Minister Bruins (Education, Culture and Sciences, NSC) has asked the Dutch Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) to set up a fund for foreign scientists who want to continue their work in the Netherlands under pressure from geopolitical tensions.
The minister writes this in a letter to the House of Representatives. “The world is changing. Tensions are increasing. We see that more and more scientists are looking for another place to be able to do their work,” said the minister.
What the fund will look like exactly and what amount it concerns is unclear. Bruins already wanted to make the decision known because “at the moment scientists are thinking where they want to continue their career.” He refers to similar initiatives in France, Germany, Spain and Belgium.
Wednesday reported NRC That American scientists are under pressure from measures from the Trump government directed in particular against research into ‘sensitive’ topics such as gender and climate. There has been great unrest at universities in the US. Professor Herman Russchenberg of TU Delft argued for a fund of at least five million to attract American scientists.
European initiatives
The current political situation in the US is not mentioned separately in the announcement. A spokesperson for the Ministry mentions the “geopolitical situation” as a background for the decision to set up the fund.
Prime Minister Schoof said yesterday that the cabinet does not want a plan that aims especially for American scientists, which is the commitment of other European initiatives. D66 and Volt insisted on that.
The new fund, which must start ‘as quickly as possible’, is intended for ‘top -level international talent’ but also for Dutch scientists who are now working abroad. The aim is to bring ‘a few dozen’ top scientists to the Netherlands.
Flying scientists from Ukraine, Belarus and Russia can already go to the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Studies that has set up a SAFE Haven program, which has also been open to Academics from the US and other countries since last year.
Minister Bruins expects to be able to clarify ‘in the coming weeks’ about the design and financing of the fund.
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