Latest news with #ChooseEurope
Euronews
18-06-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Could Europe bring in top research talent from the US?
US government spending on health research has reached a 10-year low, forcing universities to draw from their savings and hurting companies that sell lab supplies. Researchers who pursued global health, race, gender identity, climate change and topics related to diversity, equity and inclusion also saw their grants terminated. This has led to three-quarters of US-based respondents in a Nature poll considering leaving the country, creating an opportunity for the EU to attract researchers from the US. "We believe that diversity is an asset of humanity and the lifeblood of science. It is one of the most valuable global goods, and it must be protected," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in May in a speech delivered at La Sorbonne University in Paris. In 2024, the US accounted for 36% of all highly cited researchers, compared to 21% in China and 19% in the EU (including Switzerland and Norway), according to a Bruegel analysis. While the EU retains a significant portion of its own talent, it also contributes substantially to the global pool of mobile top researchers, particularly to the US. Among US-based highly cited researchers at Harvard, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia, 7.7% earned their PhD in the EU. A large portion of the US-based top research workforce also has an international education, with 24% of US-based highly cited researchers being entirely educated abroad. Family ties, personal life plans and career prospects are among the factors that can persuade researchers to move countries. However, there is still a large salary gap between US and EU academics. A top researcher at the University of California can earn between $500,000 (€432,300) and over $1 million (€865,240) annually. In contrast, even the highest-paid professors at top European institutions such as Spain's Complutense University of Madrid typically earn no more than €77,122. Initiatives such as Choose Europe, which includes a €500 million package aimed at attracting researchers to Europe, alongside efforts to reduce barriers for international students and researchers, could lead to essential changes in the long run. For instance, Provence-Aix Marseille University reported being "inundated" with applications from US-based researchers after announcing the launch of the three-year Safe Place For Science program, where they expect to raise €15 million and host around 15 researchers. Yet, between 2022 and 2024, the most attractive destinations among US graduates who wanted to move abroad were the United Kingdom and Canada. "Life-changing plans take time, and it is too early to expect a massive outflow from the US," the Bruegel analysis stated. But 30 years of exposure to glyphosate has shattered his dreams and his existence. He was diagnosed five years ago with an intravascular B-cell lymphoma, a rare form of cancer. It has been recognised as an occupational disease. Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the world and also the most controversial. It has been classified as 'probably carcinogenic' by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) since 2015. More recent studies from research institutes such as the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) have established a likely link between exposure to the chemical and certain forms of cancer. Yet, the European Union has extended its authorisation until 2033, relying on studies by EFSA and ECHA, the European authorities for food and chemical safety. Several environmental and consumer rights organisations challenged the decision before the European Court of Justice last April. The gap between assessments results from the methodologies used by research institutes and European regulatory agencies, according to Xavier Coumoul, a toxicologist and researcher at Inserm in France. 'When a pesticide manufacturer wants to market a product, the regulatory agencies require the manufacturer to conduct its own tests to prove the product is safe,' he explains. This process raises many questions surrounding the independence of these surveys. 'EFSA gives little consideration to epidemiological studies and relies considerably on what the industry provides, whereas Inserm or IARC rely much more on the academic literature and monitoring real-life product use.' Ludovic Maugé, whose life now hangs by a thread, is among those for whom the product's toxicity is undeniable. After undergoing more chemotherapy than is usually permitted, his last hope, he says, is a transplant using his own modified stem cells. It's a vanishingly small chance. 'As my oncologist told me, we can no longer speak of a cure,' he confides. Since his cancer was recognised as an occupational disease, Ludovic receives a modest social allowance, along with monthly compensation of 180 euros from Bayer-Monsanto — which manufactured the product that poisoned him. 'It's a pittance, but I don't care. What mattered most to me was to see my illness recognised as work-related.' Despite his daily ordeal, Ludovic, who can no longer work, wants to take his fight further. 'What I want is to spread the message to everyone. Glyphosate destroyed my life — it poisoned me. These products destroy people and destroy nature,' he insists. He is outraged by the EU's decision to renew glyphosate's authorisation. 'When I see politicians reauthorising these products, it makes me furious. It's the pesticide lobby. Unfortunately, we can't do anything against these politicians and Bayer-Monsanto. If I had one thing to say to the European Union, it's this: just ban these products. That's it.'
