The European Union has received a record number of academic grant applications in 2025, including a tripling of US bids following President Donald Trump’s attack on higher education.
Trump has unleashed a series of measures, including funding cuts and restrictions on research, against US universities partly over the so-called incursion of “woke” culture on campus.
In response, other countries have sought to lure researchers from American universities: Norway launched a $10 million fund to finance their studies, and China boosted spending to attract top scientists.
Experts fear the “scientific brain drain” risks the US falling behind, with 75% of researchers considering leaving the country, according to a poll by Nature.
