Voigt fights for science: Thuringia as a refuge for researchers!

Voigt fights for science: Thuringia as a refuge for researchers!

Thuringia's Prime Minister Mario Voigt has announced that he wants to make it easier for US scientists to travel to Thuringia. This step comes in the context of the ongoing university dispute between the Trump administration and US universities, which is causing many scientists to look for alternatives abroad. Voigt plans to create a platform that will bring international students to Thuringia in order to counteract the loss of talent in the USA. Loud stern.de Many international students are currently considering whether the USA is the right place for their academic career.

The situation in the USA is tense due to the Trump administration. This has decided that foreign students who are already enrolled must move to other universities in order to retain their residence status. A prominent example is Harvard's lawsuit against this regulation. In addition, scientific freedom in the USA is increasingly restricted, which is also referred to as the “war on science”. Scientists report funding cuts, censorship and hindered research under the Trump administration, as tagesschau.de reported.

Excellent scientific landscape in Thuringia

Voigt, who recently spent a week in the USA with Economics Minister Colette Boos-John and representatives from science and business, draws a positive conclusion from this trip. This was Voigt's first official trip abroad as head of the Thuringian government. He reports a noticeable interest from investors in Thuringia and positions the state as an excellent scientific landscape that strives to promote talent and innovation.

The trade volume between Thuringia and the USA is around 2.8 billion euros, and the USA is considered the most important foreign trade partner. This represents the economic relevance and interests of the region in the international context.

Impact on science

Through its policies, the Trump administration has not only directly influenced the scientific community in the USA, but also global research structures. The loss of academic freedom in the USA and shifts in university policy could result in a location advantage for European countries such as Germany. Germany ranks fourth in the global ranking of “Highly Cited Scientists”, which further improves the prospects for specialists from the USA.

Given the uncertain political environment in the USA, Thuringia could create more attractive conditions for international researchers in the future. Especially during the current developments in which the Trump administration is trying to limit the influence of science and research, Thuringia appears to be a safe haven for students and scientists who are looking for an alternative to their previous home countries.