In 2020, IIE’s evaluation team conducted a survey of IIE Scholar Rescue Fund (IIE-SRF) alumni to learn about their post-fellowship experiences, achievements, and impact. The results were published in a 2021 report titled To Rescue Scholars Is to Rescue the Future. Earlier this year, IIE conducted a follow-up survey of 574 IIE-SRF alumni who completed the fellowship between 2003 and 2021. The survey excluded scholars who have returned home and cannot be contacted for security reasons. In total, 281 alumni from 44 countries responded to one or both surveys.
This study – which was stimulated by the vision of IIE-SRF co-founder Dr. Henry Kaufman and supported by his generosity – provides concrete evidence of the impact that IIE-SRF alumni have made on their home countries, host communities, and scholarly fields. After facing years of repression or conflict, or in some cases a sudden emergence of urgent threats, IIE-SRF fellows utilize the safety and academic resources provided by the fellowship to achieve a remarkable level of productivity. Their impact continues long after the fellowship. Alumni are undertaking groundbreaking research, sharing their knowledge with new generations, and improving their communities by expanding academic freedom and advancing social justice.