Åbo Akademi University is a member of the Scholars at Risk network (SAR). SAR is an international network that works to protect threatened scholars and to promote academic freedom around the world.

Scholars at Risk was established in the year of 2000 in Chicago, USA. The headquarter has since been relocated to New York University. The network consists of nearly 400 member universities and colleges.

Scholars who are in the need of protection should submit an application directly to the network. More information on the SAR-network: www.scholarsatrisk.org

As the 4:th university in Finland, Åbo Akademi University joined the network in April 2016, with financial help from The Åbo Akademi University Foundation Research Institute.

What can Åbo Akademi University do?

The aim is to make arrangements for hosting a scholar at risk. The scholar would have a temporary research and teaching position for about a year at a department at Åbo Akademi University. The SAR working group would arrange a home, and together with the hosting department and others see to it, that the scholar has a meaningful stay also outside work.

The Scholars at Risk activities also aim to raise awarness of the threats against academics and the academic freedom in different places aorund the world.

The Scolars at Risk activities at Åbo Akademi University are coordinated by a working group consisting of Vice-rector, Professor at the Laboratory of Natural Materials Technology Stefan Willför, Professor of Constitutional and International Law, Director of the Institute for Human Rights Elina Pirjatanniemi and Professor of International Law Magdalena Kmak. In addition to these, other researchers and members of the staff take part on a voluntary basis.

To contact SAR at Åbo Akademi University use the email address sar@abo.fi.