Springer Nature to support fellowship awards for at-risk academics
London | New York | Berlin, 15 December 2021
Springer Nature will fund three fellowship awards with the Council for At-Risk Academics (Cara), building on more than €3 million in donations and sponsorships from Springer Nature to charities and non-profit organisations since 2017, the publisher has announced.
The Springer Nature-Cara Fellowship Awards will support academics who have been unable to continue their work or studies in their home countries due to conflict, violence or other threats.
Cara’s work began in 1933, when academics and scientists came together to rescue colleagues in Germany from Nazi persecution. The charity provides financial support to some of the most highly-trained people from some of the world’s most dangerous places, helping them to find a safe place where they can live and work, with their families, and further develop their advanced skills, until they can return home to help rebuild better, safer, societies. Many of those rescued in the charity’s history have gone on to achieve great distinction, including sixteen Nobel Prize Winners. In the past year, the need for this sort of support has been particularly under the spotlight from academics who have had to flee Afghanistan, as well as ongoing conflicts in Syria and Yemen.
Commenting on the new partnership, Joyce Lorigan, Global Head of Corporate Affairs said:
“At Springer Nature, we want to support the researchers and educators with whom we work and by partnering with Cara we hope to make a tangible, positive impact on the lives of academics who have experienced the most serious threats and challenges. We are delighted to announce the Springer Nature-Cara Fellowship Awards.
“Our vision is to enable access to equitable quality education and science through both our support for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and by championing diversity, equity and inclusion in our communities. We know there is power in what we publish, but we also believe in using charitable donations to support causes that align with these aims and Cara is undoubtedly an organisation that embodies our values. We hope that this new partnership will resonate with our colleagues, editors, authors and peers around the world too.”
Stephen Wordsworth, Executive Director of Cara, said:
“I’m thrilled to announce this new partnership with Springer Nature. Without the support of our partners, including now this great new Award scheme from Springer Nature, the academics we work with would have few if any other options. In many cases, their academic lives would be over; and in some cases at least, their freedom and even physical lives as well. Instead, they are safe. Unfortunately, our work will continue to be needed over the next three years, possibly even more urgent. As the world looks to Afghanistan in particular, there will be plenty more to do. However I am confident with initiatives like the Springer Nature-Cara Fellowship Awards, we will be able to help many more academics.”
-ENDS-
1. The individual recipients of the award will be chosen at Cara’s discretion. Depending on the need, Cara understands that this could involve support for some of the same individuals for more than one year, or different individuals for one year each.
2. Cara will provide Springer Nature with a written report on how each year's funds have been used roughly eleven months after each year's award has been received, so that Springer Nature can consider that report and seek any necessary clarifications before releasing the next year's funds.
3. For more information on Cara and it’s work, please visit their website here. You can also read about the impact of Cara in this piece from Nature. You can hear from three academics who have been supported by Cara in this short video.
4. To read about other examples of Springer Nature’s charitable donations, please read the Living our Values portion of the 2020 Sustainable Business report here.
For over 175 years Springer Nature has been advancing discovery by providing the best possible service to the whole research community. We help researchers uncover new ideas, make sure all the research we publish is significant, robust and stands up to objective scrutiny, that it reaches all relevant audiences in the best possible format, and can be discovered, accessed, used, re-used and shared. We support librarians and institutions with innovations in technology and data; and provide quality publishing support to societies.
As a research publisher, Springer Nature is home to trusted brands including Springer, Nature Portfolio, BMC, Palgrave Macmillan and Scientific American. For more information, please visit springernature.com and @SpringerNature
Maeve Dunne | Senior Communications Officer, Sustainability | Springer Nature
maeve.dunne@springernature.com
