The Threatened Scholars Integration Initiative (TSI) is a project of the Open Society University Network (OSUN). OSUN is a network of over forty teaching and research institutions around the world. TSI offers Fellowships in OSUN institutions for scholars who have lost their academic positions or cannot remain in their home countries due to threats or actions from authoritarian regimes, persecution for their views or identities, or other risks. Fellowship activities can include teaching, research, writing and other creative activities, and participating in the scholarly and cultural life of host institutions and the broader OSUN community.
The category of Threatened Scholar includes: career academics, graduate students, and independent scholars, as well as writers, intellectuals, and artists whose work relates to teaching, learning, research, and the public mission of higher education, and whose lives or livelihoods are currently at risk.
TSI offers two types of Fellowships:
Fellows are selected in a variety of ways. TSI prioritizes placements for Fellows at OSUN institutions where there are strong pre-existing ties or significant overlaps in research interests and/or teaching needs.
The category of Threatened Scholar includes: career academics, graduate students, and independent scholars, as well as writers, intellectuals, and artists whose work relates to teaching, learning, research, and the public mission of higher education, and whose lives or livelihoods are currently at risk.
TSI offers two types of Fellowships:
- Residential Fellows reside at a host OSUN institution and work with colleagues there, participating in regular activities of the university, by mutual agreement: teaching, research, advising, administration, programming, and other academic engagements. Fellowships typically include salary, benefits, and support for research and travel, following local standards. Generally, Residential Fellowships cover a two-year period, based on available funding and an evaluation by the scholar and the host institution after year one, with the possibility of renewal for a third academic year, again, based on shared costs with the hosting institution, available funding, and continued mutual agreement.
- Non-Residential Fellows are scholars who cannot, or choose not to, leave their home countries or who are unable to travel from a third country. Non-Residential Fellows are affiliated with a hosting OSUN institution. They pursue academic work online and in coordination with their host colleagues. Non-Residential Fellowships cover one academic year with the possibility of renewal for an additional year, based on available funding and an evaluation by the scholar and the host institution. The stipend amount for Non-Residential Fellows is substantially lower than that for Residential Fellows
Fellows are selected in a variety of ways. TSI prioritizes placements for Fellows at OSUN institutions where there are strong pre-existing ties or significant overlaps in research interests and/or teaching needs.
- Nominations
Given the complexity of matching scholars with institutions that are not already familiar with the scholar or their work, TSI has a strong preference for applicants who are nominated by potential hosts. Applicants should explore their connections, direct and indirect, with colleagues across the full range of OSUN institutions, and seek out one or more to discuss the possibility of a placement there. These placements come at no or very little cost to the host institutions. The support of threatened scholars is a core value of the network. What is most important is the building of a real connection between the potential Fellow and the potential host, and a clear vision of the role the Fellow would play at the institution. Once a host institution has agreed to nominate a scholar, they complete and submit the nomination form for Residential Fellows or the form for Non-Residential Fellows.
- Applications
For Threatened Scholars who are interested in a Fellowship but do not not have or cannot develop connections with OSUN institutions that can serve as nominators, TSI also permits self-applications. That process begins with the completion of the registration document.
On the basis of that information, staff decide on the eligibility, or suitability, of the Scholar for an application. If it is clear that the scholar does not meet our criteria for a Fellowship, the scholar will be informed that TSI is not the appropriate path for them. If the scholar does meet TSI’s general eligibility criteria, they will be sent an application form. Again, given the difficulty and time required to match applicants with potential host institutions, TSI strongly prioritizes nominated applicants over all others
On the basis of that information, staff decide on the eligibility, or suitability, of the Scholar for an application. If it is clear that the scholar does not meet our criteria for a Fellowship, the scholar will be informed that TSI is not the appropriate path for them. If the scholar does meet TSI’s general eligibility criteria, they will be sent an application form. Again, given the difficulty and time required to match applicants with potential host institutions, TSI strongly prioritizes nominated applicants over all others
Nominations
Once a nomination is made, TSI determines whether the Fellowship as proposed meets the goals of the program and will be of benefit to the scholar, the host, and the network. This determination depends on a number of factors, including principally whether the nominating institution and TSI agree on an integration plan for the Fellow and a budget for the Fellowship. This process takes, on average, three months from the date the nomination is submitted, although every decision can not be completed within this time frame.
Once a nomination is made, TSI determines whether the Fellowship as proposed meets the goals of the program and will be of benefit to the scholar, the host, and the network. This determination depends on a number of factors, including principally whether the nominating institution and TSI agree on an integration plan for the Fellow and a budget for the Fellowship. This process takes, on average, three months from the date the nomination is submitted, although every decision can not be completed within this time frame.
Applications
Calls for applications are generally held twice a year, with application deadlines in March and September. (TSI may also consider applications independent of these two rounds in cases of emergency or other special circumstances.) Because applications require finding an appropriate institutional host for each scholar, and then building an integration plan from scratch, this process requires significantly more time than does the nomination process. TSI’s goal is to find a placement for a scholar within six months of the application deadline however this is contingent on many factors outside the control of TSI. Applications that have not been matched with a host institution after nine months will either be rejected or placed in a “hold” category should there be significant likelihood of a host becoming available in the near future.
Calls for applications are generally held twice a year, with application deadlines in March and September. (TSI may also consider applications independent of these two rounds in cases of emergency or other special circumstances.) Because applications require finding an appropriate institutional host for each scholar, and then building an integration plan from scratch, this process requires significantly more time than does the nomination process. TSI’s goal is to find a placement for a scholar within six months of the application deadline however this is contingent on many factors outside the control of TSI. Applications that have not been matched with a host institution after nine months will either be rejected or placed in a “hold” category should there be significant likelihood of a host becoming available in the near future.
TSI is not currently accepting Applications and Nominations for Fellowships.
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