Canada could be getting a little revenge after decades of watching some of our best and brightest flock to the U.S.
Driving the news: As the Trump administration cuts grants at top universities and research institutions, many academics in the U.S. are considering relocating to Canada. Three Yale professors have already decided to make the move to the University of Toronto.
- A recent Nature survey found that 75% of American scientists are considering leaving the country, and that Canada is one of their top destinations.
Catch-up: As part of its cost-cutting “DOGE” initiative, the White House has slashed billions in federal funds that post-secondary institutions and research centers depend on.
- Grants and contracts from the federal government make up nearly half of the total revenue of some top research universities like MIT and Johns Hopkins University.
- The National Institutes of Health — a group that pays for much of the medical research at U.S. schools — could see its funding cut by as much as US$4 billion.
Why it matters: With concerns growing around academic freedom in the U.S., Canadian universities now have a chance to poach world-class talent that they would normally have little shot of luring from the States.
Yes, but: Canadian post-secondary schools aren’t necessarily in a position to sign blank cheques for top talent right now. Declining international student enrollment has forced many to take a hard look at their budgets and led some to slash their programs.—LA