The Institute for International Education (IIE), ACA associated member, has received a record-breaking USD 33 million donation from five philanthropic donors to support students and scholars facing urgent crises. This funding will enable IIE to expand critical initiatives that protect threatened academics, provide educational access for displaced students, and strengthen support for national academic institutions under threat. 

Among the programmes supported is IIE’s Scholar Rescue Fund, which since 2002 has helped over 1,130 scholars from 62 countries continue their work at safe institutions worldwide. 

Additional funding will support the Odyssey Scholarship, covering tuition and living expenses for refugee students pursuing higher education. To date, this programme has helped more than 130 students study at institutions across 40 countries, with candidates nominated by regional partners who understand the needs of displaced students. 

This historic donation from IIE comes as the second major funding initiative for scholars at risk this year, following the European Commission’s SAFE project, which offers two-year fellowships to support at-risk researchers across the EU (for more details see ACA Newsletter - Education Europe, September 2024). Together, these efforts underscore a growing global commitment to protecting academic freedom and ensuring that displaced scholars can continue their work in safe, supportive environments. 

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