A Dutch fund set up to attract leading researchers from countries where academic freedom is under threat has secured 34 international scientists, most of them from the United States.
The fund is called the Tulp Fonds (Tulip Fund), and of the 34 researchers it has brought in, 29 either work in the US or are American. The rest come from Israel, Turkey, the UK, and Singapore.
Why are so many scientists leaving the US?
Many scientific fields have had a turbulent year under the Trump administration.
In 2025 alone, more than 7,800 research grants were cancelled or suspended, Nature reported. Agencies like the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation were hit hardest, “two of the largest public supporters of scientific research in the United States.”
The administration also proposed steep budget cuts for 2026, though NBC News states that Congress and the courts have rejected many of the most drastic ones.
READ MORE | Here’s how the Netherlands hopes to benefit from Trump’s brain drain
Even so, the volatility has taken a toll on research and education.
Harvard decided to cut its science PhD spots by 75% over two years, according to Chemistry World. For a lot of researchers, that’s reason enough to look abroad.
And, while the Netherlands isn’t the only country trying to attract that talent, it now has 34 top researchers to show for its efforts.
Which scientists are coming?
There’s no full list of names yet, but we know the kind of institutions involved. The US-based group includes researchers from Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, and Yale, along with American federal research institutes.
Their fields cover some of the most important research areas today: artificial intelligence, quantum technology, vaccines, nuclear energy, cancer, Alzheimer’s, climate, and food production.
These are the areas the ministry and NWO see as most valuable for the Netherlands, which is exactly what the fund is meant to target.
What does this mean for the Netherlands?
As NU.nl reports, each institution can receive up to 1 million euros per researcher, spread over five years.
Minister Letschert of Education called the researchers’ arrival “good news for the Netherlands,” pointing to the new knowledge, international networks, and boost to Dutch science they bring with them.
And this might just be the start of the Netherlands’ acquisition of fleeing US talent. More awards are expected in 2027 within the current budget, so the total could rise beyond just 29 US researchers.
Would you move countries for your work, or are you already one of the internationals who did? Let us know in the comments.
