SAR Newsletter | SAR announces recipient of its 'Courage to Think Award'2024

June 2024

SAR's 'Courage to Think Award' will recognize 'the scholars of Ukraine' at SAR Global Congress 2024

Scholars at Risk (SAR) announced yesterday that SAR will present its 2024 Courage to Think Award collectively to 'the scholars of Ukraine,' recognizing their courage, resilience, and unwavering commitment to their teaching, research, students, and higher education institutions, despite the existential threat posed by war. The award will be presented at the SAR Global Congress on Wednesday, June 26th at the European Humanities University (EHU) in Vilnius.

According to Ukrainian government data, at least 59 universities have been damaged and nine completely destroyed in Ukraine as a result of Russia’s shelling of civilian infrastructure in 2022-2024. Yet scholarly responsibilities have increased after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with the scholars of Ukraine playing a crucial role in shaping public engagement and discourse in the country and abroad.

The award will be received by a representative of Mariupol State University (MSU), representing all of the scholars of Ukraine, inside and outside of the country, who are working to maintain Ukraine’s higher education teaching and research sector. MSU has been operating from Kyiv since the destruction and fall of the city of Mariupol in February 2022, after having been displaced previously by the first Russian invasion in 2014.

Learn more about SAR’s ‘Courage to Think’ award and the ‘scholars of Ukraine’ »

SAR Global Congress: Remote schedule for online participation available now 

In addition to seeing many SAR members and partners in-person in Vilnius, we are pleased to offer an opportunity for remote, online participation at the 2024 Global Congress. The theme, "Sustainable knowledge: Lessons from universities, scholars and students in exile," will explore and capture the experience of  academic communities forced into exile or otherwise resisting political unrest, repression, disaster, and conflict. Select sessions will be live broadcast via Zoom for remote participants. Registration (in-person and online) and program information are available on the SAR website. 

Register now for remote or in-person attendance »

An UPDATED PROGRAM is available on the SAR website. Session highlights include:

• Pre-Congress project meetings, partner and scholar workshops (by invitation)
• Panel sessions on supporting Ukrainian higher education institutions, scholars, and students under conflict
• Panel sessions on resistance in and responses to Afghanistan, Belarus and Russia
• Student engagement in academic freedom advocacy
• Plenary panel on sustaining higher education in Gaza
• Academic freedom in the UN and regional rights systems
• KEYNOTE from Dr. Ian Bickford, President, American University of Afghanistan
• Successes and challenges in advocacy for imprisoned scholars & students
• New research on academic freedom
• Networking for members, scholars, and guests
• Courage to Think dinner including presentation of the SAR Courage to Think Award

The Global Congress is held generally every 2-3 years. The event brings together network members and partners to learn, share experiences, build solidarity, and inform SAR’s activities and agenda for the coming years. An updated program (as ofupdated May 10, 2024) is available on the SAR website. Join us!

100+ scholars placed this year by the SAR Network

So far this year, the SAR Network has created 111 academic visiting positions in partnership with 72 institutions globally. Positions have been arranged in 12 countries, with Germany, Norway, Switzerland, the United States, and Canada creating the largest number of SAR positions this year thus far. 

We thank the SAR Network for their continued support for at-risk scholars and commitment towards defending academic freedom. Looking ahead, we continue to see high demand from scholars and practitioners seeking placement. The SAR team is seeking positions for 61 scholars and practitioners at present, and aiming to secure placements at universities for as many of these individuals as possible before August. If your institution can consider hosting a SAR scholar, please reach out to hostingatSAR@nyu.edu.

Scholars Seeking Hosts

SAR scholars are at-risk higher education professionals who exemplify the pursuit of academic freedom, freedom of expression, and university values. If your institution is interested in hosting a SAR scholar, please email hostingatSAR@nyu.edu. 

Scholar of Nutrition and Public Health | Afghanistan-687

Expertise: Several years of public policy, teaching, and research experience in Afghanistan and the U.S.; specializes in malnutrition treatment and maternal and child nutrition

Reported risk: Targeted threats in relation to her gender, cooperation with international organizations, and having held public office

Seeking: Research and/or teaching position in the U.S. beginning as soon as possible; scholar holds work authorization in the U.S.

