Academic Refuge: The Role of Universities in Turbulent Times

This one-day special event, open to the public, was held in association with the Academic Refuge Staff Training Week 2017. Together With the 60 staff training participants from universities across Europe we discussed current threats to academic freedom and related values, as well as the role of universities in welcoming and supporting refugees and scholars at risk.

Minister of Education and Research Torbjørn Røe Isaksen with SAIH's Academic Freedom scarf at the Academic Refuge event 21 June 2017

The Academic Refuge special event aims to raise the profile of these issues with a wider group of interested organizations and institutions such as local government, politicians, civil society organizations, human rights organizations and educational institutions at all levels.

Featured speakers will include university leaders, the Norwegian Minister for Education, the Principal Administrator of the Task Force Migration at the European Commission and more. Get more information about our speakers (PDF).

The registration for the event has closed. 

Programme
09:00 – 09:20

OPENING REMARKS

Ole Petter Ottersen, Rector of the University of Oslo

Ieva Serapinaite,  Adviser, The Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Education (SIU)

09:20 – 09:40

KEYNOTE ADDRESS: The Refugee crisis, a crisis of values and solidarity

Marc Cosyns Principal Administrator, European Commission, DG Research & Innovation, Task Force Migration

09:40 – 10:40 

UNIVERSITY LEADERS PANEL: Higher Education Values Under Pressure

Panelists:

Moderator and presenting a view from the USA: Robert Quinn, Executive Director, Scholars at Risk Network

Ole Petter Ottersen, Rector of the University of Oslo

Marjan Dema, Rector of the University of Pristina

Lan Anh Nguyenluu, Head of the Intercultural Institute of Psychology and Education at ELTE, Budapest

10:40 – 11:00

Coffee/tea

11:00-12:00

TESTIMONY & DIALOGUE WITH STUDENT & SCHOLARS

Moderator: Inga Bostad, Norwegian Centre for Human Rights, University of Oslo

Testimony by Gabi Issa, Refugee Student from Syria: My way into a European University

Dialogue with Dr. Tarek Ahmad from Syria  and  Dr. Olga S. Hunler from Turkey

12:00-13:00 Light lunch
13:00-14:00

EUROPEAN POLICYMAKERS ROUNDTABLE: Evaluating European Higher Education responses to the refugee crisis

Moderator: Ole Petter Ottersen, Rector of the University of Oslo

Speakers:

Torbjørn Røe Isaksen, Minister of Education and Research, Norway

Henriette Stöber, Policy and Project Officer, European University Association

Marc Cosyns Principal Administrator, European Commission, DG Research & Innovation, Task Force Migration

Christian Hülshörster, Director of the Scholarship Programmes Southern Hemisphere, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

14:00-15:00

WELCOME TO CAMPUS: VOICES FROM THE FRONT LINE

Moderator: Karen-Lise Scheie Knudsen, Chair of SAR Norway/University of Agder

Speakers:

Karolina Catoni, Chair of Scholars at Risk Sweden/University of Gothenburg

Rose Anderson, Acting Director, Protection Services, Scholars at Risk Network

Jacqueline Couder, Head of the International Office, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (tbc)

Partners

Partners: UNICA, University of Ljubljana, Scholars at Risk Network

Associated partners

Organizer

Academic Refuge
Tags: Refugees, scholars at risk, academic freedom
Published May 20, 2017 12:07 PM - Last modified Aug. 6, 2020 7:51 PM