President Emmanuel Macron on Friday invited foreign researchers to work in France, in an apparent effort to lure US scientists hit by federal research spending cuts under Donald Trump.
"Researchers from the world over, choose France, choose Europe," Macron said on X.
Here in France, research is a priority, innovation is a culture, and science is a boundless horizon. Researchers from around the world, choose France, choose Europe! See you on May 5.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) April 18, 2025
→ https://t.co/a8qXY6issB
The government will next month launch a funding program to help universities and other research bodies cover the cost of bringing foreign scientists to France, he said.
The announcement comes a day after officials said that the first researchers fleeing US spending cuts imposed by Trump will start work at a French university in June.
Aix Marseille University said its "Safe Place for Science" scheme received a flood of applicants after announcing in March it would open its doors to US scientists threatened by cuts.
University president Eric Berton said he wanted to see a new status of "refugee scientist" be created and for more US researchers to be welcomed in France and Europe.
"Here in France, research is a priority, innovation a culture, and science a limitless horizon," Macron said in Friday's tweet.
The "Choose France for Science" initiative will, on May 5, launch a dedicated platform for applications to host international researchers, the government said on a new website.
"France is committed to standing up to attacks on academic freedom across the globe," it said, adding that the program would enable "universities, schools, and research organizations" to apply for co-funding from the government to host researchers.
Since Trump's return to the White House, US universities have been threatened with massive federal funding cuts, causing research programs to face closures and staff to fear possible detention and deportation for their political views.
The president's latest target is the prestigious Harvard University, which Trump called "a joke" and said it should be stripped of government research contracts for refusing to allow outside political supervision.
AFP
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