• Member Login
  • Contact
Menu
  • Member Login
  • Contact
Search
  • Member Login
  • Contact
  • Member Login
  • Contact
Search
Search
  • Home
  • News
    • News
    • The GYA Blog
    • GYA in the Media
    • COVID-19 Initiatives
  • Members
    • GYA Members
    • GYA Alumni
    • Recent Member Publications
    • Being a GYA Member
    • Call for New Members
    • Membership Map
    • Information for Alumni
  • Activities
    • Activities of the GYA
    • — Science & Society
    • — Research Environment
    • — Science Education & Outreach
    • — GYA & the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
    • View all Activities
  • Events
    • Events
    • Annual General Meetings
  • Young Academies
    • National Young Academies
    • Establishing a Young Academy
    • Regional and global Young Academy meetings
    • Joint Young Academy Activities
  • Publications
    • Publications
    • Statements
    • GYA Podcast
    • Subscribe to the GYA Newsletter
    • Newsletter Archive
  • Resources
    • Resources
    • Opportunities
    • Science Advice Resource Centre
  • About
    • GYA in Brief
    • Governance
    • Constitution
    • Committees
    • Advisory Board
    • Host Academy
    • Partners
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Contact
Menu
  • Home
  • News
    • News
    • The GYA Blog
    • GYA in the Media
    • COVID-19 Initiatives
  • Members
    • GYA Members
    • GYA Alumni
    • Recent Member Publications
    • Being a GYA Member
    • Call for New Members
    • Membership Map
    • Information for Alumni
  • Activities
    • Activities of the GYA
    • — Science & Society
    • — Research Environment
    • — Science Education & Outreach
    • — GYA & the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
    • View all Activities
  • Events
    • Events
    • Annual General Meetings
  • Young Academies
    • National Young Academies
    • Establishing a Young Academy
    • Regional and global Young Academy meetings
    • Joint Young Academy Activities
  • Publications
    • Publications
    • Statements
    • GYA Podcast
    • Subscribe to the GYA Newsletter
    • Newsletter Archive
  • Resources
    • Resources
    • Opportunities
    • Science Advice Resource Centre
  • About
    • GYA in Brief
    • Governance
    • Constitution
    • Committees
    • Advisory Board
    • Host Academy
    • Partners
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Contact
  • Home
  • News
    • News
    • The GYA Blog
    • GYA in the Media
    • COVID-19 Initiatives
  • Members
    • GYA Members
    • GYA Alumni
    • Recent Member Publications
    • Being a GYA Member
    • Call for New Members
    • Membership Map
    • Information for Alumni
  • Activities
    • Activities of the GYA
    • — Science & Society
    • — Research Environment
    • — Science Education & Outreach
    • — GYA & the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
    • View all Activities
  • Events
    • Events
    • Annual General Meetings
  • Young Academies
    • National Young Academies
    • Establishing a Young Academy
    • Regional and global Young Academy meetings
    • Joint Young Academy Activities
  • Publications
    • Publications
    • Statements
    • GYA Podcast
    • Subscribe to the GYA Newsletter
    • Newsletter Archive
  • Resources
    • Resources
    • Opportunities
    • Science Advice Resource Centre
  • About
    • GYA in Brief
    • Governance
    • Constitution
    • Committees
    • Advisory Board
    • Host Academy
    • Partners
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Contact
Menu
  • Home
  • News
    • News
    • The GYA Blog
    • GYA in the Media
    • COVID-19 Initiatives
  • Members
    • GYA Members
    • GYA Alumni
    • Recent Member Publications
    • Being a GYA Member
    • Call for New Members
    • Membership Map
    • Information for Alumni
  • Activities
    • Activities of the GYA
    • — Science & Society
    • — Research Environment
    • — Science Education & Outreach
    • — GYA & the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
    • View all Activities
  • Events
    • Events
    • Annual General Meetings
  • Young Academies
    • National Young Academies
    • Establishing a Young Academy
    • Regional and global Young Academy meetings
    • Joint Young Academy Activities
  • Publications
    • Publications
    • Statements
    • GYA Podcast
    • Subscribe to the GYA Newsletter
    • Newsletter Archive
  • Resources
    • Resources
    • Opportunities
    • Science Advice Resource Centre
  • About
    • GYA in Brief
    • Governance
    • Constitution
    • Committees
    • Advisory Board
    • Host Academy
    • Partners
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Contact

