Oslo Metropolitan University is a member of the international network Scholars at Risk, that works to protect threatened scholars and promotes academic freedom and human rights globally. Through the SAR-program Oslo Metropolitan University offers a safe and inclusive scientific environment to researchers who no longer can perform their work in their home country due to war, persecution or other threats.
Oslo Metropolitan University has been a member of SAR since 2009. It hosted the launch of SAR Norway in 2011 and was the coordinating institution for the network until 2014. In other words, Oslo Metropolitan University had a leading role both in establishing the SAR Norway network and managing it in the early phase.
The SAR International network is comprised of over 600 universities and institutions in more than 45 countries. The SAR network conducts its work through political advocacy, information campaigns, advisory and legal assistance and by offering temporary research and teaching positions to researchers who are in danger in their home country. SAR Norway is a network of over 20 Norwegian higher education institutions, research institutes, in addition to SAIH (Norwegian Students' and Academics' International Assistance Fund) og UHR (Universities Norway) working jointly to protect threatened researchers and promote academic freedom.
SAR-program at Oslo Metropolitan University
Oslo Metropolitan University has a dedicated SAR program offering temporary positions to threatened researchers. The program is embedded in the university leadership and academic community, and the goal is to give scholars both professional and social support during their stay.
Central elements of the SAR-program at Oslo Metropolitan University:
Host institution: One of SAR’s most important tasks is to give threatened scholars a temporary safe place to work at a host institution outside their home country. Oslo Metropolitan University has two SAR positions per year.
SAR-committee: The central administrative committee is responsible for the selection of candidates and for strategic assessments.
Selection: Candidates are assessed in collaboration with SAR International, SAR Norway, IIE-SRF (Institute of International Education – Scholar Rescue Fund) and the scientific groups at Oslo Metropolitan University. The goal is to find the best possible match between the scholar and the scientific community. SAR Scholars at Oslo Metropolitan University normally receive a one-year employment contract with the possibility to extend it for another year.
Onboarding and integration: When a scholar has been chosen, practical assistance is given in relation to for example relocation, visa and residence permits, and the necessary security evaluations are provided for.
Career development: When the termination of the SAR-period approaches, assessments are made of the possibilities to extend the SAR period, transfer to other Norwegian institutions or explore work opportunities.
Contact
Institutional contact person: Senior adviser Tanja Strøm, Department of Research and development, e-mail: tanjast@oslomet.no
Read more
- SAR - International (scholarsatrisk.org)
- SAR Europe (sareurope.eu)
- SAR Norway (scolarsatrisk.org)
- Institute of International Education-Scholar Rescue Fund (scholarrescuefund.org)
- Magna Charter Observatory (magna-charta.org)
- Students at Risk (StAR) (hkdir.no)
