In 2023, the Scholars at Risk (SAR) section in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation (FWB) was established with the goal of pooling resources and efforts to strengthen the actions of its members in protecting at-risk academics and researchers.
The Scholars at Risk (SAR) network is an international organization dedicated to promoting and protecting academic freedom worldwide. Its primary mission is to support academics and researchers facing threats, persecution, or violations of their human rights due to their academic work, ideas, or beliefs. SAR provides temporary placements at member higher education institutions, allowing at-risk scholars to continue their research and teaching in a safe environment.
In addition, SAR plays a key role in raising awareness about academic freedom and its challenges at both European and international levels. It organizes events, conferences, and campaigns to educate the public and policymakers on the importance of preserving an open and diverse intellectual environment. By collaborating with academic institutions, governments, NGOs, and individuals around the world, SAR contributes not only to the protection of individuals whose lives are at risk, but also to the defense of critical thinking, creativity, and innovation—essential elements for global social and intellectual progress.
Since 2017, ARES has been a member of the SAR network. Through this affiliation, higher education institutions in the FWB benefit from valuable expertise, events, and publications that address various topics related to academic freedom in a protected setting. Additionally, three universities in the FWB are paying members of the network: Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) and Université de Liège (ULiège).
In recent years, SAR has developed local sections to coordinate regional activities aimed at protecting and supporting at-risk scholars and promoting academic freedom. These local sections bring together all SAR members, affiliates, and partner networks in a given region. There are currently 16 local sections worldwide.
The SAR section in the FWB was officially launched on February 14, 2023, and currently includes five members: ARES, the Council of Francophone Rectors (CRef), ULB, UCLouvain and ULiège.ARES serves as the coordinator of the section and acts as the main point of contact with the SAR network. It disseminates SAR-related information to higher education institutions in the region and vice versa, organizes an annual event, and, when needed, leads joint fundraising efforts with SAR.
Each member institution is represented by a designated representative, forming the Steering Committee of the section. This committee includes a Chair (a representative from CRef) and affiliated members. Its main role is to shape the strategic direction of the section and support the coordinator in implementing decisions.
The Chair and other Steering Committee members work closely with ARES to lead SAR-related activities in the FWB and implement decisions made during the annual members’ meeting. The FWB SAR section also coordinates with the proposed Belgian national SAR section on advocacy, fundraising, event planning, and programming where relevant.
The creation of this local section aims to:
- Increase the visibility of actions taken by member institutions in support of at-risk academics and researchers;
- Enhance the sharing of experiences and best practices among section members and with other SAR sections;
- Secure more resources to support initiatives by member institutions to host and assist at-risk scholars;
- Strengthen collaboration with the SAR network and benefit more fully from its support and expertise, for the benefit of all higher education institutions in the FWB.
This initiative also fosters connections with other potential local partners.
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