Europe has launched new €7 million (£6 million) grants at a time when increased political oversight of research in the US is pushing more scholars to consider leaving the country, but experts say the scheme is not big enough to seriously move the dial on international mobility.
The European Research Council (ERC) has opened applications for its prestigious ERC Plus Grants, which will offer up to €7 million over seven years to support ambitious research projects at European institutions. Researchers around the world can apply.
The grants are among several programmes under the European Commission’s wider “Choose Europe” initiative, which aims to attract and retain international research talent.
Policymakers are looking to make Europe a more appealing destination for international researchers as concerns grow over academic freedom and cuts to federal research in the US.
“American universities have some of the most productive scholars across the sciences, humanities and social sciences,” said Isaac Kamola, director of the Center for the Defense of Academic Freedom at the American Association of University Professors.
