2024

INSPIRED –  That is how I felt earlier this year as I walked into the Courage to Think dinner at SAR’s 2024 Global Congress. Arriving late after a missed flight, I tried to slip through the room to my table, but was delayed on route by handshakes and embraces from friends and partners from Ghana, Brazil, Canada, Afghanistan, and beyond. The first in-person Congress in six years, the room was brimming with the energy, friendship, and solidarity that have been the hallmark of SAR’s work for over two decades. Surrounded by the passion of the network, I was inspired by all that we have achieved together, and by the deep commitment to do even more.

The Congress was a highpoint in a year of many highpoints. Most important, we continued to arrange positions for at-risk scholars—at least 164 positions this year, representing more than $6.9 million in support leveraged from hosts and partners. Our network has grown to 665 members in 49 countries. We documented 397 attacks on higher education communities and made important gains in our advocacy for increased recognition and protection for the right to academic freedom.

New this year, we welcomed a new Director of SAR Europe, Frank Geary. We expanded our efforts to help launch academic freedom coalitions in every world region, with advances in the Americas, Africa, and Southeast Asia. We expanded our fellowships for researchers working to advance academic freedom scholarship and practice and secured new support to strengthen and grow the SAR US Section.

With all that we have achieved together, we are determined to do more. Great challenges lay ahead. Universities, scholars, and students continue to suffer violence and threats, from conflicts, disasters, and interference from state and nonstate actors. Within the university sector itself, tensions around academic freedom and free expression grew this year. SAR can help. With our unique casework-focused experience and global perspective, we can help open spaces for dialogue and understanding. We can lead the way—to greater protection for scholars, to greater respect for academic freedom, and to a world where everyone can think and ask questions, freely and safely.

It is with the deepest gratitude that I share with you this summary of our work over this past year. It is because of you —your support, your dedication, your determination—that SAR can continue to work for change. We are making a difference and could not do this without you. With your support, we can continue to make a lasting difference for scholars. I look forward to doing even more together in the years ahead.

In solidarity and with deep gratitude, 

ROB QUINN

Scholars at Risk is leading a global movement to protect academic freedom and to support those who face attacks for sharing ideas and asking questions. Our international membership network offers direct assistance to threatened scholars, advocates against attacks on higher education communities, and promotes academic freedom.

SAR works with hundreds of scholars each year, offering comprehensive support to ensure they can continue their important work. SAR begins by vetting each of the over 580 applicants we receive each year. While many of these will not qualify for SAR’s placement services, perhaps because of an inability to travel or lack of academic qualification, SAR provides advice, referrals and information services to as many as possible.

Once SAR has determined we can support an applicant, we work with the scholar to find a host. SAR leverages our network of 665 members to find placement opportunities. SAR helps scholars compile their transcripts and CV, coordinates with prospective hosts, and may even assist scholars and their families with travel arrangements and temporary accommodations.

Once a scholar has arrived at a placement, SAR continues to offer advice during an often-disorienting transitional period. SAR works with hosts to ensure they have the resources and infrastructure to meet the needs of hosted scholars, and SAR stays in contact with scholars as they get their feet back under them.

SAR’s Student Advocacy Seminars

Advocacy is crucial to SAR’s mission of supporting scholars and protecting academic freedom. Working with academic institutions, governments, volunteers, and partners around the world, SAR raises awareness and advocates for at-risk scholars, students, and higher education institutions.

Through our Student Advocacy Seminars, SAR blends hands-on, real-world experience with classroom learning. Students learn about academic freedom and international human rights standards while developing transferable advocacy skills and becoming advocates for wrongfully detained scholars.

US Student Advocacy Days

This spring, over 50 students, faculty, and civil society representatives gathered in Washington, DC for SAR’s annual US Student Advocacy Days, hosted by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Over the course of two days, students presented their advocacy campaigns, collaborated to develop advocacy strategies, and heard from government officials and civil society representatives. Students took action on Capitol Hill and held over 20 meetings with the offices of Members of Congress to advocate for imprisoned scholars. Through these continued efforts, SAR is training the next generation of academic freedom advocates.

