Nearly 300 academics from around the world have applied for a French university’s offer to take in US-based researchers targeted by Donald Trump’s administration. The Aix-Marseille University has received applications from top institutions such as Johns Hopkins, NASA, and Stanford.
The program, titled Safe Place for Science, provides three years of funding for up to 20 researchers. Most applicants came from encrypted messaging platforms, sharing chilling accounts of the Trump administration’s actions against academics.
The university plans to start selecting candidates in the coming days, with a goal of allowing researchers to arrive by early June. François Hollande, a former French president and current Socialist MP, has called for France to recognize embattled researchers as refugees.
Hollande proposed a new “scientific refugee” status, which would provide subsidiary protection for researchers facing attacks on their academic freedom. This move aims to expedite processing and establish clear eligibility criteria, ensuring these researchers can continue their work.
The proposal is seen as a response to the US’s tightening restrictions on academia, with Hollande describing it as an “obligation” for humanity’s future. The bill must be approved by parliament, but it represents a symbolic gesture of France’s commitment to protecting persecuted researchers and welcoming them as part of its academic community.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/apr/17/nearly-300-applications-to-french-university-offer-to-take-in-us-academics