As academic freedom is increasingly curbed around the world, researchers are finding it more and more difficult to perform their work. Scholars at Risk is an international network that maps and highlights restrictions on academic freedom and attacks on higher education communities and arranges temporary academic sanctuary at foreign higher education institutions for researchers whose academic freedom is being threatened.
As a member of Scholars at Risk, Uppsala University works actively to host academics who for various reasons are unable to conduct their research in their homeland. While practical administration is performed by the Human Resources Division of University Administration, it is of course the relevant department that hosts the researchers.
“Uppsala University has already set aside funds for hosting two researchers each year,” says human resources generalist Alexander Grönberg of the HR Division, one of two coordinators of the Scholars at Risk programme at Uppsala University. “However, interest in Scholars at Risk from departments has increased so naturally it is a big plus to be able to co-finance positions with funds from Riksbankens Jubileumsfond, so that we can help more at-risk researchers.”
How are things going with this year’s applications?
“We are currently waiting for Scholars at Risk in New York to get back to us with candidates that we can match with the departments that have expressed an interest in hosting a researcher during 2021.”