McMaster joins the Scholars at Risk Network

McMaster has joined Scholars at Risk (SAR), a network of more than 400 higher education institutions in 39 countries working to protect threatened scholars, prevent attacks on higher education and promote academic freedom.

“By joining SAR, we stand in solidarity with educators, researchers and students around the world who are threatened for peacefully expressing ideas and asking questions,” says Bonny Ibhawoh, acting associate vice-president, research and SAR primary representative at McMaster. “Academic freedom is fundamental to McMaster’s mission of providing quality higher education, discovery and preservation of knowledge. As a SAR member, we demonstrate our commitment and responsibility to preserving and promoting the freedom to think, locally and globally.”

According to Free to Think, a report published by SAR in 2015, scholars and students at universities around the world face regular threats as a result of their academic work and free expression of ideas. These threats to higher education communities range from restrictions on travel and unjustified firings to imprisonment and violence.

SAR member institutions assist persecuted scholars and students by offering temporary research and teaching positions, monitoring and advocating against attacks on higher education, and conducting learning initiatives to promote academic freedom. In addition, faculty, staff and students at member institutions have the opportunity to engage in SAR activities, including:

• Inviting SAR scholars to share their stories on campus through the SAR Speaker Series
• Advocating on behalf of imprisoned scholars through Student Advocacy Seminars and the Scholars-in-Prison Project
• Researching attacks on higher education through the Academic Freedom Monitoring Project
• Engaging in a growing conversation around university values by attending SAR conferences and faculty workshops, and joining research groups

SARS executive director, Robert Quinn says, “attacks on higher education shrink the space where people can freely think and ask questions about complex and contentious issues,” adding that network members are central to protecting scholars targeted by these attacks and building a stronger, safer university space.

To get involved or learn more about Scholars at Risk, contact Bonny Ibhawoh and sign up for SAR updates.