At-Risk Scholars Initiative

  • GYA Home
  • Activities
  • Research Environment
  • At-Risk Scholars Initiative
hands together
Aims & Objectives
Contact
Manage (your) group membership
Further information
Aims & Objectives

The need to protect and support academic researchers fleeing conflict zones around the world is urgent. These intellectuals are perceived as threatening to regimes and extremist groups and are targeted directly as a result. Their survival and that of their families often requires them to leave their home countries which brings their research careers to a startling halt. In the countries that host them, they struggle to gain access to or acceptance within the professional networks needed to sustain their research careers. This demoralising experience poses a serious threat to scientific discovery and undermines the rebuilding capacity of a country once the conflict or threat ends.

The initiative has two main aims:

1) To contribute to at-risk scholar re-integration into a scholarly work environment and support the development of research skills and connections relevant to their host countries.

2) To support exceptional early- or mid-career at-risk scholars in developing competitive membership applications to the GYA and/or National Young Academies (NYAs). Professional networks like young academies provide critical opportunities for scholars to collaborate and engage with peers around the world.

Find out more below: about the initiative and its partners; what you or your organisation can do to support at-risk and displaced scholars; a list of resources and relevant networks.

Contact

Contact Details

Dr. Saja Al Zoubi (Co-Lead)
Email:
Jennifer Plaul (GYA Senior Project Officer)
Email:

Partners & external contributors

IIE Scholar Rescue Fund (SRF)
Scholars at Risk (SAR) Wolfson College
University of Oxford
Council for At-Risk Academics (cara)
Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin
Alexander von Humboldt Foundation’s Philipp Schwartz Initiative
The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS)
The E.U. Joint Research Centre (JRC)
Young Academy of Scotland
At-Risk Academics & Refugee Membership Programme
Science in Exile (ISC, IAP and TWAS project)
Manage (your) group membership
Activity Status

This activity is currently active.

Membership of GYA activities is reserved to current or former GYA members only, so please log in  to view further information and options.

As a non-member, you can sign up for the monthly GYA newsletter by using the newsletter sign-up form at the very bottom of this page.

Types of group membership

Active members – Active group members are current GYA members proactively participating in the group’s overall work and progress, by contributing to discussions or (text) outputs, or organising and running workshops and other (online) meetings.

Followers – Followers of a group are subscribers to the mailing list, but are not expected to actively contribute. Followers may be current members or alumni of the GYA.

Past Members – Past members are GYA members and alumni who have previously been active in the group. They are no longer included in group communications/mailing lists.

You are not logged in. Membership options are only available to members and alumni when logged in.

Further information

Other sources

N/A

Outcomes

Mentoring and Membership Programmes

Since 2018, 35 mutually beneficial mentoring relationships between members of the GYA initiative and at-risk scholars have been established, leading to increased professional network connections and opportunities for at-risk scholars. Currently, 17 active mentoring relationships are ongoing and 18 have graduated from the program (as of September 2021).

Through our endorsement programme, 5 at-risk scholars have been successfully selected as new GYA members over three selection rounds from 2019 – 2021. Started as a pilot, the endorsement programme has now been made a permanent membership pathway to facilitate at-risk scholar membership in the GYA.

Looking forward, the At-Risk Scholars Initiative aims to expand the reach of career development workshops – in-person and online – in cooperation with partner organisations, including those that work with at-risk scholars in low- and middle-income countries.

