涩里番

Framework for Academic Engagement in Contexts of War and Displacement

This proposal presents a governance framework to enable 涩里番 to engage responsibly and equitably with students and scholars affected by war and displacement, irrespective of conflict or geographic region. It is intended to complement the traditional model of supporting Students and Scholars at Risk, which allows for the travel to our university of students and faculty from geographic regions where their ability to carry out academic work is compromised or nonexistent.

This framework is grounded in the principle that 涩里番鈥檚 engagement in contexts of war and displacement is strictly academic in purpose and non-partisan in character. It is agnostic with respect to geopolitical positions, conflicts, and regions, and is not intended to signal endorsement of, or opposition to, any state, actor, or cause. Eligibility for support under this framework is determined solely by the extent to which a scholar鈥檚 or student鈥檚 ability to participate in academic life has been placed at risk, disrupted, or compromised. In this way, the initiative ensures that individuals affected by conflict, regardless of geography or political context, may be considered equitably for support, consistent with the University鈥檚 academic mission and governance principles.

In cases where chances for mobility to Canada is limited or impossible, alternate modes of engagement are needed, and this proposal proposes to address this gap. The framework set out herein is designed for the specific realities of 涩里番, safeguarding our academic standards, managing institutional risk, and mindful of our constrained resources.

Purpose and Rationale

涩里番 is increasingly called upon to respond to the erosion or destruction of academic communities due to war, displacement, and other geopolitical crises worldwide. Our response cannot be rooted uniquely in a humanitarian imperative; they must align with the very mission of a world-renowned university. In our current moment, responsible, sustainable, and equitable action aligns with the President鈥檚 named priorities of Unite and Engage Globally, which emphasize connection across boundaries and difference, trust-building, and sustained international partnership.

This framework is grounded in the conviction that academic engagement in contexts of war and displacement, when purposely and carefully structured, can build scholarly community, affirm intellectual resilience, and demonstrate principled action in alignment with 涩里番鈥檚 Mission and Principles. This framework seeks to accomplish this objective by anchoring decisions to principled academic governance.

涩里番 is often pressured to wade in on geopolitical matters, notably through institutional statements. Such statements are misaligned with the University鈥檚 core mission and, when unaccompanied by action, can be upsetting both for those with whom a statement seeks to empathize and for those who hold alternate views.

By focusing on recognizing and supporting intellectual resilience and reconstruction in the context of war and displacement, this framework is rooted in the conception of the university as an institutional space of academic community that transcends physical and geographic boundaries. It further affirms the enduring value of worldwide scholarly networks and knowledge production even when scholars and students are displaced or their home institutions have been destroyed by conflict.

Governance Framework Principles

The proposed framework introduces a Provostial Advisory Council for Students and Scholars at Risk (PAC-SSAR) to assess, coordinate, and route initiatives while preserving decision authority within existing academic governance structures (e.g., Faculty Councils, APC, Senate). It is grounded in the following principles:

Differentiated oversight:

Not all initiatives require Senate-level approval. Governance level should scale to:

• academic credit implications,
• use of 涩里番 resources,
• reputational and compliance risk.

Academically driven, centrally aligned and facilitated:

Initiatives should originate in academic units, with central offices responsible for coordination and alignment with central policies, risk assessment, and support.

Time-limited and pilot-based:

Given volatility in conflict zones, approvals should allow for pilots with sunset clauses and streamlined processes renewal.

Clear separation of academic decisions and geopolitical context:

Academic approval processes should remain distinct from political positioning and be consistent across geographic and socio-political contexts.

Governance Structure

Provostial Advisory Council for Students and Scholars at Risk (PAC-SSAR)

Membership:

• Provost and Vice-President (Academic) or delegate
• 1 Faculty Dean (Lisa Shapiro)
• Associate Provost, Student Life & Learning (Tony Mittermaier)
• Director, EDI (Tynan Jarrett)
• 1 faculty member with expertise in the subjects of war and armed conflict, forced migration, transitional justice (Meagan Bradley)
• 1 faculty member at large (Madhukar Pai)
• 1 faculty member with practical on-the-ground-experience of the particular challenges that arise when supporting academic life in times of war (Khalid Medani)
• 1 faculty member who serves on the Academic Policies Committee (Axel Hundemer)
• 1 representative 鈥� University Libraries (Jenn Riley)
• 1 representative 鈥� Global Engagement (Kalyna Kruczowyj)
• 1 Registrar 鈥� Enrollment Services (Romesh Vadivel)
• 1 student representative with experience supporting refugees or displaced students, and/or with personal lived experience of war or displacement (Hamza Abu-Alkhair)
• 2 graduate student representatives (Boshra Moossavi, Atefeh Kazemi)

