SUPPORTING AT-RISK SCHOLARS
Support to Ukraine: The European Fund for Displaced Scientists (EFDS)
ALLEA has a long-standing commitment to supporting at-risk scholars, particularly in contexts of conflict and threats to academic freedom. Immediately following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, ALLEA partnered with the Breakthrough Prize Foundation to support scholars and scientific institutions impacted by the war. The European Fund for Displaced Scientists (EFDS) was endowed with $1.5 million and provided funding to academic institutions in Europe to host displaced scholars. The initiative also assisted Ukrainian universities, academies, and research institutes in maintaining their operations and rebuilding their scientific facilities.
Activities of the programme were developed in cooperation with Ukrainian partners including the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NASU), the Young Scientists Council, Science4Ukraine (a voluntary movement aimed at supporting students and scientists from Ukraine), especially to ensure that the EFDS programme best addresses the needs of Ukrainian scientists (both in Ukraine and abroad), as well as Ukrainian science in general, with the ultimate aim to turn the threat of brain drain into the benefit of brain circulation and brain gain.
EFDS was one of the very first support initiatives launched by the academic and research community with a correspondingly high strategic impact. It was also one of few, that at the time provided direct support to Ukrainian institutions. Successful practices and valuable lessons-learned were actively shared across the scientific and science-policy community thereby substantially co-shaping numerous successor initiatives. Regular debate fora included in particular the Ukraine Science Stakeholder Group, co-chaired by ALLEA and the International Science Council (ISC), set up in 2022 with the aim to bring together stakeholders, both from Ukraine and the rest of the world, to ensure interaction and enhance the effectiveness of the scientific community response to the Ukraine crisis. In 2026, ALLEA envisages to re-activate the community of EFDS grantees through facilitation of meetings and other alumni network activities. Read more
ALLEA’s Membership in the International Coalition to Support Ukraine’s Research and Innovation Ecosystem
Since 2025 ALLEA is a member of the Coalition for Science, Research, and Innovation in Ukraine, representing the European academies of sciences and humanities and actively contributing to the on-going efforts to build and strengthen the Ukrainian science system.
ALLEA shares the Coalition’s commitment to sustaining and rebuilding Ukraine’s research and innovation system. Furthermore, ALLEA’s broad European network and expertise in science policy can contribute meaningfully to the Coalition’s objectives and advance opportunities for joint actions to:
- Support mobility and integration of Ukrainian researchers in European research networks,
- Facilitate knowledge exchange and institutional capacity-building, and
- Promote the long-term reintegration of Ukrainian science into the European and global research community
Further Support to Ukraine
In June 2022, ALLEA co-signed the Ten-Point Action Plan, a coordinated initiative with partner academies to support Ukrainian science. The plan focuses on maintaining institutional affiliations, providing targeted funding, ensuring access to research infrastructure and journals, hosting displaced scholars, strengthening institutional capacity, promoting reintegration of researchers, and fostering open science and international collaboration.
Together with the ISC, ALLEA co-organised two major conferences on the Ukraine crisis:
1st conference “The Ukraine Crisis: Responses from the European Higher Education and Research Sectors” held in June 2022.
2nd Conference “One year into the war in Ukraine: exploring the impact on the science sector and support initiatives” held in March 2023.
A compilation of resources made available by ALLEA Member Academies and other academic institutions for Ukrainian scholars at risk is available here.
Supporting At-Risk Scholars – Other Activities
In addition to its work supporting Ukrainian researchers and institutions, ALLEA has in the past organised a major virtual conference in 2021, together with Scholars at Risk – Ireland, titled “Academic Freedom and Intellectual Dissent”.
The event featured President Michael D. Higgins of Ireland, who spoke about the vital role of intellectual dissent in a democracy. US linguist and political activist Noam Chomsky delivered a keynote lecture, analysing how privatisation and political pressures threaten universities, and calling for public‑funded science free from partisan interference. Additional initiatives included solidarity and support letters for scholars under threat, e.g., in cooperation with the International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies (IHRN) and other relevant international networks.
Related Activities
The European Fund for Displaced Scientists (EFDS)
Immediately following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, ALLEA partnered with the Breakthrough Prize Foundation to support scholars and scientific institutions impacted by the war. The programme was endowed with $1.5 million and provided funding to academic institutions in Europe to host displaced scholars. The initiative also assisted Ukrainian universities, academies, and research institutes in maintaining their operations and rebuilding their scientific facilities.
ALLEA co-signs letter by European Science Organisations
The letter is in response to some of the first actions of the newly inaugurated US President Donald J. Trump, which show a blatant disregard for the universal values and principles of science and research. Upon release the open letter was co-signed by ALLEA and its partner Academia Europaea alongside 37 other European science organisations
ALLEA Endorses Statement Calling for Action to Help Researchers in Afghanistan
ALLEA has endorsed a statement by Scholars at Risk Europe calling on European Governments and EU Institutions to help scholars, researchers, and civil society organisations in Afghanistan. The joint call urges to secure their lives and careers and proposes some concrete recommendations to take action.
The appeal has been supported by 50 higher education organisations across Europe.
Turkish academics: ALLEA supports declaration of International Human Rights Network of Academies
ALLEA fully supports the following declaration of the International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies, as published on 19 January 2016, on the recent developments involving Turkish academics. The original declaration of the International Human Rights Networks of Academies and Scholarly Societies can be accessed here. To download this press release please click here.
Related Publications
Conference On The Ukraine Crisis: Responses From The European Higher Education And Research Sectors
The conference on The Ukraine Crisis: Responses from the European Higher Education and Research Sectors, held virtually on 15 June 2022, brought together over 150 stakeholders across Europe, to reflect on assistance provided to date for academics, scientists, researchers and students who are at-risk, displaced or refugees as a result of the war in Ukraine.
One Year of War in Ukraine: Exploring the Impact on the Science Sector and Supporting Initiatives
This conference report that highlights the impact and responses to date, including a review of the recommendation put forward in the June 2022 conference.
ALLEA Signs 10-Point Action Plan to Support Ukrainian Academic System
The Action Plan takes into consideration means to maintain the Ukrainian academic system operating throughout the duration of the war, as well as provisions for the recovery of a post-war Ukraine.
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