USRF has been actively involved in supporting Russian scholars at risk (SAR) in response to the increased danger that scholars and journalists with anti-war positions are facing in Russia since February 24, 2022. The Foundation has led a consortium of partner institutions in the U.S. to advance the conversation around scholars at risk. Currently, USRF supports 16 institutions with scholars at risk components – supporting more than 300 scholars.

USRF grantees offer temporary academic positions to scholars in danger to enable them to continue working, protecting, and disseminating their research. Project objectives range from supporting visas and living costs for scholars and journalists, to support for academic research work, blogs, and position assistance. Scholars at risk participate in events, give guest lectures, and share their invaluable insights and knowledge, and experience – essentially becoming important and valued members of the host institution’s community.

USRF also supports institutions which provide support or seek solutions for Russian students who left the country and need to complete their degrees or pursue education and careers outside Russia.

“Russia’s war in Ukraine has created a crisis of knowledge accumulation, primary research, and university training in Ukraine and in Russia. While our first concern is with sustaining Ukrainian training and expertise, we cannot ignore the danger that our Russian research collaborators, coauthors, and colleagues now face. Many are imperiled not only through their academic work on sensitive political topics but also through their activism, and integrity in the classroom. The support of these scholars through the Scholars at Risk program is critical to maintaining the advances in social science realized since 1991 and for understanding political, social, and economic developments in Russia as it slides toward autarky.”

“The emergency grant from the U.S. Russia Foundation provided essential aid to enable our program to help scholars at risk. The grant provided the resources and flexibility we needed to bring them here and helped us overcome various hurdles in doing so. Of equal value, it provides valuable support for them to conduct their unfettered research.”