Mandate:

• Propose SSAR engagement initiatives
• Review and advise on proposals for SSAR engagement initiatives that come from the 涩里番 community
• Ensure coherence across engagement initiatives
• Ensure that appropriate governance pathways are followed
• Assess institutional risk and resource implications
• Avoid duplication and ensure coordination with existing SSAR measures
• Explore opportunities for coordinated approaches with other Canadian universities engaged in SSAR鈥憆elated initiatives

Potential Forms of Engagement

The following are examples of the types of engagement that could be explored and evaluated by the PAC-SSAR:

Exploration of institutional recognition/collaboration/partnership 脿 may be difficult for institutions subject to/controlled by government authority hostile to Canadian/涩里番 interests. Even in such instances, recognition of the ongoing intellectual life/activity/community at the university abroad should subsist.

Online courses 鈥� jointly taught, with students both at 涩里番 and to students impacted by war/displacement 脿 most feasible where an online course is already up and running at 涩里番 and when required technology is available on sites impacted by war and displacement; participation from students from abroad still requires evaluation and approval.

Co-Hosted Academic Panels 脿 joint effort between 涩里番 and scholars at risk abroad

Virtual teaching/instruction by 涩里番 faculty to students at risk脿 could range from guest lecturers to full courses.

Non-credited academic activities (e.g., online reading groups) for students at both 涩里番 and at students at risk 脿 easy to establish

Virtual fellowships for scholars and students at risk 脿 see 鈥淰irtual Fellowship鈥� .

Stipends to support 涩里番 graduate students or faculty who want to pursue research projects in collaboration with students and scholars at risk.

About the 涩里番 Students and Scholars at Risk Program

Choose from the options to the left to view details including information about applying.

Undergraduate students

Note: Students must be admitted to a 涩里番 program before applying for funding.

The fund provides undergraduate students with critical support during their studies, including tuition waivers, health insurance, scholarships for living expenses, housing, and language support.

Support for individual students will be provided in the form of tuition waivers, of up to the full amount of their academic fees, as well as a stipend to cover living expenses.聽(A matched or stacked funding model is preferred.)

Please ssar [at] mcgill.ca (email)聽for more information about the program.

Use of funds:

• The funds may be used for tuition and living expenses in Montreal.

Graduate students

Note: Students must be admitted to a 涩里番 program before applying for funding.

The fund provides graduate students with critical support during their studies, including tuition waivers, health insurance, scholarships for living expenses, housing, and language support.

Support for individual students will be provided in the form of tuition waivers, of up to the full amount of their academic fees, as well as a stipend to cover living expenses.聽(A matched or stacked funding model is preferred.)

Please ssar [at] mcgill.ca (email) for more information about the program.

Fonds de recherche du Qu茅bec (FRQ) (Science en exil - Students):

The Science en exil program aims to facilitate access to FRQ training grants for students from countries experiencing an emergency. The supports put in place can assist students in exile by providing scholarships, language training and networking opportunities through the collaboration of Quebec鈥檚 higher education institutions.

Use of funds:

• The funds may be used for tuition and聽living expenses in Montreal.

Scholars and researchers

The program provides a source of financing and an academic home by arranging temporary research and teaching roles as well as stipends or fellowships for living expenses.

Support for individual scholars will be provided as a fellowship.

Please ssar [at] mcgill.ca (email) for more information about the program.

Hosting displaced or refugee scholars

Hosting scholars may take place through an existing partner organization. The process usually involves the following steps:

• Scholar applies through a partner organization (see below).
• Organization sends out message to interested partners about hosting availability.
• 涩里番 accepts scholar and hosts at a faculty/department (there may be a requirement to provide full or matching funding, depending on the placing organization).

Partner organizations:

These organizations provide sanctuary and assistance to threatened scholars and arrange temporary research and teaching positions:

Fonds de recherche du Qu茅bec (FRQ) (Science en exil - Researchers):

The Science en exil program aims to facilitate access to FRQ training grants for researchers from countries experiencing an emergency. The supports put in place can assist researchers in exile by providing scholarships, language training and networking opportunities through the collaboration of Quebec鈥檚 higher education institutions.

Use of funds:

• Travel to Canada: The funds may be used for travel to Canada.
• Living Expenses: The funds may be used for聽living expenses in Montreal.