remains open and free. This is our telephone card,” said von von der Leyen.

The Trump administration attack on science and threats for universities was the main impulse for the conference in which the government ministers and outstanding researchers from all over Europe participated. Increasingly, the United States is perceived as a strategic opponent, and the opening of the door for American researchers and scientists is seen as a long -term reaction to this challenge.

The message of Mr. Macron to scientists was: “If you love freedom, assist us stay free.”

France announced its own program of luring the US scientists last month. The government promised universities and research institutions in the country up to 50 percent of financing needed to lure international researchers, including people working in areas under the pressure of Trump administration, such as climate research and low coal energy. But by Monday, no special funds were announced when Mr. Macron said that his government undertakes to get $ 113 million.

Alarms in Europe began to sound when Trump’s administration reduced work and froze scientific subsidies in leading American institutions as part of costs reduced. European terror increased when the US government attacked diversity programs and tried to dictate universities that they can grant and employ, and which areas of study and investigations can be implemented “, according to President Harvard, Alan M. Garber.

Harvard filed a lawsuit against Trump’s administration in connection with the freezing of federal financing $ 2.2 billion. Last week, Trump invented about the end of the Harvard tax exemption status.

The US government has also released staff at American centers recognized as the peak of scientific research, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Science Foundation, Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health, the world’s largest biomedical research fund.

At the same time, some federal agencies have removed words from websites and subsidies that were considered unacceptable to Trump administration. Among the terms considered taboo are “climate science”, “diversity” and “gender”.

In summary, the activities caused coldness through academic funds and research institutes, and scientists were worried not only about their work, but also the long -term life of their research.

“In the United States, once a paradise for researchers, academic freedom is questioned. The border between truth and lies, between fact and belief, is weakened,” said Elisabeth Borne, the Minister of French Education, opened a conference on Monday.

The universities in France were at the forefront of attempts to apply the potential American brain drainage. AIX Marseille University interviews about 300 candidates Safe place for science A program that he launched in March in response to the cuts of Trump’s administration. Since then, many other universities and institutions followed in their footsteps.

“Our own interest, as well as our values, order us to be a shelter of knowledge wherever it is under pressure,” said Luis Vassy, ​​president of the University of Paris.

Proposed by François Hollande, former president of France law Creating the status of a “scientific refugee” for scientists threatened their work in their countries.

However, Some heads of universities and professors They criticized this initiative. They claim that although France is trying to draw American researchers, it also limits higher and research budgets to deal with the balloon budget deficit.