Scholars at Risk
@scholarsatrisk.bsky.social
Protecting the right to think, question, and share ideas. Stay connected: https://www.scholarsatrisk.org/email-sign-up/
Website: scholarsatrisk.org
Website: scholarsatrisk.org
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Free to Think 2025 | Scholars at Risk
Free to Think 2025 is the eleventh installment of an annual report by SAR’s Academic Freedom Monitoring Project, and analyzes 395 attacks on higher education communities around the world.
www.scholarsatrisk.org
SAR’s #Free2Think2025 report is here! As violent threats to #highered in authoritarian contexts persist, recent years have seen increases in attacks on historically liberal contexts—incl. in the #UnitedStates. Read the report’s pressing findings now: www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
Thank you to our partners at the Université Grenoble Alpes, who conducted two thoughtful interviews with scholars as part of SAR's 25th anniversary celebration. #SAR25
Read them here:
international.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr/news/headlin...
international.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr/news/headlin...
Read them here:
international.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr/news/headlin...
international.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr/news/headlin...
From Kharkiv to Grenoble: Professor Ievgeniia Bodarenko’s commitment to knowledge and resilience - International - Université Grenoble Alpes
Professor Ievgeniia Bodarenko, laureate of the PAUSE and GATES programmes, joined Université Grenoble Alpes after being displaced by the war in Ukraine. In this interview, she recounts her academic jo...
international.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr
December 11, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Thank you to our partners at the Université Grenoble Alpes, who conducted two thoughtful interviews with scholars as part of SAR's 25th anniversary celebration. #SAR25
Read them here:
international.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr/news/headlin...
international.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr/news/headlin...
Read them here:
international.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr/news/headlin...
international.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr/news/headlin...
In SAR's December newsletter, we bring you a note of gratitude from SAR Executive Director Rob Quinn: "These achievements, which would not have been possible without you, are a testament to the movement we have built together." Read and subscribe: ow.ly/kt2650XGuvS
December 9, 2025 at 6:58 PM
In SAR's December newsletter, we bring you a note of gratitude from SAR Executive Director Rob Quinn: "These achievements, which would not have been possible without you, are a testament to the movement we have built together." Read and subscribe: ow.ly/kt2650XGuvS
In #Myanmar, #OccupiedPalestinianTerritory, #China, #HongKong, #Sudan, #Nicaragua, and #Türkiye a lower number of reported attacks on highered in #Free2Think2025 indicates effective repression—not improving conditions—for #academicfreedom. Read why: www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
December 9, 2025 at 2:53 PM
In #Myanmar, #OccupiedPalestinianTerritory, #China, #HongKong, #Sudan, #Nicaragua, and #Türkiye a lower number of reported attacks on highered in #Free2Think2025 indicates effective repression—not improving conditions—for #academicfreedom. Read why: www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
SAR is happy to share a new initiative from @wileyonlinelibrary.bsky.social below, and is grateful for their support. Submit a story today!
Your story matters. Tell us what publishing your first article meant to you.
For every story shared, $50 will be donated to Scholars at Risk.
Share now: https://ow.ly/kOeE50XC4xv
#MyFirstArticle #MyResearchJourney
For every story shared, $50 will be donated to Scholars at Risk.
Share now: https://ow.ly/kOeE50XC4xv
#MyFirstArticle #MyResearchJourney
December 8, 2025 at 7:58 PM
SAR is happy to share a new initiative from @wileyonlinelibrary.bsky.social below, and is grateful for their support. Submit a story today!
In #India, a major democracy, student protesters, professors, and universities feel increasing pressure to align w/ the ruling political party to avoid physical violence and/or professional repercussions. The PIE on #Free2Think2025 & #academicfreedom:
thepienews.com/academic-fre...
thepienews.com/academic-fre...
Academic freedom "shrinking" in US and India, new report warns
Scholars at Risk’s Free to Think 2025 report highlighted an escalation of illiberal policies, laws, and extralegal actions in the higher education sectors of several major countries.
thepienews.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:26 PM
In #India, a major democracy, student protesters, professors, and universities feel increasing pressure to align w/ the ruling political party to avoid physical violence and/or professional repercussions. The PIE on #Free2Think2025 & #academicfreedom:
thepienews.com/academic-fre...
thepienews.com/academic-fre...
