Macron invites foreign researchers to ‘choose France’

PARIS: President Emmanuel Macron on Friday invited foreign researchers to work in France, in an apparent effort to lure US scientists hit by federal research spending cuts under Donald Trump.

“Researchers from the world over, choose France, choose Europe,” Macron said on X. The government will next month launch a funding programme to help universities and other research bodies cover the cost of bringing foreign scientists to France, he said.

The announcement comes a day after officials said that the first researchers fleeing US spending cuts imposed by Trump will start work at a French university in June.

Aix Marseille University said its “Safe Place for Science” scheme received a flood of applicants after announcing in March it would open its doors to US scientists threatened by cuts. University president Eric Berton said he wanted to see a new status of “refugee scientist” be created, and for more US researchers to be welcomed in France and Europe.

“Here in France, research is a priority, innovation a culture and science a limitless horizon,” Macron said in Friday´s tweet. The “Choose France for Science” initiative will on May 5 launch a dedicated platform for applications to host international researchers, the government said on a new website.