A national SAR section is made up of universities and research institutes from the same country that actively collaborate for the protection of scholars at risk and the defense of academic freedom. 

This objective is achieved through:

  • the development of protection strategies in host universities, which includes the identification and activation of different types of collaboration (scholarships, research contracts, and more) and the integration of scholars at risk, allowing them to resume scientific activity. The national sections facilitate the exchange of good practices and the sharing of difficulties regarding forms of scientific protection. They also facilitate dialogue with national and regional institutions and organisations in order to increase the resources needed to make the protection projects adopted by individual members sustainable;
  • the development of communication channels and collaboration with other national sections in Europe, the United States and Canada. This will promote protection, advocacy and training activities on the theme of academic freedom. National sections (as well as individual universities) may develop connections with local or international associations, for example with the Council for At-Risk Academics - CARA (UK), the Scholar Rescue Fund (United States), the New University in Exile Consortium (United States), and the Threatened Scholars Integration Initiative (OSUN-TSI).

Membership in a national section therefore facilitates the participation of a university or research institute both nationally and internationally. In particular, this participation makes it possible to:

  1. inform the academic community, political institutions and civil society about the violation of university autonomy and academic freedom in the world. This activity can be carried out through the joint organisation of conferences, seminars, or summer and winter schools;
  2. organise fundraisers to establish research grants or contracts for scholars in danger;
  3. participate in international monitoring projects on academic freedom that develop reception and inclusion strategies at European level;
  4. develop training activities aimed at training skills within host universities and research institutes on how to welcome and integrate scholars at risk into the host academic community, including with the involvement of students.

The Italian section of Scholars at Risk was established in Padova on 19 February 2019, on the initiative of the University of Padova and the University of Trento. On that occasion, the first National Assembly of SAR Italy was also held, with the participation of 14 universities. The principles of SAR Italy are inspired by:

  • article 33, paragraph 1, of the Italian Constitution, which recognizes the freedom of art and science and their teaching;
  • article 13 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, according to which "the arts and scientific research are free of constraint. Academic freedom shall be respected";
  • article 15, paragraph 3, of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966), which states the commitment to "respect the freedom indispensable for scientific research and creative activity".

At the national level, since 2018 the universities that have activated temporary protection programmes have been: the University of Padova (more information here), Scuola Normale Superiore (more information here), University of Milano Statale, Scuola Sant'Anna di Pisa and the University of Roma ‘La Sapienza’. Based on these experiences - and thanks to the coordination work of the ‘WG Hospitality and Support‘ working group coordinated by Carla Savastano of the University of Trieste - SAR Italy has developed hospitality guidelines (Vademecum dell’Accoglienza). The document aims to provide guidelines that facilitate the inclusion of scholars who participate in protection programmes.

List of the members of the national board
2021/22 activity report

Contacts

Ester Gallo
University of Trento
Rector's delegate for academic and international solidarity; Scholars at Risk – Italy
Department of Sociology and Social Research
Via Verdi 26 - 38122 Trento (Italy)
Email: [email protected] 
Phone: 0039 0461 281375.
Skype: ester.gallo-may

Roberta Ricucci
Department of Culture, Politiccs and Society
University of Torino
Campus L. Einaudi (CLE) - Torino
Office - 3D424
Email: [email protected] 
Phone: 0039 011 6702661

Giuseppe Angilella
Department of Physics and Astronomy of the University of Catania
Tutor at the Scuola Superiore di Catania
Office: DFA 233
Email: [email protected] 
Phone: 0039 095 378 5305

Adriana Di Stefano
Department of Law
University of Catania
Office: Via Crociferi, 81 - 1° piano
Email: [email protected] 
Phone: 0039 095 230465