EU Lures Top Researchers with a €500 Million Package: A Beacon for Science Amidst US Turmoil
European Union entices researchers with a 500 million euro investment
Get ready to see the Old Continent stepping up its game in the global research arena! Europe's startup fund, worth a whopping half a billion euros, is targeted at attracting the world's brightest minds from the US (and beyond), especially those jaded by policy changes under President Trump's second term. Here's the lowdown on this intriguing initiative:
Gist of the Fund
- The funding package is slated for implementation from 2025 to 2027.
- The vision is to transform Europe into a hotspot for researchers, offering attractive remuneration and long-term contracts to top talents.
- Researchers settling in Europe will benefit from financial aids of up to seven years.
- The European Union plans to streamline procedures for entry and residency and facilitate the marketing of scientific results.
High-Level Highlights
- The EU aims to invest a whopping 3% of its GDP in research and development by 2030.
- Freedom of scientific research is projected to be legally anchored, creating a favorable research environment.
- The planned European Research Area Act seeks to enshrine freedom of scientific research into law.
- Increased funding and incentives, like the introduction of a super grant and a doubling of top-up funds for research grants (by 2027), are also part of the package.
All this, against the backdrop of the US's threatening research landscape under the Trump Administration, raises some compelling questions about the state of science and democracy in the States. Politicians demanding the ultimate authority in deciding what's true or false, combined with increasing pressure and budget cuts for US research institutions, have many top researchers considering a move across the pond.
Emmanuel Macron, the French President, echoed these sentiments, stating, "There is no democracy that lasts long without free, open science." Encouraging researchers to migrate to Europe, he pleaded, "If you love freedom, come and help us stay free, here to research."
[1] ntv.de[2] jki/dpa[3] [Information Withheld Due to Lack of Context][4] [Information Withheld Due to Lack of Context]
- The European Union is strengthening its community policy towards research and development with a €500 million package aiming to attract top researchers from around the world, particularly those disheartened by policy changes in the US under President Trump's second term.
- In line with this initiative, the EU plans to invest 3% of its GDP in research and development by 2030, and as part of this, the European Research Area Act is proposed to be enacted to legally anchor freedom of scientific research.
- From 2025 to 2027, the funding package will be implemented, offering attractive remuneration, long-term contracts, and financial aids of up to seven years to top talents who choose to move to Europe.
- The European Union also intends to streamline procedures for entry and residency, facilitate the marketing of scientific results, and increase funding and incentives like the super grant and doubling of top-up funds for research grants by 2027.
