The Trump administration’s decision this week to revoke Harvard University’s authority to enroll international students, combined with previous actions to cancel a wave of federal research grants, has drawn condemnation from the broader scientific community. Meanwhile, European powers are swooping in with grant offers and job opportunities to scientists who are losing funding.
The actions have triggered widespread concern about the future of scientific discovery and the United States’ role as a global leader in research and innovation. Nearly 6,800 international students were enrolled at Harvard during the current academic year, representing more than 27 percent of the total student body, according to Harvard Magazine.
“We condemn this unlawful and unwarranted action,” Harvard President Alan M. Garber said in a statement. “It imperils the futures of thousands of students and scholars across Harvard and serves as a warning to countless others at colleges and universities throughout the country who have come to America to pursue their education and fulfill their dreams.”
Sally Kornbluth, PhD, President of MIT, reacted to the news with a statement saying she was in “profound disbelief,” regarding the government’s actions, saying it will be “devastating for American excellence, openness and ingenuity.”
The move follows an earlier freeze of more than $2 billion in research grants and contracts awarded to Harvard researchers, which has been part of a broader reduction in scientific funding and NIH grants. Harvard ranks as the top academic institution in the world for research contributions, according to the peer-reviewed journal Nature. Chinese universities hold all of the other top-10 spots except for MIT, which ranks tenth.
Harvard Professor David Sinclair, PhD, who’s well known for his research into aging and the science of longevity at his eponymous lab, said on X.com that the US government has terminated all of their NIH grants.
“We are not going down without a fight,” he wrote.
International Bids for U.S. Scientists
European countries have moved quickly to promote their own resources to researchers and scientists who may be without funding and visas. A new campaign called “Choose Europe for Science,” touts 65 national and regional funding initiatives as well as calls for grant applications, post-doc fellowships and research careers. The projects will support 10,000 researchers.
The initiatives aim to “increase the attractiveness of European research careers by addressing precarity and offering excellent working conditions, turning the current challenge of brain drain in the R&I sector into brain gain,” according to a European Commission news release. China’s National Science Foundation has also released guidelines for international researchers looking for funding.
Federal Government’s Justification
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accused Harvard of “encouraging violence, antisemitism, and collaborating with the Chinese Communist Party,” in a news statement. The administration said the action followed Harvard’s refusal to supply information about certain foreign visa holders.
“This administration is holding Harvard accountable,” Noem said. “They have lost their Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification as a result of their failure to adhere to the law. Let this serve as a warning to all universities and academic institutions across the country.”
The Stakes for U.S. Science and Innovation
A US District Judge issued a temporary restraining order against the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) action on Friday. In its suit against the DHS move, Harvard outlined the broader consequences the action would have if allowed to go through.
“With the stroke of a pen, the government has sought to erase a quarter of Harvard’s student body, international students who contribute significantly to the University and its mission,” and that the actions imperil “the University’s ability to continue research that has contributed to breakthroughs in health, science, national security, and other fields.”