Supporting students and scholars at risk

Scholars at Risk network

Image

A network of over 530 higher education institutions, including the University, in 42 countries and assisting hundreds of scholars each year, SAR works to protect scholars whose lives, liberty and well-being are threatened across the globe. As a Sustaining Member of the network, the University is at the forefront of a dynamic global movement rooted in a vision of a world in which everyone enjoys the freedom to think, question, and share ideas.

Council for At-Risk Academics

The University is a founding member of the Council for At-Risk Academics (Cara) and was the first university of sanctuary in Scotland. Working with Cara, as the University did for academics displaced by the conflicts in Afghanistan and Yemen, the University agreed on funding to host ten at-risk scholars from conflict zones across the world, with a focus on Ukraine as the most pressing issue.

Cara has set up a fundraising appeal to support their work bringing academics to safety. Further, The School of Divinity was awarded £74,000 from the British Academy Researchers at Risk Fellowship to support Ukrainian academics at risk.

Council for At-Risk Academics

Scholarship for displaced students

As well as supporting academics, a scholarship fund for displaced undergraduate students seeking asylum to join the University was established in May 2022. Admissions teams continue to support prospective students who have been affected by this crisis, acknowledging that they may have difficulties gaining the qualifications and English language tests required to meet any offer conditions.

Scholars at Risk

Connections with Kyiv

Fostering connections based on complementary strengths and shared values led to a new partnership with Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv in Ukraine. The alliance will enable both institutions to work more closely together on opportunities ranging across teaching, learning and research.  

The partnership builds on the City of Edinburgh’s existing twinning arrangement with Kyiv. It was initiated as part of a new scheme to pair UK and Ukrainian universities coordinated by Cormack Consultancy Group, which promotes international links in higher education, with the support of Universities UK (UUK). 

Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (KNU)