Scholars at Risk (SAR), a network of over 650 higher education institutions which collectively engage in the promotion and protection of academic freedom, will be recognized with the UI Center for Human Rights’ Courage of Conviction Award. 

 For over 25 years, SAR has worked to protect scholars suffering grave threats by arranging temporary research and teaching positions at institutions in its global network. SAR has established initiatives to identify, document and take action in response to attacks on scholars. It advocates on behalf of scholars imprisoned for their expression and scholarship, contributes to international legal processes advancing academic freedom as a human rights concern, and engages students in research and advocacy. Representatives of SAR will receive with the recognition during an event on the UI campus on March 5. 

 The Courage of Conviction Award is presented occasionally by the Center for Human Rights to honor an individual or organization possessing extraordinary commitment to the protection of human dignity and the advancement of human rights. This award recognizes the strength of character required of persons and communities advocating for the rights of individuals and for the common good in the face of opposition. Past recipients include Anita Hill (2020), Dorothy Paul (2018), Bryan Stevenson (2015), Burns Weston (2012), Michael Ratner (2009), and Hon. Jim Leach (2008).