As part of its broader mission, the OPEN Cost Action offers a support program assisting academics under attack. The Scholars in Crisis Support Program originated from a collective effort among engaged scholars united by OPEN, which advocates for academic freedom and institutional autonomy. In the context of war and political persecution, OPEN has catalyzed and coordinated targeted, smaller-scale support initiatives, such as this program, that link at-risk individuals with established academics across Europe. Though not a formal institution, OPEN leverages its academic network to offer concrete assistance through dialogue, mentorship, and intellectual engagement. This practical solidarity – through Zoom meetings, empathetic listening, and strategic reflection – embodies the spirit of academic responsibility and transnational care that OPEN seeks to foster.
The OPEN NEXUS Mentorship Program functions as a lobby for the establishment of a future permanent international support infrastructure.
This Code of Conduct (CoC) sets guidelines for acceptable behavior for program participants. It is designed to ensure responsible conduct aligned with the team’s values. With this code, we encourage participants to act responsibly in line with the program’s core principles and values. Additionally, the CoC enables participants to hold one another accountable for breaches of these values. The code applies to all activities participants engage in as part of their program involvement. It addresses unacceptable behavior, provides a framework for challenging it, and lodges complaints where necessary.
The OPEN NEXUS Mentorship Program is a solidarity initiative that pays special attention to students, scholars, and cultural workers who have fled the war and risk or face political persecution inside and beyond Europe.
As it is a lobby for a future institution, we do not have positions to offer. However, including this program, the OPEN collective initiated smaller-scale support initiatives to provide immediate assistance in response to the war and persecution. The program connects the at-risk groups mentioned to experienced scholars elsewhere. The work consists of a modest set of Zoom sessions and a listening ear. The ability to think about options already greatly helps people. The work has been curated in a less time-consuming way, making it realistic for colleagues to take on the task.
How to interact with your supporter
The program strives to create a positive, safe (online) environment where participants and connections respectfully engage with one another. Mutual appreciation is of great importance to us. We expect participants to assume good faith from others, especially in challenging and/or stressful situations. The team highly values and promotes clear communication. We anticipate that participants will support one another, actively work towards establishing positive and helpful connections, and refrain from exploiting any power imbalances. Participants are encouraged to actively listen to one another, foster inclusivity, and respect interpersonal differences related to different national or cultural backgrounds. To establish a positive and inclusive environment, participants must refrain from engaging in unacceptable behavior. These encompass actions or conduct from either supporters or scholars in danger that cause distress to the recipient – that is, situations where one of the individuals involved may reasonably perceive the other’s behavior as unacceptable. This connection often entails dependency and power imbalances. We expect our supporters to be acutely aware of this dynamic and consciously refrain from exploiting it for personal gain. This connection should be characterized by mutual respect and personal demeanor during interactions.
We support scholars from areas affected by war and political repression. We do so by examining different viewpoints on cross-national cooperation in the current context without the aim of reconciling or forcibly uniting the various groups participating in our program. By joining the program, you confirm that you are comfortable with this cross-national program approach as a participant.
It is essential to add that we do not expect you to have concrete solutions ready. The support activities are not intended to require a significant amount of time. Possible tasks might include helping with drafting letters, reviewing plans, or identifying valuable opportunities.
What do supporters offer?
- Volunteers of the program are offering one hour of their time pro bono per week for an individual online conversation
- Sharing scenarios based on the research of the WG4 stakeholder exercise, which mapped attacks on academic freedom and institutional autonomy and responses, together with impacts in Europe in the past decade.
- The initiative serves as a hub for the different programs supporting at-risk academics in the EU, providing helpful contacts to specialists who could offer specialized advice.
What do supporters NOT offer?
- Legal advice
- Psychological counselling
- Jobs
If you are interested in joining this programme to support and defend academic freedom, please contact us using this form; we will get back to you as soon as possible.
