At the recommendation of the Temple Task Force on Students and Scholars in Distress and with the support of the Faculty Senate Committee on International Programs, the Office of Global Engagement recently joined the Scholars at Risk Network on behalf of the university. The Scholars at Risk Network not only helps ensure the continuity of higher education in countries experiencing conflict and upheaval, but it also upholds academic freedom worldwide.
“Attacks on academic freedom are growing, in the U.S. and abroad, and it will take an all-hands-on-deck approach to defend the space for research, teaching, and expression on our campuses—so we are delighted to welcome Temple University to the SAR network, joining over 600 institutions and thousands of individuals in dozens of countries. Together we are working to defend everyone’s freedom to think, question and share ideas,” said SAR’s Executive Director, Robert Quinn.
Speaking to the many benefits that this alliance provides for Temple University, Emilia Zankina, vice provost of Global Engagement, said, “Joining this network fits perfectly with Temple’s strategic goal of global community engagement. This translates into helping students and scholars in distress worldwide access education and research and teaching opportunities while defending freedom of speech.”
The journey to join this network began at the start of the war in Ukraine, when at the behest of the Faculty Senate, interested faculty and staff formed a taskforce to look at ways to assist students and scholars in distress from Ukraine and from other countries experiencing conflicts and natural disasters.
The taskforce has helped find emergency funding for students caught in the Ukrainian conflict who were suddenly unable to pay their tuition. Now, after joining the network, the group plans to accelerate its plans.
If you want to help raise funds and assist with placements for students and scholars at risk in your school and college, please contact Martyn J. Miller, assistant vice president of Global Engagement at martyn.miller@temple.edu.
By Lisa Z. Meritz, director of marketing and communications, Global Engagement
Photo by Joseph V. Labolito, Temple University photographer