The German federal government’s initiative to attract top researchers from the United States is showing early successes. According to Research Minister Dorothee Bär (CSU), since the launch of the 1000-Köpfe-Plus program in July 2025, 286 excellent scientists from 45 countries have been recruited to Germany, 45 of whom are from the US.
Based on a ministry ranking, the United States leads the countries of origin with 16 percent of the recruits, ahead of China at 13 percent and India at nine percent. Minister Bär highlighted that Germany benefits greatly from the fact that academic freedom is enshrined in the Basic Law. She emphasized the critical need to preserve this freedom under all circumstances, even in the face of attacks from the AfD party.
This recruitment drive comes as universities in the United States have faced intense pressure following Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
