Emmanuel Macron. Photo : Ludovic MARIN / AFP
The international conference Choose Europe for Science took place in Paris, where French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called on American researchers to move to Europe. The reason was the growing pressure on the scientific community in the United States due to the policies of President Donald Trump, AFP reports.
The event, held at the Sorbonne, discussed financial incentives to attract American academics who face the risk of layoffs, funding cuts and restrictions on academic freedom.
“We want to protect Europe’s strategic interests and offer a haven for free science,” Macron’s office said.
Back in March, Macron publicly called on foreign scientists to “choose France”, promising financial support to universities to integrate migrant researchers. One example is the Safe Place for Science programme at the University of Aix-Marseille, which has already received a flurry of applications.
The head of the National Centre for Scientific Research of France, Antony Petit, stressed:
“Many scientists no longer want to raise their children in Trump’s USA.”
The EU is focusing on attracting experts in the fields of healthcare, climate, artificial intelligence, biodiversity and space. At the same time, experts acknowledge that despite the higher quality of life, the European system still lags far behind the US in terms of salaries and funding for science.
However, as Petit points out, social guarantees, free education and affordable healthcare can compensate for this difference, making Europe an attractive alternative.
“At a time when academic freedoms are under threat, Europe must become a new scientific home,” the conference organisers concluded.
