SCRIPTS has created an emergency fund to grant special fellowships to scholars at risk from Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia in cooperation with the Institute for Eastern Studies Berlin (OEI Berlin) and the Centre for East European and International Studies (ZOiS). No new scholarships are currently being awarded.

Interview with the Academic Coordinator of Diversity and Internationalization

SCRIPTS: What was the reasoning for setting up the programme?

Dr. Brinthanan Puvaneswaran: “In March we were confronted with a rapidly evolving situation because the Russian Federation intensified its War with Ukraine and many scholars were displaced. We came to the assessment that there is the need for uncomplicated academic opportunities for the displaced scholars so that they can literally catch a breath and develop with us their future plans.”

SCRIPTS: How does the programme integrate into the broader structure and programme of the Cluster?

Dr. Brinthanan Puvaneswaran: "Sadly, the displacement of scholars on a large scale and the tightening of restrictions on academic freedom is a phenomenon that we observe more and more frequently in recent years (e.g. Turkey, Belarus, Afghanistan). SCRIPTS has always had the idea to support displaced scholars and became active this year."

SCRIPTS: How do you assess the success of the programme so far?

Dr. Brinthanan Puvaneswaran: "We were able to host seven scholars and support five of them in finding secure follow-up opportunities. Two of them are currently working on DFG proposals."

SCRIPTS: Are there plans to prolong the programme?

Dr. Brinthanan Puvaneswaran: "One more person will hopefully be able to join us in January 2023. The future development of the program depends on the current events.

Special Fellows in this Programme

• Dr. Olena Podvorna (15 Apr. – 15 Jul. 2022 & 1 Aug. – 31 Oct. 2022)
• Dr. Tetiana Kostiuchenko (15 Apr. – 15 Jul. 2022)
• Prof. Dr. Alexander Kalgin, (1. Feb. – 31 Dec. 2022)
• Dr. Denys Kiryukhin (15 May – 14 Aug. 2022)

"My fellowships at SCRIPTS was a great experience for me. First, I got the opportunity to see how a European university works and to take part in seminars myself. Free discussion, criticality, depth analysis of research themes and goodwill to various positions are what inspired me in SCRIPTS' work. In addition, I have had the opportunity to study the German scientific research system and receive a lot of valuable advice on how to prepare a plan for my own research project. Last but not least, there was invaluable communication with the SCRIPTS' team that was always open to dialogue and ready to help. My research project about the illiberal turn (so called “the conservative turn”) of post-soviet states has received funding from Wallenberg Foundations and I will work on it at Lund University."

• Arseniy Kumankov (15 Jun. – 15 Sept. 2022)
• Guzel Yusupova (1. Jul. – 31. Sept. 2022 & 1. Oct. – 31. Oct. 2022)
• Oleksiy Kandyuk (forthcoming)