On April 3, France’s Université Paris-Saclay said it is one of dozens of European institutions ramping up efforts to host more American scientists fleeing research cuts and threats to academic freedom in the U.S.

“The academic freedom of scientists is being increasingly challenged internationally, at a time when it is crucial for science to remain at the heart of our concerns,” said Paris-Saclay’s president, Camille Galap. “This is why Université Paris-Saclay has chosen to take action for our colleagues in the United States and help them to continue their work in a peaceful and productive environment,” added Galap.  

According to Paris-Saclay’s vice president for research, Mehran Mostafavi, the university has seen an influx of requests from individual scientists and US institutions since Trump returned to the White House. The increased recruitment efforts come as three quarters of U.S. scientists said they were considering leaving the country, in a recent poll of more than 1,200 scientists conducted by the journal Nature. 

Worry among scientists was most pronounced among early-career researchers, with Europe and Canada being the most popular choices for relocation among the respondents. Meanwhile, international student interest in coming to the US has plummeted by 40% among postgraduates.

Last month, 13 European Union (EU) governments urged the European Commission (EC) to increase efforts and funding to attract U.S. scientists to European universities, positioning them as a haven from widespread layoffs and grant cancellations under the Trump administration.