Director of Turku Institute for Advanced Studies (TIAS) research collegium, Professor Martin Cloonan has been awarded the Distinguished Service Award of the Scholars at Risk network for his dedication and commitment to protect scholars and academic freedom.
Scholars at Risk (SAR) is an international network of over 460 higher education institutions in 35 countries working to protect threatened scholars and promote academic freedom. SAR protects scholars suffering grave threats to their lives, liberty, and well-being by arranging temporary positions for those forced to flee. Through monitoring and advocacy, SAR identifies, documents and takes action in response to threats and attacks on higher education communities. Through working groups, conferences, research, and publications, SAR brings together leading scholars, advocates, students and professionals to inform and shape on-going work to promote stronger university values worldwide.
The Finnish section of Scholars at Risk, SAR Finland, was established in 2017. The section includes Finnish universities and its activities are coordinated from the University of Turku in 2020–2021. Martin Cloonan is the chair of the section and Head of International Relations Irinja Paakkanen is the secretary.
– I am delighted to be able to accept this award. It is an honour to be able to support our international colleagues in their pursuit of fearless intellectual enquiry. I accept this award first and foremost on behalf of the University, as it is the result of a great deal of hard work by people such as Professor Erkki Sutinen and Head Irinja Paakkanen who pioneered SAR work in Finland, says Professor Cloonan.
– The University of Turku has incorporated Scholars at Risk activity in to its Strategy for 2021–2030 and thus made an important contribution to supporting academic freedom. I would like to thank Scholars at Risk International for their recognition of the University's contribution and Rector Jukka Kola for his personal support of SAR, Mr Cloonan continues.
Martin Cloonan is the Director of Turku Institute for Advanced Studies (TIAS) research collegium that promotes cutting-edge university research in humanities and social sciences. Before joining TIAS, Mr Cloonan was Professor of Popular Music Politics at the University of Glasgow.
SAR Finland organises the first national Scholars at Risk day on 10 June 2021 at the University of Turku.
> Read more about Scholars at Risk network
> More information about SAR Finland section: martin.cloonan@utu,fi, irinja.paakkanen@utu.fi
