Scholars At Risk 2024 Global Congress
The SAR 2024 Global Congress took place from June 25th to 27th in Vilnius, Lithuania. Hosted in partnership with the European Humanities University, the event focused on "Sustainable knowledge: Lessons from universities, scholars, and students in exile." The Congress featured sessions discussing experiences from Afghanistan, Belarus, the US, Russia, and Ukraine, with panel topics including:
- Monitoring academic freedom from local to global levels
- Student engagement in academic freedom advocacy
- Academic freedom advocacy in the UN and regional systems
- New research in academic freedom
- Successes and challenges in supporting at-risk scholars
The highlight was the 'Courage to Think' dinner, where the SAR Courage to Think Award was presented to the 'Scholars of Ukraine'. This Congress facilitated networking and strengthened existing connections among participants.
Click here to view the full Congress programme, pictures, and general information.
UN Human Rights Council Side Event - ‘The Right to Academic Freedom’ - June 2024
On June 26th, a side event to the 56th session of the Human Rights Council was organized by Ms. Farida Shaheed, the Special Rapporteur on the right to education, in cooperation with UNESCO and Scholars At Risk. The event featured the presentation of Ms. Shaheed’s report on ‘The right to academic freedom’ and facilitated discussions on academic freedom at institutional, national, and global levels. Key speakers included the Deputy Permanent Representative of Portugal, Mr. Mario Martinis, and Political Counsellor Mr. Hugo Henry, along with panelists and a Q&A session featuring Mr. Jesse Levine, Senior Advocacy Officer at Scholars At Risk.
Click here for more information and to access relevant documents or a full recording of the event.
Inspireurope+ Practical Networking Workshop June 2024
Held online on June 24th, the Practical Networking Workshop was led by Dr. Darcey Gillie, a Freelance Careers and Education Consultant. This interactive training for 25 researchers at risk covered practical networking strategies, focusing on building a networking toolkit and fostering effective connections.
Participants emphasized the importance of generating questions early in conversations, building non-transactional relationships, and being strategic and proactive in networking.
For more information and to view the training slides click here.
Select Funding Opportunities
MSCA4Ukraine: 2024 Call for Applications
A new call will soon open for MSCA4Ukraine, an EU-funded fellowship scheme supporting displaced researchers from Ukraine. With an additional €10 million from the European Commission, the scheme aims to support around 50 researchers. The application portal opens on August 5, 2024, and closes on September 5, 2024.
- Info session webinars:
- August 8, 11:00-12:30 CEST access link
- August 28, 14:00-15:30 CEST access link
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships Call
Open to researchers holding a PhD who wish to gain new skills through advanced training and mobility. The deadline is September 11, 2024.
MSCA Doctoral Networks Call
Applications are open to universities, research institutions, businesses, and other actors globally. The deadline is November 27, 2024.
Select Partner News & Resources
Scholars At Risk and Inspireurope+ at the 106th Rectors' Synod of Greek Universities
On July 18, Professor Alexandros Triantafyllidis presented SAR and Inspireurope+ initiatives at the 106th Rectors' Synod, emphasizing the need for a national-level support program for at-risk scholars in Greece.
ProtectDefenders.eu 2024 study
The study highlights the stagnation in funding for Human Rights Defenders despite increased global need. Key recommendations include increasing public funding, providing core grants, and focusing more on local efforts.
Inspireurope+ featured in Research Professional News
An article in Research Professional News calls for greater European support for scholars at risk, citing the Inspireurope+ report and its findings.
Upcoming Events: European University Association
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‘Unleashing the full potential of the European innovation ecosystem’
- Location: On-site Liszt Institution, Brussels, Belgium
- Date: September 10, 2024
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‘Developing institutional policies for Open Access books’
- Location: Online
- Date: September 24, 2024
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2024 EUA Funding Forum
- Location: On-site University of Helsinki, Finland
- Date: October 3-4, 2024
For more details and registration information, visit the EUA events page.