Professional Development Workshops
  • 4th Professional development workshop for at-risk scholars at Wolfson College, University of Oxford (September 2023)
  • 3rd Professional development workshop for at-risk scholars  at Wolfson College, University of Oxford (September 2022)
  • Second professional development workshop at Wolfson College, University of Oxford (September 2021).
  • Career options beyond academia, with SAR and IIE-SRF (June 2021).
  • Skills training workshop in collaboration with the EU Joint Research Centre (April 2019).
  • Professional development workshop at Wolfson College, University of Oxford (September 2019).
  • Webinar on “How to Support at-Risk Scholars” to discuss the new Science in Exile Declaration and future challenges with Dr Saja Alzoubi (Queen Mary University, Halifax, Canada, and GYA), Dr Peter McGrath (The World Academy of Sciences and Inter-Academy Partnership), and Professor Lisa Herzog (University of Groningen, The Netherlands, and GYA), chaired by Dr Estella Carpi (University College London, United Kingdom, and GYA) (May 2022).
    • To sign the declaration, check the following link: Science in Exile – Sign the Declaration
Media and Publications

“Ukranian academics face exile, harassment and censorship in ongoing war”, The Conversation, March 2022

“The scientific knowledge being lost to conflict”, BBC, November 2021

GYA Declaration of Support for Afghan Scholars, August 2021

“Academic precarity is bad for everyone, but it’s even worse for scholars at risk” – Times Higher Education, November 2019

“Helping Refugees Continue their Scientific Work in Europe” -EU Joint Research Centre, April 2019

“Supporting displaced scholars through the At-Risk & Refugee Scholar Membership Initiative” – GYA Connections, May 2018

“Halifax would be a good home for refugee scholars, researcher says” – The Signal, 14 February 2018

Interview with Dr S. Karly Kehoe on CTV Atlantic, on outreach to refugee and at-risk scholars, CTV Atlantic, February 2018

“Science in Exile” – Film produced by The World Academy of Sciences, 12 February 2018

YouTube

By loading the video, you agree to YouTube’s privacy policy.
Learn more

Load video

“Supporting scholars seeking a new intellectual home – what can we do?” – The Research Whisperer, 5 December 2017

 

Podcast: “The Role of the State: Episode 4 of the ISC Podcast Series on Freedom and Responsibility in Science in the 21st Century” – ISC President Peter Gluckman and group co-lead Saja Al Zoubi delve into the role of the state in promoting freedom and responsibility in science.

Other

In September 2022, group co-lead Saja Al Zoubi presented the activities of the At-Risk group at the GYA online event “Young and Global – A perspective on today’s challenges in science” together. This event was part of the Science Summit of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA77). Read more about the session and watch the full presentation here.

Call for Applicants

The GYA At-Risk Scholars Mentoring Programme is open to new mentee applications until 15 November 2023.

Find more information on the Mentoring Programme aims, expectations and eligibility requirements, and apply here:

At-risk scholars initiative Mentoring Programme – Global Young Academy

  • Collaborating organisations

    We work with partner organisations to advance its aims and to identify promising post-Ph.D. scholars in any research-based discipline, including the sciences, medicine, engineering, social sciences, and the arts and humanities, who are approximately 30-43 years old and are currently residing in a foreign country because of safety issues in their home country, or asylum/refugee status.

    Please note that all mentees in our programme are referred by partner organisations. Unfortunately, at this time, we are unable to serve scholars who are not referred by a partner organisation. If you would like to discuss partnership opportunities, please contact us.

    IIE Scholar Rescue Fund (SRF)
    Scholars at Risk (SAR)
    Wolfson College, University of Oxford
    Council for At-Risk Academics (cara)
    Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin
    Alexander von Humboldt Foundation’s Philipp Schwartz Initiative
    The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS)
    The E.U. Joint Research Centre (JRC)
    Young Academy of Scotland, At-Risk Academics & Refugee Membership Programme
    Science in Exile (ISC, IAP and TWAS project)

     

  • Resources

    How can you help at-risk scholars? Resources for the Academic Community

    • Encourage your research institution to host an at-risk scholar through a fellowship or scholarship programme. Find information on hosting in this handbook: How_to_Host.pdf (scholarsatrisk.org)
    • Join the IIE-SRF Alliance, a global network of partners who offer practical support to threatened and displaced scholars;
    • (Young) scientists can provide valuable mentoring and advice to individuals. We encourage all science organisations and academies to consider even small ways to positively impact the lives and careers of scholars at risk.  
    • Donate to support GYA At-Risk Scholars Initiative workshops. More information here: Donate – Global Young Academy

