Trump has slashed education funding, meaning many US universities are facing hiring freezes and budget constraints. Economist Monika Schnitzer speaks to DW's Marie Sina about the opportunities for German universities and research institutions to tempt academics and scientists to cross the pond. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgk8cYiajls

by Significant_Cod_1930

25 comments

  1. Well if history gives you any guidance, I would say yes: scientists, researchers, artists. Anyone who can afford to leave, will leave. Remember, we are just at the beginning of this journey into fascism (less than 100 days), they are just getting started. Citizens who are dissidents are next on the chopping block.

  2. It’s the same problem in Germany. At least in the battery technology, as far as I know. Budget cut also happens here.

  3. Germany can barely pay the already existing researchers enough. There are little to no open positions in universities and research institutes. How exactly is Germany supposed to attract these US researchers? It’s not that we lack the talent in Europe. It’s that we don’t value it.

  4. Good luck with this. Especially when Merz recently says immigrants should learn German up to C1.

  5. Theoretically? Yes, and it would be good.

    Practically? No. Germany doesn’t have the money or the regulatory regime for it. US scientists at universities make excellent salaries even without their research budget. Not many will take the downgrade. And regulatorily, if Germany were able to be flexible with diplomas and certifications that decide who may hold what job, they would have already done so for the rest of Europe. Since other Europeans still struggle to meet he bureaucratic criteria to work here, I don’t anticipate us making it laxer for American scientists.

  6. Can Germany offer [affordable housing | daycare | visa processing | English speaking immigration offices | less bureaucracy ] to US researchers?

  10. I don’t think so.

    It seems like Germany (as well as other European countries) will cutting research funding until 2027. I think the EU announced a reduction of 130 million euros for the upcoming year. In addition to this a total cut of 2 billion in 26 and 27

    [https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/protests-and-alarm-as-european-research-sector-braces-for-cuts/4021027.article?utm_source=chatgpt.com](https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/protests-and-alarm-as-european-research-sector-braces-for-cuts/4021027.article?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

    But if they find the money,I will take it as insult. So you’re telling there was funding all this time but now to flex you’re releasing funds out of nowhere? Pfft

  11. Maybe not, the language would be one of the biggest hurdles, and I dont feel like Germany wants more foreign researchers.

    We, somehow, make it hard for productive people to come. If they are refugees, then they are welcome /s

  12. Given the amount of PhDs in this country, there are probably many Germans who would gladly fill research positions if they were paid well and their was openings.

    The government will need to spend some of those billions it’s opening up on expanding research.

  14. And from many comments you’ll understand why it won’t.

  15. I’m a prof in the US and did a sabbatical in Germany recently. It was lovely becasue I was still making my US salary on sabbatical. I don’t want to live there on a German salary.

  17. Can they?
    They can in theory, but that means that the approach has to change significantly.

    Current researchers are underfunded and overworked. Furthermore, currently, there is next to zero chance for people who are not part of the system to enter the system (and complex recognition of foreign diplomas for academical purposes further contributes to the problem).
    The researchers/professors are also not really communicative, when approached for a one-on-one expert meeting (f.e. in the context of election observation missions).
    That basically means, that certain american professor would have to work very hard to get here, unless he knows the right people.

    With Merz/CDU the austerity measures are targeting univercities already, so conditions are not going to improve at all.

  18. Germany can certainly attract US researchers. What it can’t really do is keep them around and researching.

  20. No. Salaries are much lower, taxes are higher, and the language is different. Maybe a tax relief program for scientists like in the Netherlands would be useful? On the other hand, Switzerland and Holland seem too small to accept a significant number of scientists, so I doubt they’d find a place anywhere in Europe.

  21. “Multimillion companies deciding to not invest in research” should be the title. 

    Universities have plenty of money. I mean as we speak 17-18 yr old kids are getting in debt to pass that money on to them… plus their teams that generate money and don’t give a dime to the players… oh forgot! “here is your 70% scholarship, so you only owe us 50k, because you are a good player” 

  22. Germany struggles to integrate any immigrant with a Bachelor-level education, let alone experts. One thing they need to get over asap is their educational superiority complex. I have an US master’s degree and immigrated to Germany 4 years ago. In Germany, I’m not considered to have the degree because it didn’t come from a German or European institution. My wife has a Master’s degree in education from the same US school. She can’t teach in public school for the same reason. It’s totally absurd.

  23. Germany will never attract researchers again if it stays like it is. Why would you want the insecurity of losing your job every 3 years? Zero life perspective and planability.

  24. Lol no. 
    Peanuts for pay, Mt. Everest for taxes, red carpet for bureaucracy. 

  25. Absolutely. Someone who went to Harvard or Yale will absolutely want to move to Germany and stand in line in front of the Ausländerbehörde at 4 am just to get an appointment or to be told to come back at the same time tomorrow /s

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