Scholar of Sociolinguistics and Gender, and Ethnicity | China-650

Expertise: Several years of teaching and research experience at institutions in China and Switzerland; current research focuses on the effects of social ideologies on language use and  marginalized identity construction and performance

Reported risk: Disciplinary action and threats due to her academic research and publications

Seeking: Research and/or teaching position in an Anglophone country beginning September 2024

Scholar of Psycholinguistics and Sociolinguistics | Ukraine-814

Expertise: 10 years of teaching and research experience; current research analyzes propaganda and hate speech in Russian media

Reported risk: General/situational risk due to the war in Ukraine

Seeking: Research and/or teaching position anywhere in the SAR network beginning as soon as possible; scholar holds a Canadian work visa

SEE ALL SCHOLARS >

MSCA4Ukraine second call for project proposals

With a recent top up of EUR 10 million from the European Commission, the MSCA4Ukraine initiative will support an additional 50 researchers displaced from Ukraine.

SAR Europe has recently published preliminary information on the forthcoming 2024 Call for Applications to MSCA4Ukraine on the project’s website. Furthermore, a launch and info event will be held on June 14th between 2pm and 4pm CEST – to attend, please register here. To remain updated on MSCA4Ukraine, consider subscribing to the project’s mailing list.

MSCA4Ukraine was established in 2022 to provide support to displaced researchers from Ukraine, enabling them to continue their work at academic and non-academic organisations in EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries while maintaining their connections to research and innovation communities in Ukraine. Funded by the European Union, the initiative currently supports 125 researchers from Ukraine. The MSCA4Ukraine Programme of the European Commission is implemented by a consortium comprised of SAR Europe hosted at Maynooth University, Ireland (project coordinator), the German Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and the European University Association, with the French national PAUSE programme hosted by the Collège de France, and Scholars at Risk participating as associated partners.

UNHRC members must raise human rights concerns in Bahrain

On May 30, SAR joined the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) and over 30 other organizations in calling on Member and Observer States of the United Nations Human Rights Council to raise concerns over the human rights situation in Bahrain. The joint letter also calls for the release wrongfully imprisoned individuals, including scholar Dr. Abduljalil Al-Singace. 

Read the letter » Take action »

Support SAR Today

Support human rights and stand in solidarity with at-risk scholars around the world. Your contribution helps promote their indispensable scholarship and allows us to advocate on their behalf, preserving everyone's right to think, question, and share ideas. Give today »

SELECT OPPORTUNITIES & RESOURCES

See a full list of scholar resources

Human Rights Advocates Program - Call for applications to the Spring 2026 program | Deadline: July 12th, 2024

Founded in 1989, the Human Rights Advocates Program (HRAP) leverages the resources of Columbia University and those offered by NYC as a hub of NGOs and international organizations to provide human rights advocates with academic, skill-building, mentoring, and networking opportunities. Through seminars, participation in Columbia University courses, and workshops led by staff from leading human rights organizations as well as meetings with policymakers and funders, advocates share their experiences, reflect critically on their work, and plan future campaigns. Read more »

Alfried Krupp Fellowships 2025/26 [Germany] | Deadline August 31, 2024

The Alfried Krupp Junior Fellowships are awarded to particularly qualified young researchers with a doctorate. Applications from the natural sciences are expressly encouraged. Up to six Alfried Krupp Senior Fellowships and up to eight Alfried Krupp Junior Fellowships will be awarded for the academic year 2025/26. A joint application from several researchers who would like to realise interdisciplinary projects in Greifswald is possible. Applicants who plan to bring a partner and/or children during their fellowship are welcome to apply. Living and working space is available to the fellows free of charge. Read more »

SELECT SAR & PARTNER EVENTS

See a full list of SAR events

SAR 2024 Global Congress | Vilnius, Lithuania | June 25, 2024
SAR invites you to register for the 2024 Global Congress to be held June 25-27, 2024, in partnership with the European Humanities University (EHU) in Vilnius, Lithuania. Global Congresses are SAR’s largest network events, and bring together leading scholars, advocates, students and professionals to rethink issues of academic freedom and related values, to learn from each other, and to help shape SAR’s agenda for the coming years. Read more »

Third Conference on Academic Freedom in the Americas
Save the date! The Third Conference on Academic Freedom in the Americas will be held on November 20 & 21, 2024 at the University of Notre Dame (Washington, DC campus). Stay tuned for more information and learn more about CAFA’s work here.