Alongside numerous associations in international higher education, and its members DAAD, DZS, IIE and swissuniversities, ACA Secretariat has endorsed Scholars at Risk’s (SAR) urgent appeal to European Governments and EU Institutions to take action for a swift reaction in securing the lives and careers of Afghanistan’s scholars, students, and civil society actors. 

Endorsing organisations are urging national governments and EU to: 

• Continue evacuation flights 
• Increase resettlement quotas 
• Create expedited complementary legal pathways 
• Wave intent-to-return and home residency requirements that may apply to visa requirements 
• Establish a dedicated EU fellowship scheme 
• Establish dedicated national fellowships 

 At the same time, organisations supporting at-risk scholars are offering assistance to researchers, scholars and civil society actors in Afghanistan who are desperately seeking ways to safety. As stated in the appeal, for the better part of the past twenty years these scholars and civil society actors in Afghanistan have fought for a new, rights-respecting, forward-looking, knowledge-based Afghanistan. Many have worked for or in partnership with EU institutions, NATO partners, European governments and other international and civil society organisations. Hundreds travelled to Europe to seek an education and returned to their homeland, dedicated to values of openness tolerance and free expression. 

As part of our recent CARe (Career Advancement for Refugee Researchers) project, ACA and its members DAAD and EDUFI have delivered a series of online talks on national level assistance and relevant information on available support for researchers with a refugee background and at-risk scholars in 10 European countries. 

For more details and the full appeal, see Scholars At Risk.