Its members are institutions of higher education that are strongly committed to the idea that the academic community has both the responsibility and capacity to assist persecuted and at-risk scholars, to help protect the intellectual resources that are jeopardized when universities and scholars are under assault, and to advocate for academic freedom around the world.
The primary mission of the Consortium is to nurture academics who have been persecuted and uprooted by creating a sense of intellectual community among exiled scholars. Via various communication formats, the member institutions work to lessen the profound loss of identity and dislocation from which exiled scholars suffer. The consortium hopes to alleviate the strain of exile through its activities.
The University of Bonn actively promotes academic freedom and regularly awards emergency scholarships to persecuted and at-risk scholars. It is also founding member of Scholars at Risk in Germany. Joining the New University in Exile Consortium is therefore another logical step to provide accepted scholars the opportunity to network and develop new perspectives.
Vice Rector for International Affairs Professor Stephan Conermann confirms: “We are delighted to have been approached by the New School and offered to become a consortium member. We are proud to be among the first institutions of higher education to represent it in Europe. We look forward to cooperating with other member institutions and to making our contribution to improve the situation of exiled scholars.”
The consortium was founded by the renowned New School for Social Research in New York City, which has its own long tradition of giving refuge to persecuted scholars.
Contact:
Simon Benhöfer
Section 6.1, Partnerships and International Researchers
Phone: +49-(0)22873-4823
Email: s.benhoefer@uni-bonn.de
