First refugee academics from Gaza will begin UK fellowships

They will soon begin fellowships at the University of Edinburgh and Cambridge University.

One rescued academic will begin her PhD in management at the University of Edinburgh. Thanks to support from Cara and the university, she was able to travel to Scotland with her four children and her partner.

Cara said that 13 more academics will soon follow, including some taking up fellowships at the University of Glasgow.

The incoming academics have been anonymised for their protection. 

Palestinian academics are searching for a way out of Gaza after their homes and places of work were destroyed. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

Another set to arrive soon is Mr F H, who previously worked at the University College of Applied Sciences in Gaza. He was forced to relocated his family several times in Gaza, before finally escaping via the Rafah crossing between Palestine and Egypt and making contact with Cara.

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The incoming Palestinian academics are the first to be rescued from the region by Cara since October 2023. 

Cara was founded in the 1930s, when it worked to rescue German academics from Nazi persecution. Since then, demand for Cara's help has grown, with the charity reporting a record number of applications since 2021.

Having helped at-risk academics escape from Afghanistan, Ukraine, Syria and more, the war in Gaza is the most recent global conflict to create a dangerous environment for academics. UN reports have found that 80% of schools and universities in Gaza have been destroyed in the war, and there are estimates that at least 105 Palestinian academics have been killed.

The University of Edinburgh is one of the many UK universities offering support for refugee academics. (Image: Unsplash)

Since 2017, 14 Palestinian Fellows have completed or are completing placements, excluding those who have arrived since 2023. 

Two of the Cara Fellows who completed their placements returned to Gaza shortly before the outbreak of the war in October 2023.

Cara reported that one has been killed since returning.

The surviving fellow said that they are facing a daily struggle.

"We are still alive in a horrible situation moving from place to place.  We are sleeping on the sand near the sea with little food, water, and power under continuous fire attacks.

"We still do hope for peace.” 

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A Cara spokesperson said that the Israel-Hamas war has directly led to a recent spike in demand for the charity's support. Since 2021, Cara has reported a 400% increase in requests compared to the previous three academic years. 

This represents the highest demands since the charity was founded in the 1930s, with Palestinians accounting for the highest number of academics in need or urgent help.

The charity relies on fundraising and funding from universities to help rescue and settle refugee academics, including their families when possible.

Seven Scottish universities are home to current Cara Fellows:

• University of Edinburgh (10 Fellows)
• University of St Andrews (Three Fellows)
• University of Glasgow (Three Fellows)
• University of Dundee (Three Fellows)
• University of Strathclyde (Two Fellows)
• University of Stirling (One Fellow)
• Heriot-Watt University (One Fellow)

Stephen Wordsworth, Executive Director of Cara, said that the charity is at a "pivotal moment" in its history.

"The desperate pleas for help from scholars facing persecution and danger – in Gaza and around the world – have surged to levels not seen since our foundation nearly a century ago.  

"Despite relocating more threatened academics than at any time in our history – thanks to the generous support of our university partners— the sheer number of academics now at risk poses a major challenge. 
 
“To meet this challenge and continue this vital work, we must secure additional funding. With greater support, we would be able to give even more scholars the chance to rebuild their lives and importantly, their shattered societies, when it is safe for them to return." 

Cara has launched a fundraising roadshow tour of UK universities in response to the greater demand. Cara has already visited the Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Durham and will now visit the London School of Economics (24 October), University of St Andrews (30 October), Cardiff Metropolitan University (14 November) and University of Loughborough (28 November).