Amid federal cuts to science institutes and universities, world leaders in other nations have recognized an opportunity to recruit research talent from the U.S., The New York Times reported May 14.
The U.S. has been awash in talented scientists and academics. The Times reported the U.S. spent nearly $1 trillion on research and development last year, which paid for generous salaries, labs and other equipment. Now, world leaders are hoping to attract this talent to their countries.
“Believe it or not, there is an enormous opportunity for Australia in this unusual situation,” the Australian Strategic Policy Institute said March 5, referencing research funding cuts in the U.S. “If the government acts quickly, this is a once-in-a-century brain gain opportunity.”
The institute went on to encourage a “two-pronged approach. We should attract some of our best and brightest back home from places such as Silicon Valley while also offering fast-track visas to top U.S.-based scientists and researchers who are newly out of a job or low on the funding they need to keep their start-up or scientific lab running.”
The global recruitment push could present new competition for U.S. academic medical centers, which invest heavily in medical research and the development of new treatments.
Here are some of the additional proposals from other countries, as reported by the Times:
- The European Union said it plans to spend an additional 500 million euros, or $556 million, over the next two years to attract researchers to the continent.
- Emmanuel Macron, president of France, said his government plans to spend $113 million to attract American researchers.
- The Spanish government revealed that its Council of Ministers approved a call for proposals worth up to 45 million euros through a program designed “to attract renowned researchers from around the world, especially those currently working in the United States.”
- Brian Mikkelsen, chief executive of the Danish Chamber of Commerce, made a direct appeal to American researchers on Instagram.
- In Sweden, a recent meeting of officials from various universities discussed how to attract U.S. researchers.
- Norway is offering 100 million kroner, or $9.6 million, to fund researchers from abroad next year.
Read the full story here.