As a result of cuts to USAID, many in #Afghanistan, #SouthAfrica, #Egypt, and more lost access to #highered and life-saving research programs—underscoring the serious global consequences of the #US’ defunding of HE programs. #Free2Think2025 reports:
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
November 20, 2025 at 4:47 PM
As a result of cuts to USAID, many in #Afghanistan, #SouthAfrica, #Egypt, and more lost access to #highered and life-saving research programs—underscoring the serious global consequences of the #US’ defunding of HE programs. #Free2Think2025 reports:
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
The #US govt’s interventions in #highered have been unprecedented in #Free2Think2025, writes @uniworldnews.bsky.social. Undermining university autonomy for ideological reasons sets a dangerous precedent for the US and global #highered.
www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?sto...
www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?sto...
Report tracks US role in global squeeze on academic freedom
The latest Scholars at Risk academic freedom report details how pressure on institutional autonomy and academic freedom in authoritarian states has co...
www.universityworldnews.com
November 18, 2025 at 5:28 PM
The #US govt’s interventions in #highered have been unprecedented in #Free2Think2025, writes @uniworldnews.bsky.social. Undermining university autonomy for ideological reasons sets a dangerous precedent for the US and global #highered.
www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?sto...
www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?sto...
Known for years as a global leader in #highered and research, the #US saw #academicfreedom levels and university autonomy decline significantly in #Free2Think2025 —posing dire risks to the shrinking space for academic freedom worldwide. #AcademicFreedomIndex
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
November 17, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Known for years as a global leader in #highered and research, the #US saw #academicfreedom levels and university autonomy decline significantly in #Free2Think2025 —posing dire risks to the shrinking space for academic freedom worldwide. #AcademicFreedomIndex
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
University autonomy faced grave threats in #Free2Think2025 in authoritarian and democratic states. In both contexts, leaders used their regulatory power to censor curricula, revoke funding, and implement laws that restrict #academicfreedom. www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
November 12, 2025 at 8:32 PM
University autonomy faced grave threats in #Free2Think2025 in authoritarian and democratic states. In both contexts, leaders used their regulatory power to censor curricula, revoke funding, and implement laws that restrict #academicfreedom. www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
In #Azerbaijan, the #wrongfulimprisonments of high profile academics like #BahruzSamadov and #IgbalAbilov reflects the shrinking space for academic and cultural expression as well as research critical of the govt. #Free2Think2025 reports more:
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
November 12, 2025 at 2:53 PM
In #Azerbaijan, the #wrongfulimprisonments of high profile academics like #BahruzSamadov and #IgbalAbilov reflects the shrinking space for academic and cultural expression as well as research critical of the govt. #Free2Think2025 reports more:
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
Scholars at Risk was delighted to present on #education and the right to #academicfreedom at the 2025 #SocialForum of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva this week. Education should be a tool of empowerment, not indoctrination. Event info: ow.ly/HA7Q50Xla8Q
October 31, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Scholars at Risk was delighted to present on #education and the right to #academicfreedom at the 2025 #SocialForum of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva this week. Education should be a tool of empowerment, not indoctrination. Event info: ow.ly/HA7Q50Xla8Q
In #Free2Think2025, female students in #Iran saw escalating surveillance, physical violence, and arrests for failing to comply with mandatory hijab laws, once again resulting in a “completely restricted” rating from the #AcademicFreedomIndex.
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
October 27, 2025 at 7:41 PM
In #Free2Think2025, female students in #Iran saw escalating surveillance, physical violence, and arrests for failing to comply with mandatory hijab laws, once again resulting in a “completely restricted” rating from the #AcademicFreedomIndex.
