John Hopkins, in Maryland’s largest city an hour’s drive north of the US capital, is eliminating more than 2,000 positions.
Johns Hopkins University, a well-known school in the U.S., is cutting more than 2,000 jobs due to major funding cuts from the federal government.
Major Job Cuts Due to Funding Loss
On Thursday, Johns Hopkins announced it had to let go of more than 2,000 workers after losing over $800 million in funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The university, located in Baltimore, Maryland, is one of the top scientific research institutions in the country.
“This is a hard day for our entire community,” the university said in a statement. “Losing this funding is forcing us to shut down important work both in Baltimore and around the world.”
Who Is Affected?
The job cuts include 1,975 positions in 44 countries and 247 jobs in the U.S. Many of these jobs are in critical programs, including the university’s medical school, public health school, and Jhpiego—a global health non-profit started by the university more than 50 years ago. Jhpiego works to improve healthcare in many countries.
Johns Hopkins praised the work of its employees, saying, “We are incredibly proud of the work done by our colleagues to help mothers and infants, fight diseases, provide clean drinking water, and support other life-saving efforts worldwide.”
Impact on Research
These cuts make Johns Hopkins one of the most affected universities due to the reduction in federal research funding. The university receives about $1 billion annually from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and currently runs 600 clinical trials. Johns Hopkins is also one of the schools suing the federal government over these cuts.
Why Is This Happening?
USAID, which funds Jhpiego and other global health programs, provides humanitarian aid to about 120 countries. However, in January, former President Donald Trump signed an order to freeze all U.S. foreign aid while reviewing international expenses. Many critics argue that cutting USAID’s funding will negatively impact millions of people worldwide.
