Helping scholars

How does SAR help threatened scholars?
Who is eligible for assistance from SAR?
How are scholars identified?
How do you apply for assistance from SAR?

How does SAR help threatened scholars?

SAR works with Network member universities and colleges to provide direct assistance to threatened scholars from any academic discipline and any country. Activities include:

• Temporary refuge / sanctuary: SAR helps threatened scholars from any country and any discipline by arranging temporary visits at Network universities and colleges.
       Click here to select a SAR-SRF referral application for assistance
  
  
• IIE Scholar Rescue Fund fellowships: SAR helps threatened scholars secure fellowships for research or teaching abroad through a partnership with the Institute of International Education's Scholar Rescue Fund.
  
  
• Counseling & referral: SAR staff provide displaced scholars and host campuses with advice and referrals for services covering a wide range of issues, including language training, employment/taxation, immigration/asylum, job skills/interviewing and counseling/trauma.
      Contact the Network office for more information and assistance.
  
  
• Speaker Series: SAR organizes speaking events at Network member universities and colleges, educating the public about threats to scholars and conditions in a range of countries.
  
  
• Job Board: SAR maintains and circulates to Network member institutions a list of scholars who were forced out of their home countries by violence or other threats and are seeking opportunities to resume their academic work or training.
  
  
• Letter-writing campaigns: SAR volunteers, in partnership with the Network for Education and Academic Rights (NEAR) to bring international attention to individual scholars, students and university communities that are currently at risk.
  

Who is eligible for assistance?

• Scholars from any discipline, and any country or region who faces a risk of persecution, on account of belief, scholarship, or identity, is eligible.
  
  
• Risk includes the threat of repression, violence, censorship, punishment arising out of the scholar's work, their prominence, and/or their exercise of fundamental human rights. General insecurity and instability affecting the whole population of a country indiscriminately will not normally qualify.
  
  
• Academics, researchers, and independent scholars are eligible. In most cases, a graduate degree will be expected, as will employment in scholarly activities at a university, college or other institution of higher learning during the last 4 years (excluding any period of suspension, ban or prohibition).
  
  
• Preference will be given to candidates with advanced ability in the language of the proposed host country/ institution. In exceptional cases, non-traditional scholars, professionals (including artists, writers and journalists) and others not directly meeting the above criteria may be considered for temporary placement.

Are students eligible?

Unfortunately, students are not eligible as SAR lacks at present the resources to find positions for students who frequently suffer the same, and sometimes greater risks as more senior scholars. We hope as the Network grows to include students in this part of our work. SAR does however accept and contribute to alerts on behalf of students.

How are scholars identified?

• Nomination: Universities and colleges interested in hosting a threatened scholar are encouraged to identify and to apply jointly with specific candidates through their own faculty and other networks. Faculty and independent scholars are encouraged to nominate candidates known to them through their work.
  

• Outreach: Scholars at Risk works with a broad, international network of faculty, universities and colleges, academic societies, professional associations, human rights and humanitarian relief groups and other non-profit organizations to identify scholars most in need of assistance.
  

• Application: Candidates may apply directly to Scholars at Risk for assistance. See below.
  
  

How do you apply?

Applications materials must be in English or the language of the proposed host institution/country. A complete application package consisting of the following materials may be submitted by fax, e-mail or postal mail. (E-mail submission is preferred and will expedite processing.)

• Application Coversheet available here in PDF and WORD/RTF formats.
  (for both SAR and IIESRF applications)
  

• CV or resume for the candidate (including degrees obtained, dates obtained, any academic employment and listing, if available, any publications)
  

• Letter from or on behalf of the scholar explaining

• the situation of threat/risk from which the candidate seeks relief;

• the research, writing, teaching or other work the candidate would like to complete during the proposed visit

• the kind of support requested
  

• Two or more reference letters (ideally at least one professional reference and one from a person familiar with the candidate's situation of threat/risk); and
  

• For joint applications only, a letter from the university or college that has agreed to host the visit, including a proposed budget showing the amount of financial support requested and the matching support (direct and in-kind) being provided by the institution or other source, and any additional support needed.

Are there any deadlines?

Applications and nominations are accepted at any time throughout the year, on a rolling basis.