Monday, May 19 2025 | Time 22:11 Hrs(IST)
WorldPosted at: May 19 2025 7:23PM


UK attracts scientists leaving US with new long term funding initiatives

London, May 19 (UNI) The UK is rolling out a series of long-term funding initiatives aimed at attracting top researchers leaving the United States, amid renewed policy shifts, budget cuts, and changing research priorities under President Donald Trump’s administration.
Institutions including the Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering are offering multi-million-pound packages to lure global talent in fields such as quantum computing, climate technology and antibiotic resistance.
The moves are designed to offer stability and safeguard British science from political turbulence abroad — what insiders are calling efforts to “Trump-proof” UK research, according to The Financial Times.
Sir Adrian Smith, president of the Royal Society, said: “With funding streams and academic freedom coming under threat, the best scientific talent will be looking for stability. The UK can be at the front of the queue in attracting that talent.”
The Royal Society is set to launch the Faraday Fellowship, a £30 million (approx. $38 million) scheme to support international scientists over five to ten years. Individual teams could receive up to £4 million ($5 million) — or more in exceptional cases — for research spanning critical growth areas.
Two-thirds of the funding will come from an existing government-backed programme, with the remainder drawn from the Society’s own resources to support scientists at various career stages, FT reports.
In parallel, the Royal Academy of Engineering will unveil an accelerated route for “exceptional international researchers and inventors” to live and work in the UK. Successful applicants will receive up to £3 million ($3.8 million) over a decade to scale up breakthrough innovations in green technology. The scheme is part of the Academy’s wider £150 million Green Future Fellowship programme.
The push comes amid mounting concern in the US scientific community over the politicisation of research. Since returning to the White House, Donald Trump and his allies have signalled plans to dismantle funding for programmes linked to climate science, diversity, and public health — areas already targeted during his first term.
The UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is also backing the drive, having earlier this month announced a separate £54 million ($69 million) package to cover relocation and research costs for around 10 teams working in high-priority fields such as life sciences, AI, and clean energy.
Additional plans will see the department offer 10-year research funding guarantees, intended to give UK institutions a competitive edge in recruiting global talent, building infrastructure and securing private sector partnerships. According to Science Minister Lord Patrick Vallance, these long-term grants could represent £2 billion ($2.55 billion) of the government’s £20.4 billion ($26 billion) annual research and development budget.
While welcomed by the scientific establishment, the initiative comes with caveats. Some institutions have warned that high visa costs and bureaucratic barriers could still undermine efforts to make the UK a top destination for global talent.
Nonetheless, officials and research leaders see the package as a bold step toward securing Britain’s status as a stable, globally competitive hub for innovation — one that is increasingly attractive to scientists seeking refuge from political interference. UNI ANV SSP
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