Gulf Today
09-06-2025
- Business
- Gulf Today
If US doesn't want Harvard, somebody else will
In the 1930s and 1940s, America played a crucial role in keeping academic inquiry alive. By welcoming thousands of researchers fleeing fascism in Europe, it enhanced its national brainpower and fostered breakthroughs of immense value to people everywhere — from the digital computer to the discovery of DNA. Now it's in the process of throwing that priceless legacy away. If wiser minds don't prevail, one can only hope Europe and others will step into the breach. Establishing itself as a haven of academic freedom was among the smartest moves the US ever made. Its unrivaled collection of research universities attracts top global talent, fostering innovation that enriches the nation. By some estimates, each dollar spent on research and development generates $5 or more in social benefits, such as higher productivity and better living standards. It's by far the most profitable form of public investment. Yet the White House now seems bent on destruction. Citing (among other things) rising antisemitism on college campuses, it has withheld billions of dollars from the likes of Harvard and Columbia, forcing them to terminate projects, lay off researchers and limit graduate-school admissions. It has proposed tens of billions in budget cuts at federal agencies such as the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. It has detained foreign academics and — most recently — sought to block enrollment of international students. The repercussions promise to be devastating. The economic damage could exceed that of the recession of 2008. Projects in areas ranging from climate science to medicine have shut down. An exodus looms: Three-fourths of U.S.-based scientists who responded to a recent Nature poll said they were seeking a way out, with Europe and Canada the top destinations. By one estimate, up to a fifth of postdoctoral students at elite US universities have studied in the European Union and hence might be amenable to moving. Rival research centers are jumping at the opportunity. As Bloomberg News has reported, countries including Australia, Canada, Denmark and Norway are offering funding, streamlined visas and other perks to lure top academics. Germany has invited Harvard to set up an 'exile campus.' The EU has launched a €500 million 'Choose Europe' programme. These efforts are welcome, to the extent that they keep crucial work going. Yet the funds so far committed pale in comparison to the potential cuts in the US. If America abdicates, Europe in particular will need to be much more ambitious. A better option would be for the US to come to its senses. Legislators should reject the false economy of slashing public research funding. Courts should issue injunctions where the administration's actions have violated the law or the Constitution, as they plainly have in several cases. Researchers, alumni and industry groups should alert the public to the scale of potential damage ahead. Universities, for their part, might consider some introspection. Although the administration's actions are nuts, it's true that too many schools have indulged antisemitic protesters who have created chaos on campus, obstructed learning and menaced their fellow students. Imposing zero-tolerance policies for such disruption might placate the White House; it's also the right thing to do. Amid the chaos, researchers will need to do their jobs as best they can. It'd be a truly spectacular act of self-harm if America managed to trigger an exodus of talent back across the Atlantic. If other countries rise to the occasion, its loss will be their gain.
