Global challenges, political turmoil, and natural disasters have dramatically impacted the ability for our international colleagues to engage in scholarly pursuits within their own countries. Established in 2022, the Illinois Scholars at Risk (ISAR) Program aims to support scholars at risk by providing a safe environment for scholars at risk to enable them to continue their professional development. The ISAR Program is led by a campus-wide Illinois Scholars at Risk Committee, which is formally charged by the Provost on an annual basis. The ISAR Program is administratively housed in the Illinois Global Institute.    

The ISAR Program assists and supports departments and academic units on campus interested in hosting a scholar at risk on a visiting basis. The ISAR Committee works with departments to identify a scholar at risk to host. Such scholars are normally drawn from scholar profiles provided by the Institute of International Education’s Scholar Rescue Fund (IIE-SRF) and Scholars at Risk (SAR), an international network of higher education institutions and associations dedicated to protecting scholars and promoting academic freedom around the world. 

Once identified, the ISAR Program works with host units across campus in preparing for the arrival of a scholar at risk and supporting them for the duration of their stay. The ISAR Program also supports ISAR scholars on campus during their stay. ISAR Scholars are eligible for select furnished rental units provided at a discounted rate through Fairlawn Real Estate. They are also eligible to enroll in courses through the Intensive English Institute on campus.