25 million to bring endangered top scientists here

Due to ‘increasing tensions’ in the world, more and more scientists want to move to another country, said OCW Minister Eppo Bruins last month. He wants to set up a special fund for them.

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

The fund is not directly aimed at the United States, but that is how everyone is talking about it. The idea is that, due to the anti-science climate in the US, top scientists may want to come to the Netherlands. But then there has to be money for them.

Larger
The ministry is obtaining the money from, among other sources, the ‘wage and price adjustment’ of the European Horizon programme. In other words, inflation is not fully covered for that programme.

The new fund could be expanded. Marcel Levi, chairman of research financier NWO, which will manage the fund, is still looking for unused resources in the NWO budget. He is also appealing to the business community.

According to Levi, it costs around half a million to a million euros to attract a top scientist here. ‘So let's say that with 20 million euros we can bring twenty people here, and with 40 million euros we can bring forty.’

Gender
US President Donald Trump is cutting billions in funding for research into areas such as 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: an exodus of scientists to other parts of the world.

European countries such as France and Germany are already doing their best to attract international scientific talent. There are also plans at European level to welcome scientists.