The Government Launches a Plan to Attract Elite Scientists 'Despised' by Trump

Spain has decided to compete with its European neighbours in attracting many elite scientists who are considering relocating their research and residence outside the United States since the arrival of Donald Trump at the White House with his authoritarian and denialist policies.

The Government has decided to allocate a specific section of the 'Atrae' program this year, the million-dollar scholarships to attract young elite international researchers to Spanish universities and scientific centres, to particularly encourage the arrival of leading research team leaders from the United States.

The Minister of Science unveiled the strategy in full during her appearance at the Moncloa Palace following the Council of Ministers. "This year we are going to focus on researchers from the United States who are despised or undervalued by the Trump Administration," said Diana Morant. If any 'brain' selected by the 'Atrae' program receives one million euros to settle in Spain and start their research group, in 2025 candidates who pass the selection and come from the United States will receive a 20% bonus. They will have the million like the others and an additional 200,000 euros.

This measure is also taken within the framework of a government commitment to increase the recruitment of internationally renowned brains for Spanish research centres. The funding for Atrae will rise by 50% in 2025, up to 45 million, which will allow Spain to bring in about forty scientists this year who are among the top 10% of global excellence in their respective fields of study. These are postdoctoral researchers who have been leading their work in foreign universities for at least five years. They can be foreigners, like 60% of the applicants, but also Spaniards who are wanted back to improve national work in areas such as climate change, space, physics, mathematics, health sciences, or artificial intelligence.

The Government has committed to maintaining the current level of investment for at least another two years, with 135 million between 2025 and 2027, expecting that since the program's inception in 2023, it will attract 200 elite researchers from abroad in five years. Those who secure the aid are guaranteed funding for their research team for three or four years and a commitment to stabilize their employment at the university where they are located.

Morant indicated, as proof of the high level of those attracted by Atrae, that in the first two editions of the program, the selection committee received 400 applications for the approximately 60 places awarded. She does not believe it will be difficult to achieve her goal of competing for the great 'brains' fleeing the United States because she indicated that in the first two editions already closed, half of the applicants came from that country or Great Britain.