Australia has a rare opportunity to strengthen our nation by attracting world-leading researchers to our shores.

The Global Talent Attraction Program aims to create transformative opportunities, where exceptional minds come to Australia, share their expertise, and help drive long-term prosperity.

I invite you to join us and seize this opportunity, to strengthen our nation – together.

— Professor Chennupati Jagadish AC PresAA FREng FTSE, President, Australian Academy of Science

Support our efforts to bring world-leading talent to Australia

The Australian Academy of Science is leading a national effort to strengthen Australia’s research capability and scientific leadership by securing world-class researchers from the United States.

Here’s how you can help.

A window of opportunity

The United States is undergoing significant shifts in its research landscape.

This is creating a rare opportunity for Australia to attract exceptional scientists seeking new opportunities to continue their work.

Australia’s new Global Talent Attraction Program (GTAP) is not just an investment in science it’s an investment in Australia’s future.

By bringing world leading researchers to Australia, we can lead, innovate, and secure our nation’s prosperity for generations to come with science-led solutions.

We are not the only country who is mobilising.  Canada, France, Germany, Denmark, Norway are among the nations who have issued calls to attract the best scientists to their shores.

Building on Australia’s science and technology capability

We have identified the most critical gaps in Australia’s science and technology capabilities through our Australian Science, Australia’s Future: Science 2035 initiative.

This work is helping us target where investment and talent are most urgently needed.

The Global Talent Attraction Program will directly contribute to these efforts, recruiting researchers in areas of national need and filling critical capability gaps for future leadership in science and technology.

Our approach

Our program is institution- and discipline-agnostic. We are uniquely positioned to work across disciplines, institutions and sectors. This, combined with the collective knowledge and excellence of our Fellowship, means we can achieve this – with your support. 

With your support, we can:

• Attract world-leading scientists and technologists, offering a comprehensive relocation package with research funding and access to Australian infrastructure, as well as family relocation support. 
• Address critical capability gaps in sectors crucial to our national prosperity, security, and resilience.
• Seed capability that will create jobs.
• Nurture the pipeline of young scientists and stimulate collaboration.
• Accelerate key industries and fuel Australia’s global competitiveness.

Join this nation-building moment.

Considering a major gift?

We invite you to explore how your support can leave a legacy and contribute to our mission.

Email: philanthropy@science.org.au

Phone: +61 6201 9460

Attracting top talent is in our DNA

Australia has a strong history of scientists migrating to Australia for our national and global benefit.

When Professor Michelle Simmons moved to Australia, she played a pivotal role in advancing the field of quantum technologies, which now positions Australia as a global leader. Her work laid the foundation for breakthroughs in quantum computing, a field that has far-reaching implications across industries such as healthcare, cybersecurity and advanced manufacturing. Thanks to her pioneering efforts, Australia has become a hub for cutting-edge quantum research, attracting further investment, collaboration and talent. This is the kind of multiplier effect that happens when world-class scientists contribute to our nation’s future.

When Professor Lidia Morawska brought her expertise in airborne transmission to Australia, she reshaped how the world responded to COVID-19. Her research has had global impacts, from improving public health policies to changing how we approach indoor air quality and disease transmission. This has had a ripple effect, influencing industries from healthcare to environmental science, and sparking ongoing research collaborations.

In 1994, astrophysicist Professor Brian Schmidt moved to Australia, where he was involved in building the High-Z Supernova Search Team. His work earned him a Nobel Prize in Physics in 2011 for the discovery of the accelerating expansion of the universe through observations of distant supernovae.

Read more about the program

Media release: Join us in shaping Australia’s future: Australian Academy of Science leads establishment of a Global Talent Attraction Program

Transcript: Global Talent Attraction Program: BBC interview with Academy Chief Executive Anna-Maria Arabia

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