SAR in the Press

The following includes select interviews, articles, and op-eds by or about Scholars at Risk and its network.

Flight From Afghanistan

A piece by Elizabeth Redden for Inside Higher Ed covering evacuation efforts in Afghanistan. Efforts continue to rescue scholars, students and higher education personnel in Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover and the collapse of the Afghan government eight days ago. President Joe Biden

‘I don’t want to die.’ Afghan researchers fear for their safety—and the future of science

A piece by Richard Stone for Science Magazine covering the safety of academics in Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover. Twice the Taliban tried to kill Khyber Mashal*. Its first attempt was in 2009, when the Afghan scientist was working on

Global calls to protect Afghan academics from Taliban

A piece by Pola Lem for Research Professional News covering calls to protect academics in Afghanistan. Dozens of governments and humanitarian groups, alongside hundreds of academics, have called for international support to be provided to students and researchers in Afghanistan—especially

Fear for the Future

A piece by Elizabeth Redden for Inside Higher Ed covering the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan. Ahmad Zahid Mujaddedi logged in for a Zoom call late Saturday night after a long day helping distribute clothing and blankets collected for internally displaced

Press Release: Cooperation between AUTh and SAR Network for the protection of academics at risk

On the occasion of the International Refugee Day on June 20, the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki is pleased to announce the recent signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation with the International Network for the Protection of Academics at Risk (Scholars

Universities’ relevance hinges on academic freedom

A piece by Kristen Lyons for the Conversation covering the conditions in which academic freedom can flourish. The latest special issue of Australian Universities’ Review is devoted to Academic Freedom’s Precarious Future. Contributing authors identify how the pressures on universities in Australia

Universities push governments to protect academics in Belarus

An article by Pola Lem in Research Professional News covering the joint statement by SAR, EUA, and ESU calling on Belarusian authorities to protect academic freedom. European University Association says its members are “ready to take students in” with EU

‘Criminalisation’ of Belarus students, academics condemned

A piece by Brendan O’Malley for University World News covering the joint statement by SAR, EUA, and ESU calling on Belarusian authorities to protect academic freedom. The European University Association (EUA), the European Students’ Union (ESU) and Scholars at Risk

Sinead O’Gorman: Academic freedom in a complex world

SAR Europe Director Sinead O’Gorman spoke with the European Association for International Education about the history of Scholars at Risk and its fight for academic freedom. Listen to the episode here.

Researchers fleeing persecution are being supported into skilled posts in industry, writes Peter McGuire

A piece by Peter McGuire for Maynooth University covering Scholars at Risk and the Inspireurope project. The shelling hit Damascus in 2012. Profesor Souad Odeh, a lecturer in information science, knew she had to escape the escalating Syrian civil war.

Defending the Line on Academic Freedom

A piece by SAR Executive Director Robert Quinn for Modern Language Association (MLA) Profession. On 21 November 2018, Daniela Tejada, twenty-seven years old, watched, shocked, in an Abu Dhabi courtroom as her husband, Matthew Hedges, thirty-one years old and a

Academic Self-Censorship Is a ‘Brain Drag’ on Arab Universities and Societies

A piece by SAR Executive Director Robert Quinn for Al-Fanar Media. Have you ever had a question that you refrained from asking, because of what someone might think? Or had an idea that you were afraid to share, because of

What is academic freedom?

A piece by SAR Executive Director Robert Quinn for the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. Academic freedom is simple, complex, and essential. It must be protected. Academic freedom is a guarantor of quality. It is the freedom to carry out research,

Hungarian government in spotlight over academic freedom

A piece by Ben Upton for Research Europe covering SAR’s UPR submission on Hungary. Scholars at Risk network calls for international pressure, but government defends policies and motives The international academic freedom network Scholars at Risk has called on the

Researchers at risk need dedicated support

An article co-authored by SAR Europe Programme Manager Orla Duke for Research Europe. Attacks on scholars, students, staff and higher education institutions are occurring with alarming and growing frequency. Last November’s Free to Think 2020 report, published by Scholars at Risk (SAR),