{
  "id": 3805759,
  "title": "Harvard and MIT scholars head to Canada, as Carney offers millions",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/harvard-and-mit-scholars-head-to-canada-as-carney-offers-millions",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-27T19:45:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3365507/harvard-and-mit-scholars-head-canada-carney-offers-millions"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Canada has allocated 64 global scholars with C$504 million (US$362 million) in funding to relocate their work to Canadian universities and advance projects in health, artificial intelligence, and other areas. Forty-eight of these researchers were poached from US institutions, including prestigious universities like Harvard and MIT. The remaining 16 researchers hail from the UK, Germany, China, and Japan. Industry Minister Melanie Joly emphasized Canada's commitment to bolstering science and research, highlighting the stark contrast with recent US federal funding cuts and immigration policy changes that have prompted some scholars to seek opportunities abroad. Prime Minister Mark Carney's government unveiled this initiative last year, pledging C$1.7 billion over a decade to recruit over 1,000 researchers, with C$1 billion focused on attracting world-leading research chairs to universities nationwide. Robert Asselin, CEO of U15 Canada, attributed the success to Canada's strong post-secondary institutions and the weakened support from the US. Among the new research chairs are Sara Seager from MIT, who will return to the University of Toronto, and James LeBeau from MIT, a materials scientist. Brian Kuhlman from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, involved in the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, is joining the University of British Columbia, as is Curtis Huttenhower from Harvard, whose work centers on microbes and human health. The Canadian government has also introduced an expedited immigration pathway for H-1B visa holders, though the program has not yet been implemented. Similar to other major economies, the European Union has launched a €500 million (US$583 million) initiative to attract global researchers. Future rounds of research chairs are expected to be announced in the coming months.",
  "summary": "Canada has awarded 64 global scholars with C$504 million (US$362 million) in funding to relocate their work to Canadian universities and advance projects in areas such as health and artificial intelligence. Some 48 of the researchers were poached from the US, including from elite institutions such as Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The other 16 researchers are…",
  "key_points": [
    "Canada allocated C$504 million to relocate 64 global scholars",
    "48 researchers poached from US institutions, including Harvard and MIT",
    "Industry Minister Melanie Joly emphasized Canada's commitment to science and research"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}