EU Student Advocacy Days

In an effort to grow the impact of our advocacy work, this year SAR convened the first-ever in-person European Student Advocacy Days. In collaboration with the University of Trento, the University of Padova, and SAR Italy, SAR brought together over 200 students, faculty, SAR assisted scholars, and civil society representatives for a two-day event, including a conference and workshop for students and faculty. The gathering gave students the opportunity to share information, create connections, and develop advocacy skills, all while advocating for imprisoned scholars and students.

The 2024 Global Congress

Scholars at Risk was pleased to hold the 2024 SAR Global Congress from 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 discuss issues of academic freedom and related values, to learn from each other, and to help shape SAR’s agenda for the coming years.

The 2024 Global Congress theme, “Sustainable knowledge: Lessons from universities, scholars and students in exile,” sought to explore and capture the experience of current and prior generations of academic communities forced into exile by political unrest, repression, disaster and conflict. In all, 250 participants from 60 countries took part in four days of in-person workshops, keynotes, and panel discussions, with even more participating online from around the world.

The Congress featured lectures from distinguished academics who called on the higher education community to warmly welcome at-risk scholars into their institutions, and to protect universities as spaces for critical thought and the open exchange of ideas. Plenaries and parallel sessions highlighted challenges for scholars and students in Afghanistan, Ukraine, Gaza, and the United States. Workshops and panels featured forward-looking strategies for responding to attacks on higher education communities and presented model programs for supporting at-risk scholars and students.

Courage to Think Award

One of the high points of the Congress was the Courage to Think dinner. The evening was a celebration not only of SAR’s work, but the incredible efforts of scholars, students, and activists everywhere whose work is under threat. Oleksandra Matviichuk, Head of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize-winning Centre for Civil Liberties in Ukraine offered virtual remarks. Dr. Ian Bickford, President of the American University of Afghanistan, gave a stirring keynote about the importance of liberal arts education and AUAF’s continuing efforts to support Afghan scholars and students, especially female students inside Afghanistan.

The evening culminated in the presentation of SAR’s 2024 Courage to Think Award collectively to “the scholars of Ukraine” for their “courage, resilience, and unwavering commitment to their teaching, research, students, and higher education institutions, despite the existential threat posed by war.” The award was presented by SAR Board members Dr. Lisa Anderson and Dr. Jonathan Fanton to Dr. Kateryna Horiunova 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.

SAR Europe’s Growing Impact

SAR Europe, hosted at Maynooth University, Ireland, serves as the European office of the global Scholars at Risk Network. SAR Europe successfully coordinates between at-risk scholars and the many individuals and institutions who have dedicated themselves to building support and solidarity for all who come under threat for sharing ideas and asking questions. To further this shared commitment to excellence in research and to the principles of academic freedom, SAR Europe and its partners offer guidance to higher education communities and government bodies at the state and European level to protect at-risk scholars. The skills, knowledge, and experiences of these scholars offer untold potential for their particular fields of study and for the host institutions where they continue their important work.

Inspireurope+

Through the Inspireurope+ program, SAR Europe coordinates and strengthens support in Europe for researchers at risk. Together with researchers at risk, Inspireurope+ partners work to design and implement a series of career development webinars and interactive training opportunities. Through guidance, training and consultations with over 300 researchers at risk, Inspireurope+ helps to build up the skills and knowledge needed to facilitate access to European, national and institutional funding and support. In addition to these activities, SAR Europe has built capacity and preparedness at universities to improve protections for researchers and academic freedom.

