In response to an urgent appeal from Iraq's academy, the Institute of International Education (IIE) launched the Iraq Scholar Rescue Project to assist professors and established scholars from Iraq. Fellowship awards provide placement assistance and financial support to help individual scholars in any academic field find refuge through temporary academic positions at host universities and institutions of higher learning in the Middle East and North Africa. (Some exceptions may be considered for university positions in other world regions.)

The host university is asked to provide essential assistance to help scholars to settle into their new positions and to return to productive academic work. This may include, for example, assigning a faculty member to help the scholar learn his or her way around the university, providing assistance to find suitable housing when possible, and providing access to university facilities and libraries.

Benefits to both the scholar and the visiting institution are immeasurable. In short, by providing an open space for scholars to pursue their work, universities and other institutions of higher learning will have the opportunity to strengthen existing faculty or to expand into new areas, however each institution might wish.

To download a one-page information document on the Iraq Scholar Rescue Project please click here