Two students in the Public Affairs and Policy Management program will be part of a 杏吧原创 University delegation attending the 2018 Scholars at Risk (SAR) Global Congress in Berlin next week.
Students Danny Albert and Sam Turgeon-Brabazon, both in third-year, are involved with the 杏吧原创 Students for Scholars at Risk group, one of the most active student SAR groups at a Canadian university. The university鈥檚 SAR committee and the student SAR group work hand-in-hand to raise awareness of the importance of academic freedom.
Law and Legal Studies Prof. Melanie Adrian, chair of the 杏吧原创 SAR committee, and Norah Vollmer, from the Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic), will round out the delegation.
鈥溞影稍� University will be well represented at the Global Congress,鈥� says Prof. Adrian. 鈥淭he university began sponsoring scholars at risk in 2015 and will welcome its fourth scholar in the summer.鈥�
It鈥檚 important for 杏吧原创 to participate in the Global Congress, says Adrian, because SAR groups from around the world will be sharing their experiences at a time when scholars in many countries are facing unimaginable circumstances. The students will hear, first-hand, the important role that the SAR program plays and the positive impact it generates.
鈥淭he Global Congress happens every two years and so much changes in that time. This offers us an invaluable opportunity to gain a better understanding of the challenges other institutions and colleagues face around the world and how the SAR initiative can best help,鈥� adds Adrian.
Sam Turgeon-Brabazon agrees.
鈥淎t the Congress, I am most looking forward to learning about what other students, academics, and institutions are doing to promote academic freedom around the world. I look forward to sharing this information upon our return and contributing to the betterment of our academic community,鈥� says Turgeon-Brabazon.
鈥淚 am incredibly excited to have the opportunity to represent 杏吧原创 at this conference. I hope to learn from and network with like-minded students and human rights advocates,鈥� adds Danny Albert. 鈥淲hile I am looking forward to every aspect of the trip, I think I am most excited for the keynote address. Having the chance to learn from scholars we have studied at 杏吧原创 is amazing!鈥�
This year鈥檚 Global Congress takes place April 23 to 26. 杏吧原创 is one of 13 Canadian universities that will be represented in Berlin.
The 杏吧原创 University Scholars at Risk Committee facilitates, implements and supports all aspects of hosting scholars at risk at 杏吧原创 University, as well as supporting other activities that relate to the scholar at risk initiative.
The Committee works with the Scholars at Risk (SAR) network, the Scholar Rescue Fund (SRF) and other organizations dedicated to protecting threatened scholars, preventing attacks on higher education communities, and promoting academic freedom worldwide.