Bard College Berlin News
Message from Managing Director Florian Becker regarding scholars in Afghanistan
Dear friends of Bard College Berlin,
We wish to express our deep concern for our Afghan students and their families at Bard College Berlin, Bard College (USA), the American University of Central Asia (AUCA), Bard’s long-time dual-degree partner, and the American University of Afghanistan (AUAf), our partner institution in the Open Society University Network (OSUN).
The leadership of Bard College in New York is now working to find safe havens for students and graduates. President Leon Botstein has offered that Bard would immediately take in as many as 100 students in Annandale, as well as threatened scholars. Vice President Jonathan Becker has arranged for The American University of Central Asia to offer scholarships through OSUN to up to 120 graduates, in addition to its 120 Afghan undergraduates, and a home to another 100+ AUAf students. Several other OSUN partners have stepped forward and offered to take students and faculty through OSUN’s Threatened Scholars Integration Initiative (TSI), of which Bard College Berlin is a member.
Bard College Berlin is committed to providing scholarships for Afghan students at risk and to offering these students a personal and academic sanctuary here in Berlin.
While most Afghans are trapped at the moment, we need to be prepared to act as soon as possibilities to leave the country become available. We are urgently inviting donations now so that Afghan students will be able to enroll at our college once pathways are clear. Donations will be matched with funds from the OSUN Threatened Scholars Integration Initiative.
Sincerely,
Dr. Florian N. Becker
Managing Director, Bard College Berlin
Post Date: 08-18-2021
We wish to express our deep concern for our Afghan students and their families at Bard College Berlin, Bard College (USA), the American University of Central Asia (AUCA), Bard’s long-time dual-degree partner, and the American University of Afghanistan (AUAf), our partner institution in the Open Society University Network (OSUN).
The leadership of Bard College in New York is now working to find safe havens for students and graduates. President Leon Botstein has offered that Bard would immediately take in as many as 100 students in Annandale, as well as threatened scholars. Vice President Jonathan Becker has arranged for The American University of Central Asia to offer scholarships through OSUN to up to 120 graduates, in addition to its 120 Afghan undergraduates, and a home to another 100+ AUAf students. Several other OSUN partners have stepped forward and offered to take students and faculty through OSUN’s Threatened Scholars Integration Initiative (TSI), of which Bard College Berlin is a member.
Bard College Berlin is committed to providing scholarships for Afghan students at risk and to offering these students a personal and academic sanctuary here in Berlin.
While most Afghans are trapped at the moment, we need to be prepared to act as soon as possibilities to leave the country become available. We are urgently inviting donations now so that Afghan students will be able to enroll at our college once pathways are clear. Donations will be matched with funds from the OSUN Threatened Scholars Integration Initiative.
Sincerely,
Dr. Florian N. Becker
Managing Director, Bard College Berlin
Post Date: 08-18-2021