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
This #UNDay, SAR affirms the importance of #academicfreedom. Protecting the right for scholars & students to think, write, and share ideas freely will require concrete legal action from intergovernmental bodies and the #humanrights community. Read how:
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
October 24, 2025 at 7:18 PM
This #UNDay, SAR affirms the importance of #academicfreedom. Protecting the right for scholars & students to think, write, and share ideas freely will require concrete legal action from intergovernmental bodies and the #humanrights community. Read how:
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
#Free2Think2025 documented the #wrongfulimprisonment of student protesters in #Zimbabwe, #Mozambique, #Cameroon, and more, as arrests have been used to suppress student dissent on campuses across the African continent. @uniworldnews.bsky.social: www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?sto...
Report shows ongoing political attacks on student activists
Attacks on students, academics and researchers, as well as the destruction of university property or threats that undermined institutional autonomy an...
www.universityworldnews.com
October 24, 2025 at 6:05 PM
#Free2Think2025 documented the #wrongfulimprisonment of student protesters in #Zimbabwe, #Mozambique, #Cameroon, and more, as arrests have been used to suppress student dissent on campuses across the African continent. @uniworldnews.bsky.social: www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?sto...
On the anniversary of Dr. Ahmedreza Djalali’s wrongful conviction in #Iran in 2017, #Free2Think2025 urges Swedish authorities to #FreeDjalali now; not only has Dr. Djalali been convicted w/o evidence, his life is at dire risk now because of it.
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
October 21, 2025 at 6:16 PM
On the anniversary of Dr. Ahmedreza Djalali’s wrongful conviction in #Iran in 2017, #Free2Think2025 urges Swedish authorities to #FreeDjalali now; not only has Dr. Djalali been convicted w/o evidence, his life is at dire risk now because of it.
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
Despite the deadly repression of student protesters from July-August 2024, #Bangladesh saw a slight improvement in the #AcademicFreedomIndex, esp regarding campus integrity—the extent to which campuses are free from surveillance and security infringements.
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
October 17, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Despite the deadly repression of student protesters from July-August 2024, #Bangladesh saw a slight improvement in the #AcademicFreedomIndex, esp regarding campus integrity—the extent to which campuses are free from surveillance and security infringements.
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
The state of #studentexpression in #Serbia drew particular concern in #Free2Think2025 —the national, student-led movement against govt corruption has been met with excessive police force and govt efforts to undermine univerisites as spaces for dissent:
www.rferl.org/a/serbia-stu...
www.rferl.org/a/serbia-stu...
October 15, 2025 at 7:28 PM
The state of #studentexpression in #Serbia drew particular concern in #Free2Think2025 —the national, student-led movement against govt corruption has been met with excessive police force and govt efforts to undermine univerisites as spaces for dissent:
www.rferl.org/a/serbia-stu...
www.rferl.org/a/serbia-stu...
#Studentexpression doesn’t just matter on college campuses. As #Free2Think2025 shows, they tap into broader societal discourse and can spark national movements and conversation. Protecting #studentexpression is thus integral to public discourse broadly.
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
October 15, 2025 at 7:24 PM
#Studentexpression doesn’t just matter on college campuses. As #Free2Think2025 shows, they tap into broader societal discourse and can spark national movements and conversation. Protecting #studentexpression is thus integral to public discourse broadly.
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
In honor of SAR's 25th anniversary, the Rector of @tuwien.at explains: “Supporting threatened scholars... highlights WU’s dedication to upholding the principles of academic freedom on an international scale.”
Thank you, TU Wien! #SAR25
🔗 www.wu.ac.at/en/the-unive...
Thank you, TU Wien! #SAR25
🔗 www.wu.ac.at/en/the-unive...
“Truth Matters” – WU is committed to Scholars at Risk
Academic freedom and a commitment to truth and knowledge are fundamental to any democratic society.
www.wu.ac.at
October 13, 2025 at 7:15 PM
In honor of SAR's 25th anniversary, the Rector of @tuwien.at explains: “Supporting threatened scholars... highlights WU’s dedication to upholding the principles of academic freedom on an international scale.”
Thank you, TU Wien! #SAR25
🔗 www.wu.ac.at/en/the-unive...
Thank you, TU Wien! #SAR25
🔗 www.wu.ac.at/en/the-unive...
Thank you to those who attended SAR’s 25th anniversary year celebration! We are grateful for those who joined us in reaching for “a world where scholars are safe, universities are free, and where everyone enjoys the freedom to think, share, and question ideas freely and safely.”