    Scholarship and fellowship programmes

    • Alexander von Humboldt Foundation’s Philipp Schwartz Initiative
    • IIE Scholar Rescue Fund (SRF)
    • Council for At-Risk Academics (cara)
    • Scholars at Risk (SAR)
    • PAUSE (French hosting programme)
    • Harvard Scholars at Risk
    • Kavli Scholars | Kavli Foundation

    (National) Young Academy initiatives to support at-risk scholars in their countries:

    • Investigation by the Dutch Young Academy on structures of support for at-risk scholars in the Netherlands (2023).
    • Young Academy of Scotland At-Risk and Refugee membership programme.
    • Royal Society of Canada College At-Risk and Displaced Academics and Artists program
    • Young Academy Finland report on needs of Ukrainian researchers (2023)

    Ukraine response: resources for scholars

    • List of laboratories and institutes offering to help scientists forced to flee from Ukraine (google).
    • Fellowship programme for Ukrainian scholars at Technical University Munich (TUM).
    • Collection of links – support in Europe by ALLEA.
    • Mental heath in emergencies kit (MHPSS Network).
    • Collection of contacts in different countries: Science for Ukraine – Team
    • Support at Vilnius University, Estonia.
    • Resource collection for various ways to help Ukraine and scientists and artists from Ukraine.

    Afghanistan response: information for scholars and host institutions

    • Afghanistan Response Information (iie.org)
    • Urgent Calls for Help from Afghanistan | Scholars at Risk
    • How to support Afghan scientists and scholars (interacademies.org)
    • GYA Declaration of Support for Afghan Scholars
    Other Resources

    • AuthorAID offers free resources, mentoring and online courses on writing in science, the social sciences, and grant writing.
    • Science for Refugees: European Commission online resource for job search in EU countries.
    • EU Joint Research Centre: jobs in research, trainee positions, doctoral partnerships etc are often open to non EU citizens, and advertised regularly here: Science-hub.
    • Refugees Welcome Map: an inventory of higher education supporting refugees.
    • The Tent Partnership for Refugees works closely with businesses to help them identify and understand opportunities to help refugees.
    • University Alliance on Refugees and At-Risk Migrants: A Rutgers-based initiative to bring together the university community to empower and protect at-risk and refugee students.
    • The New School University in Exile Consortium: a university consortium committed to supporting at-risk scholars. (also see the consortium’s SourceBook – a searchable database of resources for endangered scholars: SourceBook | The New University in Exile ConsortiumThe New University in Exile Consortium)
    • Students at Risk – Hilde Domin Programme – DAAD – for students & doctoral students.
    • Article 26 Backpack – an online tool for academic mobility. Scholars affected by war, conflict or economic conditions may upload documents here.
    • Extensive resources list (PDF here) by TWAS-ISC-IAP “Science in Exile” project.

Summary
Activity Status: Ongoing
GYA Activity type: Strategic Projects
Established in 2018
Group founders: Teresa de la Puente (nee. Stoepler) and S. Karly Kehoe

Former Co-Lead: Lisa Herzog
Leads & Contact
  • Saja Al Zoubi
    Co-lead / GYA Member
  • Jennifer Plaul
    Office Contact / GYA Office

