SAR Anniversary Event: Defending Academic Freedom and Supporting Researchers at Risk
On 26 June 2026, Scholars at Risk (SAR) Switzerland celebrated its 25th anniversary with the event "Defending Academic Freedom and Supporting Researchers at Risk – the SAR Network's Contribution to Society" at the University of Bern, under the patronage of the Swiss Commission for UNESCO. The event brought together researchers, higher education rep-resentatives, funding organizations, and policymakers to discuss how academic freedom can be protected and how researchers at risk can be supported through scholarships, academic placements, and international cooperation.
Discussions highlighted the importance of sustainable funding, institutional commitment, and collaboration across universities, governments, and civil society to ensure that threatened scholars can continue their academic work and contribute to research and society.
The University of Zurich (UZH) was represented by Andrii Biletskyi, a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Faculty of Law and a former UZH SAR fellow. The anti-corruption expert participated in the panel discussion "Career Paths for SAR Scholars: The Role of Host Universities," where he shared his experi-ences and perspectives on supporting researchers at risk and facilitating their academic careers.
Another UZH representative was Daniel Moeckli, Human Rights Delegate of the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences and Chair of Public Law with a focus on International and Comparative Law at UZH. He moderated the session on "Advocacy and the Right to Academic Freedom," which explored academic freedom as a cornerstone of democratic societies and discussed ways to protect and promote it in an increasingly challenging global environment.
As a member of the global Scholars at Risk network and SAR Switzerland, UZH supports a global network dedicated to protecting academic free-dom and assisting threatened scholars through temporary academic placements. This engagement contributes to UZH's Global Strategy 2030 and its commitment to societal responsibility.
Read the full report here on the SAR Switzerland website.