October 10, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Thank you to those who attended SAR’s 25th anniversary year celebration! We are grateful for those who joined us in reaching for “a world where scholars are safe, universities are free, and where everyone enjoys the freedom to think, share, and question ideas freely and safely.”
Today kicks off the US Mid-Atlantic Conference at @nyuniversity! We are excited to welcome the SAR network, partners, and advocates to examine escalating threats to #academicfreedom in the #US and beyond. For a post-event recap in SAR’s monthly newsletter: scholarsatrisk.org/stay-connected
October 9, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Today kicks off the US Mid-Atlantic Conference at @nyuniversity! We are excited to welcome the SAR network, partners, and advocates to examine escalating threats to #academicfreedom in the #US and beyond. For a post-event recap in SAR’s monthly newsletter: scholarsatrisk.org/stay-connected
From the Taliban’s targeted attacks on #Afghan scholars who objected to educational policies to police crackdowns on anti-gov’t student protesters in #Bangladesh, violent attacks on #highered retaliated against those who voiced dissent against the gov’t. www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
October 8, 2025 at 4:22 PM
From the Taliban’s targeted attacks on #Afghan scholars who objected to educational policies to police crackdowns on anti-gov’t student protesters in #Bangladesh, violent attacks on #highered retaliated against those who voiced dissent against the gov’t. www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
Data from the #AcademicFreedomIndex reveals declining levels of #academicfreedom across authoritarian and democratic contexts. Over the past decade, in fact, global academic freedom levels have shrunk at an accelerating pace. Read why in #Free2Think2025:
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
October 6, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Data from the #AcademicFreedomIndex reveals declining levels of #academicfreedom across authoritarian and democratic contexts. Over the past decade, in fact, global academic freedom levels have shrunk at an accelerating pace. Read why in #Free2Think2025:
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
www.scholarsatrisk.org/resources/fr...
Reposted by Scholars at Risk
🎙️ ON AIR:
We're talking to @scholarsatrisk.bsky.social's Sarah Willcox, @nytimes.com's James Glanz and civil rights attorney Sonya Pfeiffer about why fewer students and scholars are choosing to study and work in the U.S.
❓ Would you leave the country for school or work?
📻 Listen:
We're talking to @scholarsatrisk.bsky.social's Sarah Willcox, @nytimes.com's James Glanz and civil rights attorney Sonya Pfeiffer about why fewer students and scholars are choosing to study and work in the U.S.
❓ Would you leave the country for school or work?
📻 Listen:
As the U.S. Experiences a Brain Drain, Who Benefits? | KQED
We talk about why fewer international students and researchers are choosing to come to the U.S and why American scholars are choosing other countries to pursue their work.
www.kqed.org
October 2, 2025 at 5:00 PM
🎙️ ON AIR:
We're talking to @scholarsatrisk.bsky.social's Sarah Willcox, @nytimes.com's James Glanz and civil rights attorney Sonya Pfeiffer about why fewer students and scholars are choosing to study and work in the U.S.
❓ Would you leave the country for school or work?
📻 Listen:
We're talking to @scholarsatrisk.bsky.social's Sarah Willcox, @nytimes.com's James Glanz and civil rights attorney Sonya Pfeiffer about why fewer students and scholars are choosing to study and work in the U.S.
❓ Would you leave the country for school or work?
📻 Listen:
Attacks on #US highered detailed in #Free2Think2025 are "unprecedented," SAR's Exec. Dir. Rob Quinn explains w/ @theguardian.com, in that national leaders are using extralegal means to voluntarily dismantle the US as a global leader of education. Read more: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Global academic freedom group warns Trump is dismantling US higher education
Report from Scholars at Risk counts some 40 attacks against academic freedom in the US in the first half of 2025
www.theguardian.com
October 2, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Attacks on #US highered detailed in #Free2Think2025 are "unprecedented," SAR's Exec. Dir. Rob Quinn explains w/ @theguardian.com, in that national leaders are using extralegal means to voluntarily dismantle the US as a global leader of education. Read more: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...