Archive · 29 Aug 2026
Canada Recruits 64 Scholars as Trump Pressures US Universities
Canada is inviting university researchers from other countries to work there.
In the first group, 64 researchers received special research chairs.
Forty-eight of them are coming from universities in the United States.
Their former schools include Harvard University, Cornell University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Canada will provide C$504 million for these chairs over eight years.
The programme is part of a larger C$1.7-billion plan to attract researchers.
The researchers work in areas such as medicine, engineering, and climate science.
This is happening while the Trump administration is putting more pressure on some American universities.
Some researchers are worried about funding, academic freedom, and hiring barriers in the United States.
Canada selected 64 research chairs in the first intake of its recruitment programme.
Forty-eight of the researchers are moving from United States universities, including Harvard, Cornell, and MIT.
Canada committed C$504 million over eight years to fund the 64 chairs.
The chairs are part of the C$1.7-billion Global Impact+ Research Talent Initiative.
The recruitment comes as the Trump administration increases scrutiny, cuts federal funding, and tightens oversight of scientific grants.
- Who
- Canada, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly, and 64 recruited researchers, including 48 from United States universities.
- What
- Canada awarded 64 research chairs as part of a programme to recruit prominent international and expatriate scholars.
- When
- The announcement was made Thursday, and the chairs will receive funding over eight years.
- Where
- The announcement took place at the University of British Columbia; 48 researchers are moving from United States institutions to Canadian universities.
- Why
- Canada aims to strengthen research capacity, while researchers have cited concerns about US funding, academic freedom, grant oversight, and hiring barriers.
Canada's recruitment case
Concerns about US university policy
Research support
Canada's recruitment case
Mélanie Joly said Canada is increasing its support for science and research and welcoming prominent scholars.
Concerns about US university policy
The Trump administration has cut federal funding for some universities and tightened oversight of scientific grant distribution.
Academic environment
Canada's recruitment case
Canada presented the programme as support for academic freedom and researchers' ability to pursue long-term projects.
Concerns about US university policy
Researchers evaluating their future in the United States have raised concerns about academic freedom and barriers to hiring.
US-Canada relations
Canada's recruitment case
Joly said Canada was making its own decisions and was pleased that the researchers were coming.
Concerns about US university policy
The recruitment occurs amid strained relations between Washington and Ottawa, although the White House's response was not reported.
- First intake
- 64 research chairs
- Researchers from the United States
- 48, or three-quarters of the first intake
- Funding for chairs
- C$504 million over eight years
- Broader initiative
- C$1.7 billion Global Impact+ Research Talent Initiative
- Research fields
- Medicine, engineering, climate science, and other fields
- Canadian official
- Mélanie Joly, Canada's Industry Minister
- US policy concerns
- Federal funding cuts, increased scrutiny, grant oversight, academic freedom, and hiring barriers
