The Institute of International Education (IIE) has gotten a big boost to its efforts to help scholars and students escape dangerous places. A $33 million gift from trustees will let IIE help more people whove had to leave their homes because of wars or other problems
IIE has been doing this kind of work for a long time – since the early 1900s. Theyʼve helped people get away from tough situations in many countries‚ like Nazi Germany and South Africa during apartheid. In 2002 (about 22 years ago) they started a special fund just for helping scholars who are in danger
One person who got help from IIE is Sami Muslih. He had to leave Gaza City with his kids when the Israel-Gaza war started about a year ago. Their house was destroyed‚ and they couldnt find a safe place to stay in Gaza. IIE helped Muslih come to the U.S. so he could keep doing his work as a math professor
Cornell University has been part of this effort too. Theyʼve given a place to work to 12 scholars who had to leave their countries. This includes an artist from Afghanistan and a political cartoonist from Nicaragua
Academic freedom is core to the entire mission of higher education and the university
IIE also helps students who are refugees. One of them is Naw Bee Bi from Myanmar. She lost her dad to a land mine when she was little and had to live in a refugee camp in Thailand. Now‚ thanks to IIEʼs help‚ shes studying digital media at a university in Bangkok
The world is seeing more and more conflicts that last a long time. This means more people need help to keep learning and doing research. IIEʼs work is important because it gives these people a chance to keep going with their studies and maybe even make discoveries that could help everyone in the future