19/01/2026
Dr. Asma Hedi Nairi, a visiting professor at Sabancı Business School, has been selected for the 2025-2026 Mellon/SAR Academic Freedom Fellowship program, receiving a significant international award.
Dr. Asma Hedi Nairi is known for her academic work in the fields of human rights, digital political discourse, and migration studies in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region. Nairi, who teaches courses on humanitarian aid mechanisms, international NGOs, and critical communication at Sabancı University, is also actively involved as the MENA Regional Manager of the International Detention Coalition.
The Mellon/SAR Academic Freedom Fellowship Program is a prestigious program run in collaboration with The Mellon Foundation and Scholars at Risk (SAR), supporting early-career academics who research academic freedom and the values of free thought in higher education. Researchers selected for the program have the opportunity to work on their grant-supported projects and produce outputs such as publications, course development, or conference presentations.
Dr. Asma Hedi Nairi's work focuses particularly on democratic regression, the restriction of academic freedom, and policies related to knowledge production. Her contributions to academic freedoms and her efforts to bring diverse cultural perspectives to scholarly discussions played a significant role in her selection for this prestigious fellowship.
