Austria has attracted 25 leading academics from U.S. institutions such as Harvard, MIT, and Princeton through special grants introduced in response to funding cuts under the Trump administration. Each researcher — ranging from postdoctoral fellows to senior professors in physics, chemistry, and life sciences — will receive €500,000 (S$754,300) over two years, the Austrian Academy of Sciences announced on Thursday.

Academy president Heinz Fassmann described the move as a “brain gain,” crediting Trump for indirectly fueling the shift. “We have succeeded in bringing these outstanding individuals from the United States to Austria. They bring new ideas, perspectives, and networks — a big win for Austrian science,” he said, though the names of the recipients were not revealed.

The Trump administration has cut U.S. university funding while clashing with campuses over issues like pro-Palestinian protests, transgender rights, climate initiatives, and diversity programs. Despite the reductions, the White House insists the U.S. remains the world’s top research funder. Austria and other European countries have sought to recruit U.S.-based academics. Earlier this year, 13 nations — including France, Germany, and Spain — urged the European Commission to act quickly to attract talent.

Although Austria is historically associated with intellectuals such as Sigmund Freud and Erwin Schrödinger, it currently has four universities ranked among the world’s top 300 in the Shanghai index. The grant recipients will begin working at Austrian universities and research centers this year. Science and Research Minister Eva-Maria Holzleitner (Social Democrats) said, “At a time when political interference and authoritarian tendencies threaten research and teaching, Austria is taking a strong stand.”

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