Hosting Threatened Scholars

“My host campus gave me oxygen. It gave me a comeback.”

SAR invites Network member universities and colleges to help threatened scholars by hosting them during temporary visits as professors, researchers, lecturers, visiting scholars, post-docs, graduate fellows or students.

Candidates are nominated or apply directly to SAR.  Materials for qualifying candidates is circulated to Network members via private mailing lists and is available through the members-only section of the website. Network members are invited to review the information on candidates and to consider hosting a visitor whenever a suitable candidate is identified. Network members always retain final selection authority over whether to invite any candidate and which candidates to consider. (Network members are also encouraged to identify candidates themselves through their faculty and other links, and to share information about any such candidates with the Network office.)

Each visit is arranged on a case-by-case basis, with the exact terms of the visit adjusted according to the needs and abilities of the scholar and of the inviting institution. Generally speaking, visits range from 3 months to 2 years, with the average visit lasting for one academic year (9-12 months). During the visits, scholars may teach, research, lecture or study depending on the needs of the host institution and the terms established for the visit.

SAR asks host institutions, wherever possible to identify funding to support the visit. Funding sources include central administration, departments, teaching funds, scholarships, private donors, community groups and foundations. SAR works closely with the the Institute of International Education’s Scholars Rescue Fund which has become a vital source of funding for many threatened scholars.

SAR also compiles and shares with member institutions information on funding, other resources and best practices relating to hosting scholars.

Although SAR invites universities and colleges to host threatened scholars, institutions not yet ready or not interested in hosting visitors are still encouraged to join the network and to participate in SAR activities in other ways, including for example by evaluating or nominating candidates, referring job opportunities, serving on SAR committees or research projects or providing student interns for SAR campaigns.