Scholars at Risk (SAR) is an international network dedicated to protecting scholars and promoting academic freedom worldwide. The network provides sanctuary, support, and opportunities for researchers, academics, and practitioners facing threats to their lives, liberty, or careers. Through advocacy, research, and partnership programs, SAR fosters a global community that values academic freedom and higher education as essential public goods. Its mission is to protect scholars by arranging temporary academic positions at institutions, to prevent the loss of knowledge and talent caused by repression or conflict. SAR also conducts training, workshops, and collaborative projects to promote awareness about academic freedom, related rights, and responsibilities. With a focus on building resilience, SAR connects academics with resources, colleagues, and opportunities that empower them to contribute to global discourse on higher education values. It further promotes innovative initiatives, including fellowships and research programs, to strengthen the understanding and defense of academic freedom worldwide. By supporting early career researchers and established academics alike, SAR contributes to preserving knowledge systems, fostering intellectual exchange, and advancing social and cultural development globally, especially in times when education and expression face significant challenges.

The Scholars at Risk (SAR) Network invites applications for its remote research fellowships, designed for early career researchers exploring issues of academic freedom and higher education values. Supported by the Mellon Foundation, this initiative seeks to build a professional community of fellows who can develop, share, and publish impactful work. Over an eight-month program, from November 2023 to June 2024, fellows will carry out their proposed projects, which may include research publications, course designs, workshops, or webinars. Participants will engage in monthly online sessions, where they will present progress updates and provide feedback to peers, creating a collaborative learning environment. Towards the end of the fellowship, recipients will also deliver an online presentation of their work to SAR staff, network members, or invited guests, with flexibility for necessary security accommodations. This grant not only supports innovative research but also creates avenues for exposure to SAR’s wider programming and opportunities to collaborate with global experts in the field. The program is particularly designed to advance international dialogue on academic freedom while providing the fellows with financial resources and professional networks to amplify their research impact.