January 2021
As of fall 2020, ACOR is pleased to join the IIE Scholar Rescue Fund (IIE-SRF) Alliance, a global network of partners offering practical support to scholars threatened by war and persecution. The IIE-SRF Alliance launched in August 2020 to expand the efforts of IIE-SRF and its partners to assist the unprecedented number of threatened and displaced scholars globally. It builds upon IIE’s 100 years of providing resources and support to vulnerable professors and university students, including academics facing the evils of Nazism and fascism, Black South Africans being denied educational opportunities under apartheid, and hundreds of scholars that are continually threatened by conflict and repression today.
As a Scholar Rescue Fund Alliance partner, ACOR is committing to host and support displaced scholars in Jordan. The needs today are greater than ever, with an alarming increase in threats against scholars worldwide and especially in this region. Two of the top five applicant countries for rescue support are Yemen and Syria, which, like Jordan, share Arabic as a national language. Another top applicant source is Turkey, also Jordan’s nearby neighbor with a shared cultural and historical background. Due to such connections, Jordan is already among SRF’s top host countries. This new partnership will enable scholars to connect more easily to ACOR resources, such as access to training networks, library and information resources, and facilitation networks so that scholars may continue to teach and supervise students, give lectures, and publish their latest work. By becoming an alliance partner, ACOR joins an SRF network of hundreds of individuals, institutions, and other organizations spanning nearly thirty countries and multiple sectors.
The IIE-SRF Alliance includes (1) host and commitment partners that welcome IIE-SRF fellows to their campuses, providing safe haven and a temporary academic position; (2) organizational partners that offer services such as access to training or courses, free or discounted memberships, and other critical support; and 3) ambassadors who share their time, skills, and networks to empower these scholars on their journeys to rebuild their lives and careers.
Learn more about the SRF at ScholarRescueFund.org. To read the latest news of ACOR’s overall research programs, visit our digital publication, Insights, and also be sure to sign up for our mailing list.
“In many contexts across the globe, our colleagues face threats to their lives and careers. Though academics have always been persecuted for their scholarly work and are among the first to be targeted during conflict and instability, the magnitude of the current crisis is unprecedented in IIE’s history. We are extremely grateful to ACOR for taking this concrete step to support scholars in need.”
—Dr. Allan Goodman, IIE’s President and CEO
About IIE Scholar Rescue Fund
The IIE Scholar Rescue Fund (IIE-SRF) is the only global program that arranges and funds fellowships for threatened and displaced scholars at partnering higher education institutions worldwide. At the heart of IIE-SRF is the idea that each scholar supported is a beacon of hope in our world. Since 2002, IIE-SRF has provided life-saving support to nearly 900 scholars from 60 countries in partnership with over 415 host institutions in 46 countries around the world.
About the Institute of International Education
Established in 1919, the Institute of International Education (IIE) is a global not-for-profit that creates and implements international education programs, conducts research, and provides life-changing opportunities for students and scholars worldwide. With more than 650 employees in a network of 18 offices and affiliates worldwide and nearly 1,500 member institutions, IIE is the leader in helping people and organizations leverage the power of international education to thrive in today’s interconnected world.
About ACOR
Established in 1968, the American Center of Research (ACOR) in Amman, Jordan, is an international nonprofit academic institution that advances understanding of Jordan and the Middle East, past and present. ACOR facilitates the acquisition of knowledge through research and dialogue with an extensive library and archive, fellowship and scholarship programs, and residential facilities. ACOR promotes archaeological research, cultural heritage preservation, and knowledge-sharing through lectures, digital resources, publications, workshops, and training programs. ACOR serves as a conduit for cultural exchange among students, professionals, and the public in Jordan and beyond. ACOR is a nonprofit academic organization registered with the government of Jordan and as a tax-exempt 501(c)3 organization by the United States Internal Revenue Service. ACOR is supported by grants, contributions from foundations, corporations, and individuals, as well as by ACOR endowments.
