Two host partners in Jordan receive IIE's Century Medal

Jordan host partners receive IIE's Century Medal | 100 fellowships awarded to Afghans since fall of Kabul | Alumni making impact: Improving education in their home countries | LISTEN: Afghan fellows discuss academic freedom and life as displaced scholars | Fellows seeking academic hosts | IIE-SRF and scholar news | IIE news

Two host partners in Jordan receive IIE's Century Medal 

IIE-SRF Director James Robin King visited the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in late May to meet with key host partners and several scholars who are undertaking IIE-SRF fellowships in the country. Jordan has hosted 132 IIE-SRF fellows since the program’s founding in 2002, more than any other country after the U.S. It remains an important safe haven for threatened scholars from nearby countries who are interested in undertaking the IIE-SRF fellowship in their home region.

From left to right: 1. University of Jordan President H.E. Dr. Nathir Obeidat receives IIE Century Medal from IIE-SRF Director James R. King; 2. Philadelphia University President Dr. Abdullah Mohammad Al-Jarrah receives IIE Century Medal; 3. Al-Ahliyya Amman University President Dr. Sari Ahmad Hamdan, along with King and IIE-SRF Special Advisor Celine Taminian

King bestowed IIE Century Medals on partners Philadelphia University (PU) and the University of Jordan (UoJ). PU has hosted the most IIE-SRF fellows of any institution globally, with a total of 33 scholars from Iraq, Libya, Syria, and Yemen, including two current fellows from Yemen. Seventeen fellows have been hosted at UoJ, making it IIE-SRF's third most prolific host. The universities' receipt of these medals was covered by local media outlets, including The Jordan Times, Jordan News Agency (Petra), and Saraya. King, along with IIE-SRF Special Advisor for the Middle East-North Africa Celine Taminian, also visited Al-Ahliyya Amman University (AAU), which was presented an IIE Certificate of Appreciation for the university’s partnership with IIE-SRF for over a decade. 

From left to right: 1. Philadelphia University partners: Dr. Mohammed Bani Younis, Dean of Engineering and Technology; Dr. Khaled Sartawi, Vice President for Academic Affairs; President Al-Jarrah; King; Taminian; Dr. Ghassan Abd Al-Khaliq, Dean of Arts and Educational Sciences; 2. University of Jordan partners: Dr. Ayed Al-Abdallat, Dean of Agriculture; Dr. Sameh Alzubeidi, Director of International Affairs Unit; President Obeidat; King; Taminian; Dr. Ashraf Abu Karaky, Vice President for Scientific Faculties

During the trip, King had the opportunity to meet with four fellows from Yemen who are currently undertaking their fellowships in Jordan: two at Philadelphia University and two at Al-Ahliyya Amman University.  

"Throughout IIE-SRF’s history, Jordan and its higher education institutions have consistently and generously opened their doors to scholars from the Arab region and beyond whose lives have been upended by crisis," says King. "As a former Fulbright scholar to Jordan, I am humbled by this country and its people. It was a tremendous honor to recognize our wonderful Jordanian partners and to meet the brave and resilient IIE-SRF fellows in the country."

From left to right: 1. Taminian, King, and fellow Dr. Nabeela Alsharjabi, hosted at PU; 2. Fellow Dr. Mohammed Almourish, hosted at PU, with King; 3. Fellows hosted at AAU: Dr. Abdulwareth Almoneafy (left) and Dr. Ahmed Alwathaf (right) with King  

 Over 100 fellowships awarded to Afghans since fall of Kabul

IIE-SRF recently reached an important milestone in its response to the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021. Over 100 emergency fellowships have now been awarded to 62 Afghan scholars specializing in a wide range of disciplines. These scholars are playing an essential role in keeping the Afghan national academy and hopes for a brighter future alive, while also making unique contributions to their host campuses and communities across North America, Europe, and East Asia. 

Together with their families, IIE-SRF fellows from Afghanistan have relocated to Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Norway, Switzerland, the U.K., and the U.S. to continue their work in safety. While undertaking fellowship activities at their host institutions, many of these fellows continue to support access to education, women’s rights, and academic freedom in Afghanistan by teaching online courses to students still in the country, building connections for women scholars, and speaking and writing extensively about life under the Taliban and their vision for the future.  

Even as new crises emerge around the world and vie for the public’s attention, IIE-SRF remains committed to protecting the lives and careers of these brave and talented academics. 

Read past features of Afghan fellows: 

• Sharif Hozoori shares his story of coming to Cornell from Kabul
• Sayed Jafar Ahmadi receives International Humanitarian Award in psychology
• Ghizaal Haress and other Afghan fellows demonstrate resilience and a commitment to give back two years after the Taliban takeover
• Sweeta Akbari and Fahim Fayaz continue chemical engineering careers at Tampere University
• Abdul Aziz Mohibbi researches peatland’s environmental impact in Ireland

Alumni making impact: Improving education in their home countries  

In February, we highlighted IIE-SRF alumni who have contributed to the improvement of educational institutions in their host countries. IIE-SRF scholars also work to improve the education systems in their home countries, either from abroad during and after their fellowship or upon their return home, as evidenced by data from the 2023 IIE-SRF alumni impact study update. Today, we feature an alumnus from Iraq and a current fellow from Ukraine dedicated to this effort.  

