Find out more about the organisations we work with to support displaced scholars and to share knowledge and information. Image Our partners and the networks. The Council for At-Risk Academics (Cara) The Council for At-Risk Academics (Cara) provides urgently needed help to academics in immediate danger, those forced into exile and many who choose to work on in their home countries despite serious risk. The organisation was founded in 1933 by Britain’s foremost academics and scientists, in response to Hitler’s decision to expel hundreds of leading scholars from German universities on racial grounds. The founders defined their goal as ‘the relief of suffering and the defence of learning and science’. Cara works with a network of 120 UK universities to host Cara Fellows for PhD or postdoc placements and to deliver workshops to displaced academics in surrounding regions. Learn more on the Cara website. Visit the Cara website How is the University engaged with Cara? The University was a founding member of Cara and strong support continues to the present day. About the Cara Fellowship programme at Edinburgh The University offers Cara Postdoc Fellowships where academics are hosted for two years as visiting researchers. The academics enter different Colleges and are appointed a supervisor for the duration of their stay. Sarah Hoey coordinates the Fellowships on behalf of the University. Read more about the Cara Fellowship programme Connected Learning in Crisis Consortium (CLCC) The University is a key partner in the Connected Learning in Crisis Consortium (CLCC) - a collaborative effort of academic institutions and organisations focused on advancing the field of education in crisis settings – conflict, natural disasters, and displacement. Addressing the challenges of crisis The University has made a commitment to addressing global challenges related to education and connected learning in times of crisis. Since 2022 when we joined the CLCC we have been playing a crucial role – we are actively engaging in research and projects working towards the consortium’s goals. The aim is to develop and promote innovative approaches to learning and education that can be applied in challenging contexts. The focus is on leveraging technology, connectivity, and innovative teaching to provide quality education to individuals facing crisis situations. Learn more about the University's role in addressing the challenges of crisis Scholars at Risk Network (SAR) The University is a member of the Scholars at Risk Network (SAR). Learn how you can become involved in the network at the University. Student Advocacy Seminars and Legal Clinics Under this initiative, students research the cases of wrongfully detailed scholars and students facing unjust restrictions, prosecution or imprisonment due to their academic work and create an advocacy campaign. Students are provided with an opportunity to develop human rights research and advocacy skills through direct engagement on behalf of threatened members of the global higher education community. SAR will assist academic staff and students to create an opportunity that fits their curricular needs and interests. These Seminars can be conducted as small-group seminars, independent studies or supervised internships – and other institutions have organised these as for-credit courses and non-credit extracurricular opportunities. Learn more about the Academic Freedom Legal Clinics Join SAR’s Academic Freedom Monitoring Project as a researchers SAR’s Academic Freedom Monitoring Project focuses on developing a greater understanding of the volume and nature of attacks on higher education communities in order to develop more effective protection responses. They invite academics and researchers, including faculty-led graduate student clinics, to join the monitoring project as volunteer researchers. Visit the Academic Freedom Monitoring Project webpage Invite a speaker to the University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh has access to a list of speakers currently being assisted by SAR, who would visit the University to speak about their academic work and the threats experienced in their home country. If your School wishes to participate in the speakers series then please note this would incur a cost, including travel expenses for the Scholar and an honorarium. View the list of speakers UNHCR UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency works to ensure that everybody has the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge, having fled violence, persecution or war at home. Visit the UNHCR website University of Sanctuary In 2017, The University of Edinburgh was the first university in Scotland to be accredited as a University of Sanctuary. We seek to promote a welcoming culture within the University and our wider communities for those seeking sanctuary. In July 2020, the University of Edinburgh became the first institution in the UK to renew its status as a University of Sanctuary, reaffirming a commitment to creating a culture of inclusivity and awareness for those seeking sanctuary on campus, and within the city. The Global Community Team delivers advocacy, coordinates support for our student and staff community and helps deliver community events. You can find out about the work carried out to support our student and staff community during previous global events and view our emergency support services on our University of Sanctuary website. Visit our University of Sanctuary website This article was published on 2024-06-24
