Welcome researchers

In response to the targeted and drastic budget cuts threatening scientific research around the world, the Toulouse academic community is launching an initiative to host researchers whose work is at risk. With support from the Occitanie Region and the French government, this program initially offers ten positions for affected scientists.

Attacks on science are escalating across the globe. As a key player in multiple research areas impacted by these challenges, the Toulouse academic community cannot stand by as these fields are weakened by policies that deliberately hinder scientific progress. The future of global research is at stake.

To respond to this urgent need, the Toulouse university cluster has decided to take action. In line with the scientific priorities of the TIRIS (Toulouse Initiative for Research’s Impact on Society) project, co-financed mainly by the French government and the Occitanie Region, the three mechanisms of this programme for hosting international scientists will be mobilised. Initially, this initiative will enable around ten researchers, regardless of their nationality or place of work, to find the means to continue their research in Toulouse with complete peace of mind. It is aimed in particular at those working in fields that are currently under threat, such as the humanities, climate science, health science and space science.

These funding opportunities will be available for the next three years to postdoctoral researchers and senior scholars. Additionally, specific efforts will be made to help safeguard critical research data at risk of loss or deletion.

The first application round will open in April, with researchers expected to arrive in Toulouse in 2025. Further support mechanisms may be introduced, particularly for postdoctoral researchers whose funding has been abruptly cut around the world. Aligned with the European “Choose Europe” initiative, Toulouse’s academic institutions will also engage their European University Alliances to further expand this effort.

With this act of solidarity, Toulouse’s higher education and research institutions reaffirm their commitment to academic freedom and scientific progress. Toulouse stands as a safe haven for science at risk, offering a concrete alternative for researchers facing barriers to their work.