About
Council for Assisting Refugee Academics (CARA)
Through scholarships and targeted information and advice, CARA helps refugee academics re-establish their lives and careers so that their special knowledge and abilities may continue to benefit humankind. CARA also uses its expertise to provide advice and develop resources for the wider refugee community on education, training and employment opportunities.
London has always attracted highly skilled and educated people. Scholars and similarly highly educated professionals began arriving in London in large numbers during the 1930s. It was at this time that CARA was set up by London based academics, scholars and writers to support their colleagues who were arriving here in difficult circumstances. The exact size of the refugee academic community in London is not known but, since CARA's inception, the vast majority of academics and professionals who arrive in the UK stay in London when given the chance.
CARA's community was traditionally refugee scholars - university professors and lecturers and their families. However in the past five years our client group has widened to encompass other professionals with postgraduate degrees and vocational or professional qualifications who make use of our information and advice services. These new community members include scientific researchers, artists, health professionals, musicians, lawyers, political consultants, journalists, accountants and religious scholars. Past CARA Scholars have become members of the British Academy and have been nominated for and awarded Nobel Prizes.
