13 May 2025 - Ireland Offers Higher Pay to Attract US Academics Hit by Trump Policies
Government offering to pay higher salaries to attract leading academics fleeing Donald Trump’s education threats
Senan Molony (Irish Independent, 13/05/2025)
The Government will seek to attract academics and university lecturers to Ireland under a new scheme which would use state funds to boost their salaries. The initiative aims to take advantage of the “brain drain” from the US where Donald Trump’s regime is threatening dozens of colleges and universities. Higher Education Minister James Lawless will today seek cabinet approval for a “Global Talent Initiative” which aims to pump millions of euro into bringing academics to Ireland. He would deploy a hit squad of academic talent scouts, or “talent attaches” around the world, with a focus on recruiting in the areas of research and innovation, medical technology, renewables and food technology.
State to co-fund salaries in bid to poach US academics
Jack Horgan-Jones and Kevin O'Sullivan (Irish Times, 13/05/2025)
The State will co-fund salaries for top academics as part of a scheme to poach overseas talent for Ireland’s universities, under plans going to the Cabinet on Tuesday. The effort is expected to target, among others, disillusioned academics in the United States who have lost financial backing due to interventions by the Trump administration. Minister for Higher and Further Education James Lawless will brief Ministers on his plan for a global talent initiative, which will see a team of talent “attaches” deployed around the globe to court high-calibre researchers, as well as a team in Ireland.
Minister seeks to attract the 'best and brightest' US researchers frozen out by Trump
Jess Casey and Michelle McGlynn (Irish Examiner, 13/05/2025)
Plans are being drafted for Ireland to host the “best and brightest” of US researchers as US universities come under threat and face funding shutdowns by the Trump administration. Further and higher education minister James Lawless is to bring proposals to Cabinet on Tuesday aimed at attracting US scientists wishing to relocate. Mr Lawless will seek permission from Cabinet to establish a team of “talent attachés” who will travel to the US and other countries to recruit academics to come and work in Ireland.
Minister to invite US scholars to flee US system and come to Ireland
Emma O Kelly (RTE News, 13/05/2025)
Ireland has a unique opportunity to capitalise on attacks by the Trump administration on US universities by becoming "a welcoming host for the best and the brightest" fleeing the US university system, Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless has said. He told an Irish Universities Association (IUA) seminar that he intended to inform the Government of his formal plans in this regard this week. It is understood that he will bring details to Cabinet tomorrow, including how key individuals from the US and elsewhere can be attracted here.
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