Canada is attracting dozens of leading researchers from American universities as it expands investment in higher education and scientific research amid growing tensions with the United States.

More than three-quarters of the 64 professors selected under Canada’s new recruitment programme are moving from US institutions, including prestigious universities such as Harvard. The researchers will receive funding from a C$504 million government initiative supporting fields including climate change, medicine and advanced scientific research.

The programme comes as uncertainty grows across the US academic sector. The Trump administration has criticised universities over diversity policies, alleged ideological bias and campus antisemitism, while also freezing or reviewing billions of dollars in federal research grants.

Canadian officials hope the new funding will strengthen the country’s research capacity by attracting internationally recognised academics seeking stable long-term support for their work.

The recruitment drive is seen as one of Canada’s largest efforts to expand its global research talent pool, with universities positioning themselves as attractive alternatives for scientists affected by funding uncertainty in the United States.