Members

  • Mona Abdel-Mottaleb
    GYA Member
  • Saja Al Zoubi
    GYA Member
  • Mohammed Almahfali
    GYA Member
  • ‪Ibraheem A‬‏lhijry
    GYA Member
  • Thomas Burelli
    GYA Member
  • Paulina Carmona-Mora
    GYA Member
  • Estella Carpi
    GYA Member
  • Eqbal Dauqan
    GYA Member
  • Encieh Erfani
    GYA Member
  • Rüstem Ertuğ Altınay
    GYA Member
  • Cynthia Farid
    GYA Member
  • Yensi Flores Bueso
    GYA Member
  • William Godsoe
    GYA Member
  • Ebrahim Karimi
    GYA Member
  • Monika Kedra
    GYA Member
  • Pradeep Kumar
    GYA Member
  • Andreea Molnar
    GYA Member
  • Felix Moronta
    GYA Member
  • Alexandra Rottenberg (née Dmitrieva)
    GYA Member
  • Samer Saleem Abuzerr
    GYA Member
  • Chibuike Udenigwe
    GYA Member
  • Özge Yaka
    GYA Member
  • Elvan Ceyhan
    GYA Alumni
  • Huanyu Cheng
    GYA Alumni
  • Simon Elsässer
    GYA Alumni
  • Paul Mason
    GYA Alumni
  • Dalal Najib
    GYA Alumni
  • Anina Rich
    GYA Alumni
  • Moritz Riede
    GYA Alumni
  • Michael Saliba
    GYA Alumni
  • Binyam Sisay Mendisu
    GYA Alumni
  • Teresa de la Puente (nee. Stoepler)
    GYA Alumni
  • Maarten van Herpen
    GYA Alumni

Followers

  • Arya Shalini Subash
    GYA Member
  • Jan-Christoph Heilinger
    GYA Alumni
  • Eva Alisic
    GYA Alumni
  • Amal Amin Ibrahin S. Nada
    GYA Alumni
  • Elvan Ceyhan
    GYA Alumni
  • Martin Dominik
    GYA Alumni
  • Lisa Herzog
    GYA Alumni

Past Members

  • S. Karly Kehoe
    GYA Alumni
  • Yusuf Baran
    GYA Alumni
  • Muhammad Hamid Zaman
    GYA Alumni
  • Alaa Hamdon
    GYA Member
  • Maral Dadvar
    GYA Alumni
  • Tolullah Oni
    GYA Alumni
  • Robert Lepenies
    GYA Alumni
  • Shabana Khan
    GYA Alumni
  • Laura Fierce
    GYA Alumni
  • Egle Sumskiene
    GYA Alumni
  • Abdalhadi Alijla
    GYA Alumni
  • Anna Harris
    GYA Alumni
  • Roula Inglesi-Lotz
    GYA Alumni
Related News
19 September 2023
4th GYA professional development workshop for at-risk scholars
20 December 2022
GYA members and alumni shine at World Science Forum 2022
16 September 2022
3rd Professional development workshop for at-risk scholars
25 November 2021
At-Risk Scholars Initiative featured by International Science Council and BBCStoryWorks
Related Events
Scholars At Risk Summit: Freedom to Think
Canadian Science Policy Conference 2023
Interdisciplinary Research Leadership Workshop
At-Risk Scholars Interdisciplinary Research Leadership Workshop
Related Publications
Published in December 2022
GYA Quarterly Bulletin III 2023
Published in May 2018
2018 Connections

Global Young Academy

GYA Home
News
  • News
  • The GYA Blog
  • GYA in the Media
  • COVID-19 Initiatives
Members
  • Members
  • Alumni
  • Recent Member Publications
  • Being a GYA member
  • Call for Members
  • Membership Map
  • Information for Alumni
Activities
  • Activities of the GYA
  • Science & Society
  • Research Environment
  • Science Education & Outreach
  • GYA & The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
  • View all Activities
Events
  • Events Overview
  • Annual General Meetings
 
Young Academies
  • National Young Academies
  • Establishing a Young Academy
  • Regional and global Young Academy meetings
  • Joint Young Academies Activities
Publications
  • Publications
  • Statements
  • GYA Podcast
  • Subscribe to our Newsletter
  • Newsletter Archive
Resources
  • Science Advice Resource Center
  • Opportunities
About Us
  • GYA in Brief
  • Constitution
  • Governance
  • Committees
  • Advisory Board
  • Host Academy
  • Partners
  • Team
  • Donate
  • Contact
  • Member Login
  • Jobs & Calls for Bids
  • Legal notice
  • Privacy Policy

The GYA in your inbox, subscribe to our newsletter now.

A problem was detected in the following Form. Submitting it could result in errors. Please contact the site administrator.
  • Legal notice
  • Privacy Policy
  • Legal notice
  • Privacy Policy

© 2023 Global Young Academy