SAR Sections

The SAR Australia section was formally launched on August 19th, 2021. Contact Tami Harriot for more information on programming and country updates.

The SAR Canada Section was formally launched on June 22, 2012 at the University of Toronto’s Massey College by The Honourable Dr. Lloyd Axworthy, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Winnipeg. 

The CARA-SAR UK Universities Network inaugural Meeting was held at The Royal Society, London, on 15th March 2006, under the auspices of the UK based Council for Assisting Refugee Academics (CARA) and the Scholars at Risk Network (SAR). The aim of the Section is to facilitate cooperation and collaboration between UK higher education institutions in support of refugee and threatened academics and in defence and promotion of academic and university freedoms worldwide. To this end, the activities of the Section seek to strengthen respect for academic and university freedom; highlight the important role of academics in society; help refugee academics in the UK to rebuild their careers; assist academics under threat in their home country; provide global leadership in crafting an effective response to challenges to academic freedom worldwide.

The Scholars at Risk Denmark section was launched at the University of Copenhagen on February 18, 2019. The Denmark section was established to protect and support threatened and refugee scholars and promote academic freedom. Please contact Mark de Vos to learn more.

On May 8, 2017, representatives from universities across Finland convened in Vaasa to launch the Finnish section of Scholars at Risk. SAR Finland is the product of a longstanding partnership between Finnish higher education institutions and the global SAR Network. For further information and to get involved, please contact Juha Teperi at Tampere University.

The SAR Flanders Section launched December 10th, 2021. The Flemish Interuniversity Council, VLIR, leads the Section. VLIR brings together the Dutch-speaking universities of Flanders and the Brussels Capital Region to collaborate on global and local challenges and the internationalization of higher education and research in Flanders. Koen Verlaeckt currently leads SAR Flanders.

The SAR Germany Section was officially launched in Bonn on 20 September 2016 to coordinate a response and draw attention to the issue of infringement of academic freedom. The Section also supports the Philipp Schwartz Initiative, a program jointly developed by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and the Federal Foreign Office that assists threatened researchers through research fellowships at German universities. The SAR Germany Section represents Germany in the global SAR Network. Contact Katja Machacsek to learn more.

The launch of the Scholars at Risk Greece section took place on October 1, 2021, hosted by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. For further information, please contact Malamati Tsapoutzoglou, or write to this inbox, and read news and updates.

The Ireland Section of Scholars at Risk was launched by Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr Shirin Ebadi at Trinity College Dublin in September 2009. This partnership between Universities Ireland and the Scholars at Risk Network provides support to threatened academics around the world, including by arranging temporary placements in Ireland to allow them to safely continue their work. Contact Rory O’Connell to learn more.

The Scholars at Risk Italy section was launched at the University of Padova on February 19, 2019. The Steering Committee is composed of Marco Borraccetti, Antonio Maria Morone, Ester Gallo, Isolde Quadranti, Stefano degli Uberti, Chiara Milan, Lorenzo Bosi and Paola Leone. 

The SAR Netherlands section re-launched under the coordination of the Foundation for Refugee Students (UAF) on February 3, 2025. Contact UAF for more information.

The SAR Norway Section was launched on May 23, 2011 at Oslo University College (HiO). The Norwegian Section represents Norway in the international Scholars at Risk Network and organizes and coordinates Scholars at Risk activities in Norway. Contact the Steering Committee to learn more.

Leaders from universities across Slovakia convened on May 23, 2019 in Bratislava to launch the Slovakia section of Scholars at Risk. To learn more and get involved, contact Michal Vasecka or Ingrid Borarosova.

The Swedish Section of Scholars at Risk was launched at the University of Gothenburg on March 9, 2016. The SAR Sweden Section represents the culmination of several years of partnership between Swedish higher education institutions and the international SAR Network. Contact Karolina Catoni to learn more.

The SAR Switzerland Section organizes activities in Switzerland to promote academic freedom and support threatened scholars. Contact Annie Cottier (University of Bern) and Florence Balthasar (Zurich University of the Arts), Co-Chairs of the SAR Swiss Section.

The SAR United States section was founded in 2018.  The SAR United States section steering committee organizes around programmatic areas of interest to the section. Please contact Nathan Camp for more information on programming and country updates.

The Wallonia-Brussels section was incarnated on February 14, 2023 and is led by ARES, the Académie de recherche et d’enseignement supérieur, and CRef, the Conseil des rectrices et recteurs. For more information, visit the ARES website.