Time of India
06-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Elon Musk receives olive branch of shifting business empire base to Europe amidst feud with Donald Trump
Elon Musk is "very welcome" in Europe, a spokesperson for the European Commission quipped Friday, following the tech billionaire's spectacular public falling-out with US President Donald Trump . The Trump-Musk political marriage blew up on Thursday as the president declared himself "very disappointed" in criticisms from his former aide and top donor -- before the pair hurled insults at each other on social media. At the commission's daily briefing, spokesperson Paula Pinho was asked whether Musk had reached out to the European Union with a view to relocating his businesses, or setting up new ones. "He's very welcome," she replied with a smile. The commission's spokesperson for tech matters, Thomas Regnier, followed up by stressing -- straight-faced -- that "everyone is very welcome indeed to start and to scale in the EU". Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0.00% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Bamboo: Unsold Furniture Liquidation 2024 (Prices May Surprise You) Unsold Furniture | Search Ads Learn More Undo "That is precisely the objective of Choose Europe," he said, referencing an EU initiative in favour of start-ups and expanding businesses. Musk has been a frequent critic of the 27-nation EU -- attacking its digital laws as censorship and berating its leaders, while cheering on the ascendant far-right in Germany and elsewhere. Live Events The tycoon's row with Trump saw the president threaten to strip him of government contracts estimated at $18 billion -- with Musk vowing in response to end a critical US spaceship programme. Explaining the rift, Trump said Musk had gone "crazy" about a plan to end electric vehicle subsidies in the new US spending bill -- as the bust-up sent shares in Musk's Tesla car company plunging. FAQs Q1. Who is Tesla chief? A1. Tesla Chief is Elon Musk. Q2. How many nations are there in EU? A2. There are 27 nations in the European Union.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Musk 'very welcome' in Europe after Trump bust-up, official says
Elon Musk is "very welcome" in Europe, a spokesperson for the European Commission quipped Friday, following the tech billionaire's spectacular public falling-out with US President Donald Trump. The Trump-Musk political marriage blew up on Thursday as the president declared himself "very disappointed" in criticisms from his former aide and top donor -- before the pair hurled insults at each other on social media. At the commission's daily briefing, spokesperson Paula Pinho was asked whether Musk had reached out to the European Union with a view to relocating his businesses, or setting up new ones. "He's very welcome," she replied with a smile. The commission's spokesperson for tech matters, Thomas Regnier, followed up by stressing -- straight-faced -- that "everyone is very welcome indeed to start and to scale in the EU". "That is precisely the objective of Choose Europe," he said, referencing an EU initiative in favour of start-ups and expanding businesses. Musk has been a frequent critic of the 27-nation EU -- attacking its digital laws as censorship and berating its leaders, while cheering on the ascendant far-right in Germany and elsewhere. The tycoon's row with Trump saw the president threaten to strip him of government contracts estimated at $18 billion -- with Musk vowing in response to end a critical US spaceship programme. Explaining the rift, Trump said Musk had gone "crazy" about a plan to end electric vehicle subsidies in the new US spending bill -- as the bust-up sent shares in Musk's Tesla car company plunging. adc/ec/del/jxb Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Free Malaysia Today
06-06-2025
- Automotive
- Free Malaysia Today
Musk ‘very welcome' in Europe after Trump bust-up, says official
Elon Musk's row with Donald Trump saw the president threaten to strip him of government contracts estimated at US$18 billion. (EPA Images pic) BRUSSELS : Elon Musk is 'very welcome' in Europe, a spokesman for the European Commission quipped today, following the tech billionaire's spectacular public falling-out with US President Donald Trump. The Trump-Musk political marriage blew up yesterday as the president declared himself 'very disappointed' in criticisms from his former aide and top donor, before the pair hurled insults at each other on social media. At the commission's daily briefing, spokeswoman Paula Pinho was asked whether Musk had reached out to the EU with a view to relocating his businesses, or setting up new ones. 'He's very welcome,' she replied with a smile. The commission's spokesman for tech matters, Thomas Regnier, followed up by stressing – straight-faced – that 'everyone is very welcome indeed to start and to scale in the EU'. 'That is precisely the objective of Choose Europe,' he said, referencing an EU initiative in favour of start-ups and expanding businesses. Musk has been a frequent critic of the 27-nation EU – attacking its digital laws as censorship and berating its leaders, while cheering on the ascendant far-right in Germany and elsewhere. The tycoon's row with Trump saw the president threaten to strip him of government contracts estimated at US$18 billion – with Musk vowing in response to end a critical US spaceship programme. Explaining the rift, Trump said Musk had gone 'crazy' about a plan to end electric vehicle subsidies in the new US spending bill – as the bust-up sent shares in Musk's Tesla car company plunging.