MSCA4Ukraine

SAR Europe is committed to supporting scholars, researchers, and students impacted by the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine. MSCA4Ukraine is an EU-funded fellowship scheme established to support displaced researchers from Ukraine. Since October 2022, SAR Europe has worked with partners across the continent to implement the program and offer essential support to those in need. Last year, SAR Europe successfully provided fellowship support to 124 researchers from Ukraine to continue their research in 21 host countries. This year, SAR Europe secured continued funding for the MSCA4Ukraine scheme, allowing SAR and partners to provide fellowship support to an additional 50 Ukrainians. Through MSCA4Ukraine and other efforts, SAR Europe is protecting the future of Ukraine’s higher education communities.

Supporting Coalition Building

While SAR’s work has always been global, to have maximum impact we need to strengthen academic freedom advocacy worldwide. That’s why SAR is working to build and support academic freedom coalitions in every region, beginning with the Americas, Africa, Southeast Asia. These regional coalitions will coordinate academic freedom activities, build local community and solidarity around a common cause, and link up with other regional coalitions and networks in ways that bolster a stronger, more global movement to protect and promote academic freedom.

CAFA

The Coalition for Academic Freedom in the Americas (CAFA) was the first regional coalition to launch and has already made great strides. After successfully hosting its first conference to discuss the state of academic freedom in the Americas last year, CAFA has continued to build institutional support though conferences, roundtables, and advocacy throughout the region, especially in Venezuela, Peru, and Canada. Camilla Croso is the new director of CAFA, which held its second annual conference in Washington DC in November 2024.

New Coalitions

In addition to CAFA, SAR has been supporting efforts to launch the Africa Coalition for Academic Freedom (ACAF), led by Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua, Associate Professor at the School of Law at the University of Ghana, Legon, and the Southeast Asia Coalition for Academic Freedom (SEACAF), led by Dr. Bencharat Sae Chua, a lecturer at the Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies at Mahidol University, Thailand. Like CAFA, these coalitions will be essential in convening and coordinating efforts within their region and helping to expand the horizons of academic freedom advocacy worldwide.

Through our Scholars in Prison project, SAR conducts advocacy on behalf of scholars
and students who are wrongfully imprisoned in connection to their academic or
expressive activities. SAR is currently monitoring over 50 cases of imprisoned scholars, drafting letters of concern, organizing advocacy campaigns, and raising awareness with the public and government officials. This year, we celebrated the release of two wrongfully imprisoned scholars.

This year saw important advances in SAR’s efforts to promote greater recognition and implementation of the right to academic freedom. Following earlier work of the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression, this year the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education issued a report on the right to academic freedom to the UN Human Rights Council. The report cited at length and incorporated as an annex the “Principles for Implementing the Right to Academic Freedom,” developed by an international working group coordinated by SAR to encourage strengthening of monitoring and protection mechanisms for academic freedom across all levels and mechanisms of the United Nations, including among UN offices and systems, as well as among UN Member States. In presenting her report during the interactive dialogue session, the SR spoke about the importance of the Principles and called for their endorsement and implementation by states and others. This is an important milestone in strengthening protections for scholars and academic freedom.

Supporting Coalition Building

Although academic freedom is essential to academics and free societies everywhere, few scholars make academic freedom a focus of their regular research or teaching agendas. SAR is partnering with the Mellon Foundation and other supporters to close this gap by providing research fellowships to early-career scholars developing publishable work on academic freedom.

This year, SAR received nearly 300 applications for the 2024–25 fellowship, 50% more than the prior year, demonstrating growing demand for more research on academic freedom. We announced a cohort of five fellows from the Philippines, the US, Canada, Turkey, and South Africa, researching issues of academic freedom in relation to free expression, state repression, and democratic backsliding.

One fellow, Sol Iglesias, has shared that participation in this program is valuable for creating solidarity among academics. “Solidarity is difficult when we don’t know what’s happening,” she said, referring to violations of academic freedom that go unreported. As her project uncovers cases of academic freedom violations, she and her university release statements of solidarity. SAR was pleased to have Sol and several other Mellon/SAR research fellows attend SAR’s 2024 Global Congress, further fostering ties and collaboration among academic freedom-focused professionals worldwide.