Key facts
- Greece's 'Trust your Stars' research program, intended to attract scientists, has been canceled.
- The program was to be funded by €80 million from the EU's Recovery and Resilience Facility.
- Selected researchers were not informed of the cancellation for 10 months after the project was delisted.
- Academics criticize the government's handling, citing a lack of transparency and broken trust.
- The cancellation has exacerbated the 'brain drain' issue Greece aimed to reverse.
Greece's initiative to reverse the 'brain drain' of scientists has been severely undermined by the collapse of the 'Trust your Stars' program, a €80 million EU-backed research funding scheme. The program, intended to lure back researchers who emigrated during the financial crisis, has descended into a fiasco, leaving scientists feeling betrayed and disillusioned.
Researchers were initially hopeful when the 'Trust your Stars' program was announced, offering a significant boost to scientific endeavors in Greece. The initiative, part of the EU's post-Covid recovery fund, saw 145 research proposals selected from over 1,200 submissions. However, a prolonged delay in publishing the final list, followed by objections and complaints about the evaluation process, cast a shadow over the project.
Despite assurances from the development ministry that payments were being made and the program would be completed by 2029, the education ministry announced in May 2026 that the project would not receive EU funds. This decision was part of a review of Greece's National Recovery and Resilience Plan. Crucially, applicants were not informed of the program's delisting for 10 months, exacerbating their sense of betrayal.
Academics like Aristides Hatzis, a professor at the University of Athens, have voiced strong criticism, calling the situation a 'massive step backward' and a 'complete abandonment' of research priorities. The government's handling of the situation has eroded trust, with many scientists having turned down other opportunities based on the promise of this funding. The finance ministry has stated efforts are underway to address outstanding financial obligations, but legal experts question the government's commitment given the lack of signed contracts.
The failure of 'Trust your Stars' not only represents a financial loss but also a significant blow to Greece's efforts to rebuild its scientific community and reverse the exodus of skilled professionals that began during the financial crisis. The situation has led to widespread calls for scientists to remain abroad or seek opportunities elsewhere, directly contradicting the government's 'Brain Regain' objectives.