International cooperation strengthens support for at-risk researchers

The Finnish National Agency for Education engages in close cooperation with Finnish higher education and international networks to support researchers from crisis areas. In Finland, networked cooperation between different programmes and actors to promote common objectives has been found to be particularly effective in providing this support. With this approach, the solutions are also mutually supportive and the development work is persistent.

Finnish universities have been participating in the country-specific section of the international Scholars at Risk (SAR) network since 2017. The section, under the mandate of the Council of Rectors of Finnish Universities (Unifi), focuses particularly on coordinating the protection of researchers. Providing practical work opportunities for researchers persecuted in their home countries is the responsibility of individual universities. 

According to Chairperson of Scholars at Risk Finland and Academy Professor at the University of Jyväskylä Jari Kaukua, the activities have been quite fruitful: – We estimate that there are about thirty protected researchers working in Finnish universities. However, there have also been challenges due to the ad hoc nature of funding and the short duration of researchers' contracts or grants. These make it more difficult for researchers to integrate in Finland in the long term.

In response to these challenges, the Finnish SAR section has developed instructions and practices to promote longer-term attachment to the Finnish academic community, especially for supported researchers. The emphasis is on developing long-term approaches and replicating good practice for the benefit of as many people as possible.

Challenges and opportunities similar across Europe

The opportunities and problems faced by at-risk researchers are similar across Europe. Because of this, solutions should also be sought at the European level. For example, the three-year EU-funded Supporting At-risk researchers with Fellowships in Europe (SAFE) project is developing and piloting a fellowship scheme for at-risk researchers to work in universities and research institutions in the EU. The aim is to turn the model into a permanent form of EU-level support. 

The pilot call for the project in early 2025 attracted a lot of interest, with a total of 359 applications submitted. A total of 56 researchers from 13 different EU countries were granted fellowships for up to two years. The call also resulted in several researchers in Finland being granted fellowships. The Finnish National Agency for Education is an associate partner in the project, providing communication and expert support. 

Senior Adviser Outi Tomperi from the Finnish National Agency for Education stresses the importance of projects like SAFE: – Projects like this allow us to advocate for the development of EU-level support. At the same time, we get to strengthen cooperation at the European level between different actors and promote the participation of Finnish higher education institutions.

Finland has been praised for supporting at-risk researchers

For the past ten years, the Finnish National Agency for Education has been engaging in cooperation with the US-based Institute of International Education (IIE) and its Scholar Rescue Fund (SRF) programme. The programme seeks places for researchers from crisis areas in Finnish higher education institutions that best match their skills. The beneficiaries are researchers who are qualified in their field of research and bring their scientific expertise to the Finnish scientific community. Funding from the Finnish National Agency for Education makes it possible to support the work of approximately two researchers in Finland each year.

The activities have a significant impact on the researchers, host universities and the Finnish scientific community alike: the researchers get to build their academic careers, and universities see the activities as important in terms of strengthening research and academic freedom. 

In autumn 2024, Finland received an international award for its efforts to support researchers who have fled crisis areas. 

Assistant Director of IIE-SRF Danielle Alperin praised the collaboration during her visit to Finland: – Given the high number of wars and conflicts around the world and their impact on higher education and individual researchers, we deeply appreciate our decade-long partnership with the Finnish National Agency for Education. The Agency has made it possible to support 14 researchers from five countries. In addition, Tampere University has done a remarkable job in hosting more SRF fellows than any other European institution over the past ten years.

In autumn 2025, Tampere University received an award from the IIE for its significant contribution to international education.

– Academic freedom has been set back in many countries. Freedom of thought and expression are fundamental values, the protection of which now requires good partners. Tampere University has been working closely with IIE-SRF for many years, says Juha Teperi, director of the Tampere Institute for Advanced Study, the university’s multidisciplinary research collegium.

Jari Kaukua also emphasises the importance of the activities: – The defence of academic freedom must be understood as a global issue based on solidarity between researchers and academic institutions. If we can offer a researcher under threat or persecution the opportunity to continue their work, we have tangible proof of the concrete meaning of academic freedom. And if we do not act when we identify violations of academic freedom elsewhere, on what grounds can we expect support when the framework for our own work is under threat?

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