Around the world, scholars have long suffered harassment, detention, torture, and other forms of persecution as a result of their work. In the worst cases, scholars pay with their lives for their dedication to their academic work and freedom of thought. The Institute of International Education (IIE), an independent not-for-profit organization, has participated in the rescue of persecuted scholars since its founding in 1919. In 2002, IIE launched the Scholar Rescue Fund (IIE-SRF) to formalize its commitment to protecting the lives, voices, and ideas of scholars around the globe.