My department (at a Norwegian university) is working on a headhunting plan. The way the ERC grants are structured, the applicant needs a sponsoring institute. So, we are identifying researchers who are working on relevant topics, if we think it will be a good fit (and/or if we have successfully collaborated with them in the past).<p>Some of the details are still being ironed out. The beauracracy is real! Even so, I guess the first emails will go out late next week.
You people are too good at critical thinking to read <i>"an investment of 500 million euros between 2025 and 2027"</i> and not instantly write this off as empty grandstanding.<p>How much does—or did, recently—the United States federal government invest in scientists in the USA? Is it ~$70 billion a year? [0]<p>Europe can achieve America's (past) results when Europe starts talking with money. Science migration has historically gone in one direction across the Atlantic, and it is 100% about who pays better. The EU isn't remotely close to funding its <i>own</i> scientists properly—let alone attract new ones from abroad!<p>If European science benefits from the ongoing government implosion in the USA, that'd be entirely due to the US' unforced error. EU's politicians deserve no credit.<p>[0] <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_policy_of_the_United_States" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_policy_of_the_United_S...</a> (<i>"Science policy of the United States"</i>)
The problem with the European mindset on this, is it's always involves bureaucrats taking their taxpayers money and allocating it in smarter ways than American investors who are doing it with their own money.<p>If that seems unlikely to work to you, then you possess critical thinking.<p>The US spends more on R&D (Private and Public) than the next 5 countries combined. Public research is and since the 70s has been a small fraction of research spending in the US. That's why their companies actually innovate.<p>If Europe doesn't change the inventive structures that are preventing investment in R&D, no amount of government money is going to fill that void...
English language version: <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/us-cuts-scientific-talent-europe/" rel="nofollow">https://www.wired.com/story/us-cuts-scientific-talent-europe...</a><p>(Archived: <a href="https://archive.is/20250508090733/https://www.wired.com/story/us-cuts-scientific-talent-europe/" rel="nofollow">https://archive.is/20250508090733/https://www.wired.com/stor...</a>)
500 million for attracting the best academia is why Europe is a has-been and will continue to remain a has-been. The actual number should have been 50 billion, but Europe would rather spend that on consultants, policythinkers and thoughtleaders.
Are there even enough positions for European scientists? I thought academia was already extremely competitive. Maybe these scientists can start new schools in America with private funding instead
The article seems to be in Spanish?<p>Anyway, I think this is smart. I live in Berlin and I noticed a bit of an uptick in the amount of US people coming this way lately. The politics in the US might have something to do with that. There's definitely an interest for people to leave there.<p>Also, the US has been leaning a lot on foreigners to keep its research departments going for decades now. Indians, Chinese, and indeed Europeans. If you look at Silicon Valley, there are a lot of immigrants running companies there. With all the madness around immigration in the US, it has become a bit less attractive as a country to move to. I think this is as much about making the EU a more attractive place to that group of people than it is about luring actual US citizens this way.<p>The EU has its own issues on immigration. But it's there and there are a lot of opportunities here. I noticed a sharp uptick in Indian job applications recently. There's a lot of talk about money. But most academics aren't on the huge fees you would need to sustain yourself in places with extremely high cost of living on the East and West coast.<p>Academics don't earn a lot in Europe. I used to be one. But you can live well on what you earn nevertheless.
EU is offering what was on the table anyway. EU academia was always more accessible and less competitive than US academia, for obvious reasons. Downside of that is you get to work in environments with a sparser density of talent and accomplishments.
No surprise there, and a very smart move. I'm disgusted that my country is telling the world it doesn't want to be a leader in scientific research anymore, but all these people will certainly find a place to do their research somewhere else.<p>> <i>an investment of 500 million euros between 2025 and 2027</i><p>That seems like nowhere near enough money, though. But I suppose it's better than nothing.
Oh well.<p>When Russian scientists were escaping the horrible realities of Putin's regime, had someone in Europe attempted to "lure" them? No, they were fired by hundreds [1] and students were not allowed anymore [2]. Not counting the immense indirect pressure like closing their bank accounts and not prolonging their existing residence documents even when they had jobs.<p>When Ukrainian scientists tried to escape the horrible war of aggression and cruelty that Russia brought on them, did someone try to "lure" them in? No, they had some charity help and some temporary programs, but mostly they get "emergency temporary" permits with the condition they have to go home afterwards. These temporary protection measures are now being phased out [3] and many Ukrainian scientists will be shown the door.<p>Now, American scientists are escaping the horrible realities of their regime. But for them, EU is much more friendlier and welcoming.<p>What is the difference?<p>[1] <a href="https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/science/cern-to-expel-500-russian-scientists-from-november-30/87643637" rel="nofollow">https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/science/cern-to-expel-500-russi...</a><p>[2] <a href="https://t-invariant.org/2024/12/swiss-cross-on-russian-students-famous-zurich-university-imposes-sanctions-on-them-for-security-reasons/" rel="nofollow">https://t-invariant.org/2024/12/swiss-cross-on-russian-stude...</a><p>[3] <a href="https://www.icmpd.org/blog/2025/phasing-out-temporary-protection-shaping-eu-policies-through-national-experiences" rel="nofollow">https://www.icmpd.org/blog/2025/phasing-out-temporary-protec...</a>
I see great success for this programs, if they can avoid telling these scientists what they are going to get paid or how much taxes they will have to pay.<p>If you want to get paid, by American standards, lower middle class wages, then sure, come to Europe. You can also enjoy arcane organizations and bureaucratic nightmares.
Europe really needs to fix the funding issue and language fragmentation. Otherwise there's no "luring people in." Every time someone brings this up, a bunch of people are like, "Have you ever worked in the EU? They all speak English at work." Yes, I have, and also on three other continents. Europe hasn’t adopted English at work that much, and no one I know is excited about dealing with racism, picking up the local language while doing high-octane white-collar jobs or research.<p>Europe keeps a ton of jobs gated behind language requirements. Sure, you'll get the most desperate people who need a visa this way, but Europe isn’t attracting top of the crop like the US this way.<p>Also, the red tape is brutal and everything requires six layers of bureaucracy. Even Amazon orders and customer service suck, but that's beside the point. It's way easier to get into a great US university and get funding for research. It's also easier to get a job afterward. The sheer number of opportunities, combined with the lack of a language barrier and less bureaucracy, makes the US better than all the other alternatives despite the poor transportation, weak social safety net, and terrible healthcare.