Scholars at Risk (SAR)

Scholars at Risk (SAR) is an international network of higher education institutions, founded at the University of Chicago in 1999 and currently headquartered in New York. Its main objective is to promote academic freedom and protect scholars who are risking their lives or whose jobs are at stake. SAR is part of the Network for Education and Academic Rights (NEAR) and the Scholars Rescue Fund (SRF)-Institute of International Education (IIE). Up until now, 450 universities in 40 countries around the world have joined SAR.

Joining SAR

The University of Padua is a member of SAR Italy, a partnership between Italian higher education institutions and research centres. The governance bodies, the students and the staff members of the universities joining SAR Italy show strong solidarity for all scholars and academic institutions worldwide that are experiencing restrictions in academic freedom and constraint on research, teaching and training activities. SAR Italy operates on a system of sharing information and good practices, cooperation for protection and advocacy activities, and organisation of awareness events.
The universities that join the international network are ex-officio members of SAR Italy.

For the period 2019-2021, the University of Padua and the University of Trento, which have already implemented practices of welcome and advocacy over the past few years, oversee SAR Italy. They are also part of the Board, along with the University of Cagliari, the University of Trieste and the Scuola Normale Superiore.

In 2021 and 2022 SAR national networks and Swetaly are organizing a series of workshops to address specific aspects related to the protection and promotion of academic freedom .

Members of SAR Italy: European University Institute, Magna Charta Observatory, Scuola Normale Superiore, University of Bologna, University of Brescia, University of Cagliari, University of Florence, University of Genoa, University of Macerata, University of Milan, University of Padua, University of Pavia, University of Pisa, Sapienza University of Rome, University of Siena, International Telematic University UNINETTUNO, University of Trento, University of Turin, University of Trieste, University of Verona.

Global Engagement Office - Admissions and Welcome Unit
International Relations Division
scholarsatrisk@unipd.it

SAR Italy Coordinators and Contacts @UniPD:
Claudia Padovani (SPGI) - claudia.padovani@unipd.it
Francesca Helm (SPGI) - francesca.helm@unipd.it