2,000+ Life-Saving Fellowships Have Been Awarded to Scholars From 62 Countries Since the Program’s Founding
New York, April 13, 2026 — The Institute of International Education’s Scholar Rescue Fund (IIE-SRF) issued its 2,000th fellowship to Sudanese horticulturist Dr. Ali Muddathir, bringing the total number of fellowships to 2,003 since its founding 24 years ago. Seventeen scholars have been awarded life-saving fellowships in 2026 to date; this includes 11 new IIE-SRF fellows accepted by the selection committee in March and six IIE-SRF fellows, including Dr. Muddathir, awarded renewal fellowships. He is among scholars from Afghanistan, Nicaragua, Myanmar, and Palestine who’ve recently been placed at secure host institutions abroad to continue critical research in electrical engineering, public health, political science, and other fields.
The Scholar Rescue Fund is the only global program that arranges, funds, and supports fellowships for threatened and displaced scholars at partnering higher education institutions worldwide, including inside their home regions. Displacement has significantly increased in the past decade. More than 123 million people, including researchers and other academics, have been displaced from their homes and careers due to war, extreme weather, and other protracted crises. In response, IIE-SRF has prioritized significantly expanding regional partnerships to place scholars at host institutions within their home regions. Last year, 30% of IIE-SRF fellows undertook placements in their home regions.
In the two years since armed conflict began in Sudan, more than 3.2 million people— including Dr. Ali Muddathir and his family—have fled seeking safety and stability in neighboring countries. Sudan accounted for more than a third of all IIE-SRF applications in the latest application cycle, underscoring both the scale of the crisis and the resilience of Sudan’s academic community. To date, IIE-SRF has awarded fellowships to 46 scholars from Sudan.
Prior to the war, Dr. Muddathir taught classes, mentored students, and conducted research on plant-based medicine and local agriculture at the University of Khartoum. But his university was among the more than 100 higher education institutions damaged, looted, or completely destroyed in the crossfire of war. The Scholar Rescue Fund fellow continues his work at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) in South Africa, where he is exploring how local medicinal plants may be used for treating skin-related diseases and in general skin care. “The opportunity to continue my research at the University of KwaZulu-Natal has been transformative, allowing me to preserve my previous work while contributing to new scientific approaches in South Africa,” he said in an interview with IIE-SRF.
With expanded support from donors this year, IIE-SRF has increased the annual fellowship award from $25,000 to $30,000 in order to provide more comprehensive support for fellows despite the higher costs of living in their host communities.
“My hope for Sudan is to see the restoration of peace across the entire country, allowing us to thrive as a united nation that manages its vast resources sustainably,” he said. While on his IIE-SRF fellowship in South Africa, Dr. Muddathir has remained engaged with colleagues and students at the University of Khartoum, recording lectures for students facing electricity shortages and strategizing for the reconstruction of its horticulture department. He also volunteers as a peer mentor to other IIE-SRF fellows from Sudan undertaking fellowships in South Africa.
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