Scholars at Risk (SAR)

Scholars at Risk (SAR) is an international network dedicated to promoting and protecting academic freedom. The network gives sanctuary to scholars who are unable to work in their home countries by arranging temporary research and teaching positions at institutions in the network. SAR was established in 2000 is now a network of more than 500 higher education institutions in over 40 countries.

Regarding the war in Ukraine

A task force has been formed to plan and coordinate the initiatives and activities that arise at KTH. The deputy University Director leads the group.

SAR conveys that at present, the Ukrainian researchers with whom Swedish universities are already in contact do not have to go through the official SAR process. Instead, they can contact the university directly.

SAR Sweden

In 2016, the Swedish section of SAR was launched as part of SAR Europe. In Sweden, 23 higher education institutions and one research institute are members. SAR Sweden is coordinated by Gothenburg university and meets approximately once per semester to exchange experiences and plan joint activities.

More information

SAR Sweden (sarsverige.se)

Scholars at Risk (scholarsatrisk.org)

SAR vid KTH

The group KTH SAR is led by Nina Wormbs, ABE, together with Jonathan Metzger, ABE, and Åsa Carlsson and Johanna Simonsson, both from the International relations Office at the Education office.

KTH and the ABE School received their first SAR scholar in 2020. KTH SAR has also arranged two seminars concerning the situation in Turkey (March 2019 and December 2020). An information meeting about SAR and the reception of SAR scholars was held in March 2022. In 2022, KTH received six Ukrainian researchers through SAR. The researchers are financed by KTH and external financiers, mainly SSF and KAW. More Ukrainian researchers have been employed at KTH due to the war outside the framework of SAR.

In the KTH Operational plan for 2022 funds are set aside to enable the reception of SAR scholars. Approximately 2 million SEK are set aside each year of FoFu-funds for 2022-2026.

KTH is also part of the project InSPIREurope via Gothenburg university. The project is funded by the Horizon 2020 action Marie Skłodowska-Curie and is coordinated by SAR Europe. It aims to forge a coordinated, cross-sectoral, Europe-wide alliance for researchers at risk.

InSPIREurope (eua.eu)