25 million to attract threatened top scientists to the Netherlands

Over the coming years, 25 million euros will be available to attract scientists from the United States (and other countries) to the Netherlands. This has been revealed in the ‘supplementary budget’ that the government has just made public.

Due to ‘increasing tensions’ in the world, an increasing number of scientists may wish to relocate to another country, said education minister Eppo Bruins last month. He aims to establish a special fund for them.

The government is making 25 million euros available for this purpose, as stated in the supplementary budget sent to the House of Representatives on Friday: this year, 13.5 million euros, and then 2.6 to 3 million euros for the following four years. This supplementary budget is part of the Spring Memorandum.

The fund is not specifically targeted at the United States, but that is how everyone is referring to it. The idea is that, due to the science-hostile climate in the US, top scientists may consider moving to the Netherlands. However, there needs to be funding available for them.

Larger fund possible

The ministry is sourcing this funding, among other things, from the ‘wage and price adjustments’ of the European Horizon programme. In other words, inflation is not fully covered for that programme.

The new fund could grow larger. Marcel Levi, the chairman of research funder NWO, which will manage the fund, is still looking for unused resources in the NWO budget. He is also appealing to the private sector.

According to Levi, attracting a top scientist can cost between half a million and a million euros. “So let’s say: with 20 million euros we can bring twenty people here, and with 40 million euros, that’s forty.”

Cuts in gender and climate research

US president Donald Trump is cutting billions from research in areas like climate, gender, health, and the environment. Research projects are at risk if they use ‘problematic language’ around diversity, equality, and inclusivity. This could trigger a brain drain: a migration of scientists to other parts of the world.

European countries like France and Germany are already making efforts to attract international scientific talent. There are also plans at the European level to welcome scientists.