Emmanuel Macron invites researchers to Donald Trump’s crosshairs to « choose France » – Liberation
Emmanuel Macron invited researchers on Friday « From all over the world » has « Choosing France » and Europe, in an attempt to attract the American research sector threatened by Donald Trump’s policy. « Here in France, research is a priority, innovation a culture, science a limitless horizon », assured the French president on network X. According to his entourage, he will bring together on May 5 « The major research community », For a meeting with still vague contours.
At the same time, the government launched a baptized platform on Thursday « Choose France for Science »presented as « A first step to prepare for the reception of international researchers ». Since the return of Donald Trump to the White House in January, researchers and universities have been in the crosshairs of his government and are afraid for their future, between academic freedoms and mine research, sandblared funding. More and more researchers or aspiring researchers are therefore reflecting to leave the country, which has so far considered as the research paradise in many areas.
In France, the Minister responsible for higher education and research, Philippe Baptistehad asked universities at the beginning of March to phosphorus to accommodate them. « While the international context today creates the conditions for an unprecedented vague mobility among researchers around the world, France intends to position itself as a place of reception for those who would like to continue their work in Europe, based on the ecosystem and research infrastructure of our country », said Thursday in a press release Philippe Baptiste, with the Minister of Education, Elisabeth Borneand the secretary general for investment, Bruno Bonnell.
The platform they put online aims to identify the « Reception projects of international researchers ready to come and settle in Europe » Mounted by universities, schools and research organizations. Research themes must include health, climate and biodiversity, digital and artificial intelligence, space or even agriculture. « »Each reception project financed by the institutions with, if necessary the local authorities and the private sector, may give rise to an additional financing by the State via France 2030 which can reach up to 50 % of the total amount of the project ”, adds the government.
The University of Aix-Marseille (AMU), which launched an appeal to American researchers in early March, announced Thursday that it « Received 298 applications, including 242 eligible, being analyzed », And that the first researchers will arrive in early June. Amu initiated the program « Safe Place for Science » With the plan to allocate an envelope of 600 to 800,000 euros per researcher over three years.
In parallel, a bill that is an aiming at creating a specific status of « Scientific refugee » To allow American researchers threatened by the Trump administration to France was filed in France on Monday by former French president François Hollande, which became a deputy.
