The Basque delegation that visited the country in March, headed by Pradales, had contacts with several researchers who showed their interest in returning.
The Ikerbasque Foundation plans to intensify its strategy of attracting researchers in the coming months, as well as facilitating the return of Basque professionals who are currently pursuing their careers in the United States. The recent institutional visit to the North American country, headed in March by the Basque Prime Minister Imanol Pradales, enabled various meetings to be held with scientists interested in returning to the Basque Country.
The political instability in the United States after Donald Trump’s second term in office, marked by trade tensions, immigration restrictions and attacks on universities, has caused concern among Basque professionals in the country, especially in the science and technology sectors. Nagore Bonilla, director of Basque Trade & Investment, confirmed that several researchers have already expressed their intention to return to the Basque Country.
The scientific director of Ikerbasque, Fernando Cossío, anticipates an increase in requests to return, accelerated by the current context. The foundation, which has already facilitated the return of twelve researchers through its repatriation programme, will organise virtual meetings with Basque professionals in the USA in May, hoping that the percentage of regular returns will rise from 10% to 15%.
During the presentation of Ikerbasque’s results in 2024, Cossío described the situation of science in the United States as a ‘disaster’. For his part, the Deputy Minister for Universities and Research, Adolfo Morais, assured that the Basque Government is in direct contact with displaced researchers to offer them support in their return at a time of great uncertainty.