Salam Bash Al-Maliki connects Iraqi diaspora to higher education institutions in Iraq

Dr. Salam Bash Al-Maliki is a scholar of environmental engineering from Iraq who undertook IIE-SRF fellowships at Ohio University from 2009 to 2011. He then returned to Iraq to serve in the Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. In that position, Al-Maliki was instrumental in coordinating the IIE-SRF Iraq Distance Learning Initiative, which supported Iraqi scholars living in the diaspora to fill curricular and expertise gaps at Iraqi universities through live online lectures and jointly-taught courses. The initiative, which ran from 2015 to 2023, helped to rebuild Iraq's higher education system after the Iraq War.  

“For a long time, Iraq’s higher education system was highly restricted by the local governing regime that isolated its institutions from their international counterparts,” says Al-Maliki. “Hence, it was a big desire and achievement for me to participate in bridging this gap with the help of IIE-SRF and the contacts I have made through the participation in many international conferences and communities.” 

Al-Maliki created and developed new programs at three Iraqi institutions: Al-Mustansiriya University, Al-Karkh University of Sciences, and Al-Iraqia University. He is currently a professor of environmental engineering at Al-Iraqia University and continues to lead efforts in managing and analyzing the potential for a renewable energy roadmap for Iraq.  

Olha Matviienko prepares for the future of education in Ukraine

Dr. Olha Matviienko is a Ukrainian scholar of pedagogy who is currently undertaking her IIE-SRF fellowship at Adam Mickiewicz University (AMU) in Poland. Her research focuses on comparing European Union educational systems and on the impact of war on youth identity. By studying the latest progressive educational technologies, she aims to improve the quality of education in Ukraine. 

“I view myself as an active participant in Ukraine’s recovery process through my work with prospective teachers and public activities,” says Matviienko. “IIE-SRF is contributing to the victory of Ukraine — the experience and knowledge I gained during my fellowship and the long-term ties I built with my foreign colleagues will improve Ukrainian education. This will play a focal role in educating Ukrainian youth to be citizens of a truly European country where democracy, freedom, and independence are not empty words.”  

While conducting research at AMU, Matviienko has also continued teaching remotely at the Kyiv National Linguistic University (KNLU) and has worked to facilitate a partnership between KNLU and her Polish host university to create opportunities for joint research, guest lecturing, student mobility programs, and integrating Ukrainian education into the European educational context. She also maintains an affiliation with the National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine, where she and her colleagues are developing strategies to modernize Ukrainian educational science.  

LISTEN: Afghan fellows discuss academic freedom and life as displaced scholars

IIE-SRF fellow Dr. Omar Sadr, based at the University of Pittsburgh, is the founder and host of the Negotiating Ideas podcast, which covers liberty, democracy, and pluralism in Afghanistan and around the world. In Episode 25, Sadr speaks with Dr. Mirwais Balkhi, currently an IIE-SRF fellow at the Wilson Center, as well as Dr. Bashir Mobasher, a postdoctoral fellow at American University. In addition to discussing the topics of academic freedom and their identities as scholars in exile or fugitive scholars, they share their experiences with adapting to a new academic environment and offer advice for other displaced scholars and the institutions that aim to support them.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube, or your preferred podcast platform.

Fellows seeking academic hosts

Featured:

A scholar of theoretical physics from Afghanistan seeks an opportunity in Germany.  
 

This scholar researches quantum mechanics for applications in quantum computing. He has undertaken short-term research fellowships in Italy and earned a Ph.D. from a university in Iran. Within Afghanistan, the scholar lectured in two universities and was a local organizer for a program aimed at enhancing scientific training opportunities for students in developing countries. He has authored multiple articles and textbook chapters. The scholar seeks an opportunity to continue his research and teaching on physics and quantum mechanics. 

IIE-SRF and scholar news

Syrian alumna Dr. Rana Mustafa writes in University World News about her journey from Syria to Canada, transitioning from a professor to research facilitator and leadership coach, and how she plans to use her experiences to empower other displaced women scientists.  

Alumnus Dr. Mubashar Hasan discusses the state of academic freedom in his home country of Bangladesh on Episode 38 of the Free to Think podcast.  

Students and faculty at Southern Methodist University worked together in partnership with IIE-SRF to bring Dr. Isam Shihada of Gaza back to campus 12 years after his initial fellowship. (The Daily Campus) 

Cornell reports on the visit of IIE-SRF fellow Dr. Eugene Nikiforovich of Ukraine, whom they are co-hosting with Daugavpils University in Latvia. Cornell also highlights their dedication to helping displaced scholars rebuild their lives and careers by hosting a number of fellows of both IIE-SRF and the IIE Artist Protection Fund.  

Indiana University of Pennsylvania highlights staff who received certificates of appreciation from IIE-SRF for their work supporting a threatened scholar from Afghanistan. The story was also covered by the Indiana Gazette and WCCS Radio.  

IIE-SRF Assistant Director Danielle Alperin speaks on supporting migrant transitions at the keynote panel of the 2024 Migration and Organizations Conference at the University of Pennsylvania.  

IIE news

IIE invites its global community of supporters to celebrate the power of international education by watching the IIE Honors Virtual Event at 6:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, June 20, World Refugee Day. Register now and share this message with your network. 

IIE CEO Allan Goodman advocates for a global effort to help meet the U.N. Refugee Agency's goal of providing higher education access to at least 15 percent of the world's refugees by 2030. (The Hill)   

IIE launches Global Community for Women’s Leadership to support the advancement and retention of women in professional leadership positions worldwide. 

Self-nominations are open through June 28 for the IIE Empower Award, which honors outstanding organizations and individuals for elevating strategic models of advancing access and equity in international higher education and their exemplary contributions to promoting the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and access (DEIA).