Scholars at Risk - SAR
Since 2011, USN has been a member of Scholars at Risk (SAR). SAR is an international network of over 500 higher education institutions in approximately 40 countries, working to promote and protect academic freedom and other core values in higher education. SAR’s primary mission is to provide direct assistance to endangered academics by facilitating temporary research and teaching positions at one of the SAR member institutions.
The network's headquarters is located in New York, and several countries have their own national offices.
The Norwegian section of SAR (SAR-Norway) was established in 2011 and consists of 18 universities and university colleges. SAR-Norway has its own steering committee, currently led by the University of Agder, with USN participating since 2021.
Through its membership in SAR-Norway, USN aims to contribute to strengthening academic freedom. During 2021-2022, USN has supported two academics through two-year appointments. The SAR candidates are affiliated with relevant academic environments and institutes at USN. USN has its own institutional contact who administers SAR activities locally. USN’s institutional contact can be reached by email.
Students at Risk (StAR)
USN has participated in the StAR scheme since its inception in 2015 and aims through this to support the work for human rights and democratic development worldwide.
StAR was established following initiatives from the two Norwegian student organisations Norske Studenters og Akademikers Internasjonale Hjelpefond (SAIH) and the Student Organisation in Norway (NSO). The scheme is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and administered by the Directorate of Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir).
The purpose of the scheme is to enable students who have experienced persecution, threats or expulsion from their university or college in their home country due to their activism to complete their education in Norway.
The idea is that through an academic degree and an international network, the students will be better equipped to continue the fight for human rights and democracy in their own country.
USN’s institutional contact can be reached by email.
The local chapter of SAIH students can be reached here. And followed through this page: SAIH Drammen
Southern African – Nordic Network (SANORD)
SANORD is a network consisting of universities and university colleges in Southern Africa and the Nordic countries. The aim of the network is to promote research and educational collaboration between academic institutions in the Nordics and Southern Africa.
SANORD’s headquarters and secretariat are at the University of Western Cape in Cape Town, South Africa.
The network was founded in 2007, and USN became a member in 2015. SANORD currently consists of 24 Nordic and 32 African higher education institutions, and USN also has bilateral cooperation agreements with several of these.
SANORD also supports other collaborative activities such as academic conferences, seminars and workshops, offers of educational programmes and courses for Nordic and African students, as well as engagement with industry and media. Cultural exchange is a central activity in SANORD.
Through its membership in SANORD, USN wishes to contribute to cooperation with institutions in Southern Africa and to support USN’s strategy to be an internationally recognised university, as well as to promote participation in the government’s Panorama strategy and other initiatives to advance international research and educational collaboration.
The SANORD Conference
The annual SANORD conference is held every other year in a Nordic country and a country in Southern Africa.
Scholarships
SANORD manages scholarship funds for master’s/PhD students from Southern Africa who wish to study for a semester at a Nordic university. The network also provides support for researchers to participate in the annual conference and support for research networks.
If you are interested in learning more about SANORD or participating in the annual SANORD conference, please contact USN by email at: international@usn.no