US academics begin moving abroad as Trump-era policies shake higher education

US President Donald Trump - File Photo

US academics are increasingly relocating to Canada and Europe amid Trump-era crackdowns on academic freedom, science funding, and university autonomy.

A growing number of American academics are leaving the United States for Canada and Europe in response to US President Donald Trump’s second-term crackdown on universities, science funding, and immigration, according to the Financial Times.

Recent departures include prominent scholars from Yale and Columbia, as international institutions ramp up efforts to attract US-based researchers amid what some are calling a “scientific exile.”

Yale professors join Toronto amid Columbia ‘capitulation’

Yale philosophy professor Jason Stanley said he made the decision to emigrate after Columbia University yielded to Trump administration pressure earlier this month, calling the university’s response a “capitulation.” He joins Yale historians Timothy Snyder and Marci Shore in moving to the University of Toronto, where new donor support has allowed the school to offer competitive packages.

“I believe in the values of academic freedom and defending democratic institutions,” Stanley said. “Not the idea that the proper response to authoritarians is to hide and hope you’re not next.”

Marci Shore specifically cited Trump’s re-election as a deciding factor in her move, while Snyder’s shift to Toronto adds further weight to the growing academic brain drain.

Institutions abroad race to absorb disillusioned researchers

International universities are moving swiftly to accommodate US-based scholars. IMD Business School in Lausanne, Switzerland, hired University of Georgia professor Tim Quigley within days of Trump’s January inauguration and is interviewing more American faculty. The Free University of Brussels launched a portal for “outstanding researchers under threat,” and France’s Aix Marseille University has pledged €15 million to fund at least 15 American scientists.

The campaign, branded “Safe Place for Science,” has already received dozens of applications. Meanwhile, Sweden’s Research Council is coordinating support among funders to create more opportunities for US-based researchers considering relocation.

Even the Kyiv School of Economics — in a country still at war — extended an open invitation, stating that Ukraine might now be a safer place for threatened academics.

Science under siege and funding in free fall

Trump’s policies have raised alarms over academic independence and scientific integrity. His appointment of vaccine sceptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health and human services secretary, combined with pressure on institutions like Columbia, have prompted fears that science and scholarship are being politically targeted.

US universities are also facing financial strain. Budget freezes, cuts to federal grants, and uncertainty over visa rules for foreign researchers have created a climate of instability. Many

postdoctoral researchers and junior faculty report delayed projects, threatened positions, and lab closures.

A recent poll by Nature found that 75 percent of US-based scientists were considering leaving the country, with the figure rising to 80 percent among early-career researchers.

Columbia’s turmoil highlights deepening crisis

The upheaval at Columbia University has become a flashpoint. The institution lost its second president in 18 months amid backlash over how it responded to political pressure. One Columbia scientist told FT that research has come to “a standstill” and European colleagues say they are fielding a surge of inquiries from Americans looking to move abroad.

Janice Stein, head of the Munk School at the University of Toronto, said new donor contributions from the Temerty and Myhal families helped fund the recruitment of Yale scholars. “If we are going to meet the challenge, we are going to need far-sighted philanthropists and foundations,” she said.

International talent recruitment now a strategic priority

Alan Bernstein of Oxford’s global health program confirmed he has received over 20 inquiries from US researchers. However, he cautioned that budget constraints in the UK could limit how many can be accommodated without private backing.

In Sweden, Lars Strannegård of the Stockholm School of Economics said European researchers based in the US are reconsidering how long they want to stay. “The opportunity may not just be Americans — it’s Europeans working in the US who’ve always questioned how long to stay,” he said.

Canadian scholars John Bergeron, Kathleen Dickson, and Stan Kutcher urged Ottawa to capitalize on the opportunity to welcome displaced talent, while warning that meaningful support will require expanded immigration pathways and increased research funding.

An uncertain future as universities brace for more pressure

For many US-based scholars, the decision to leave is deeply personal. Some cite fear for their safety, particularly for non-citizen academics vulnerable to detainment or deportation. Others worry about rising political interference in education and research.

As Trump’s administration continues to target universities, restrict dissent, and reshape science policy, a new academic diaspora appears to be emerging — one drawn not by economics, but by principle.