Beyond the visa: enabling the contribution of scholars from conflict zones

This blog was kindly authored by Naimatullah Zafary, PhD, Chevening Alumnus and University of Sussex Alumnus.

On 24 August 2021, I landed in the UK as a Chevening Scholar. The world was watching the collapse of Kabul, and I was arriving at the University of Sussex with a heavy heart but a clear mission. Over the last five years, moving from a Master’s at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) to successfully defending my PhD in Global Studies, I have been an advocate for the transformative power of education.

However, the recent ‘emergency brake’ applied by the Home Office to student visas from four conflict-torn countries, including Afghanistan – effectively halting the Chevening journey for many, especially women – threatens to silence a vital demographic of scholars. Worse still, the UK Government-appointed International Education Champion, Sir Steve Smith, has made clear that the study visa ban could well be extended to other nations.

In policy circles, the debate often focuses on the politics of immigration. But as a scholar who has lived the ‘other side of the coin’, I want to discuss what we, as international students from conflict zones, bring to the table  – can we move from an acceptance of academic casualties in the political arena to a more thoughtful and inclusive focus on contribution and mutual educational benefits?

The classroom as a space for real-world learning

Let me begin with the academic journey of students and scholars from regions currently experiencing conflict.

It is natural that perceptions of other nations are shaped by the images we see in the news. In nations plagued by violence, it’s all too easy to lose sight of human talent and often a rich intellectual tradition or a culture that prizes education. Those facing crises now may in fact have studied mathematics or science at an advanced level. There are students facing electricity blackouts who have studied the works of Adam Smith or John Maynard Keynes, or who face bombardment yet draw on the insights of Shakespeare or Austen.

And just as individuals are more than statistics in a war zone, their home countries are also complex. My own nation of Afghanistan is more than just a conflict zone; it is a nation with a rich, globally significant history of cultural development and trade. By welcoming Afghan scholars, the UK is not just offering education – it is engaging with people who have shaped global history for centuries, and who will need educated and globally connected leaders to do so in a better way in the future.

When I joined my classes at IDS in late September 2021, I did not just bring my notebooks; I brought a lifetime of lived experience in development and conflict. In our seminars, I used the situation in Afghanistan not as a distant case study, but as a real-time lesson in policy failure and resilience. This contribution had a tangible impact on my British and international peers:

• Shaping research: One of my classmates was so moved by our seminar discussions that she pivoted her entire term paper to focus on the humanitarian crisis facing Afghan women.
• Mentoring future academics: In early 2022, an MA student from a university in London reached out to document my journey through a photo essay. By sharing my life and my home, I provided him with the primary source material that helped him earn a high grade and, more importantly, a deeper empathy for the refugee experience.
• Bridging the gap for researchers: I assisted another student writing her dissertation on Afghan NGOs by connecting her directly with grassroots workers inside the country. These are connections a UK-based student could never find in a library; they are built on the trust and networks that international scholars bring with them.

Reaching the next generation: from Oxford to local colleges

This exchange of knowledge does not stop at the campus gates; it flows directly into the local community and the very fabric of British social life. Whether in the lecture hall or on the local sports field, the presence of scholars from conflict zones acts as a bridge for social cohesion.

My contribution has never been confined to the ‘ivory tower’ of the university. Alongside my PhD supervisor, Professor Magnus Marsden, who has been both an academic mentor and a ‘British elder brother’ to me, we took our findings to the community.

We delivered presentations at various colleges across Sussex, speaking directly to British teenagers. We moved beyond the headlines of ‘migration’ and ‘displacement’ to explain the human cost of conflict. This resulted in direct academic support for local students; for instance, I helped a college student with her global politics essay on human rights by providing her with recorded testimonies from NGO workers in Afghanistan. When we teach the next generation of British citizens about the world, we are not just ‘students’  – we are educators. This is an ongoing process of sharing with the next generation.

Integrating support for Afghan Women into university strategy

The ‘emergency brake’ on study visas represents a significant policy barrier, but it does not need to signal the end of UK universities’ engagement with scholars from countries no longer eligible to send students to Britain in person. To maintain the UK’s position as a global leader in education and social justice, universities now need to move from reactive support to integrated international strategies.

And there are examples of how this can work.

The University of Sussex provides a blueprint through an ‘Online Distance Learning Scholarships for Afghan Women’ initiative. An inspiring pilot programme does not rely solely on physical presence; it has awarded online Master’s scholarships in Sustainable Development to women still inside Afghanistan. By funding equipment and internet access, the university bypasses physical borders to uphold the right to education.

To scale this impact, UK universities could adopt the following policy actions:

• Diversify delivery models: Expand digital ‘Sanctuary Scholarships’ that allow Afghan women to study remotely. This ensures that even when the Home Office pauses visas, the intellectual exchange continues.
• Leverage philanthropic networks: Following the Sussex Fund model, institutions should ring-fence alumni donations specifically for ‘At-Risk Scholar’ bursaries, ensuring these programmes remain independent of shifting government funding.
• Formalise mentorship as policy: International strategies could include ‘Global Peer Mentoring’ programmes. By matching UK-based students with scholars from conflict zones (both in the UK and abroad), universities foster the ‘real-world learning’ I experienced at IDS, turning institutional strategy into personal impact.
• Advocate for Chevening exemptions: Higher education leaders at all levels should speak up for formal exemptions to the ‘visa brake’ for all Chevening scholarship recipients. These scholars are already rigorously vetted and government-funded; blocking their entry contradicts the UK’s own international development goals and undermines a vital pillar of British soft power.
• Recognise future impact in terms of SDGs: Scholars from conflict zones – especially women currently denied the right to learn – are not just seeking a degree; they are seeking to contribute to a global dialogue. We should not fall into the trap of thinking that only students from wealthy countries are relevant. UK universities are committed to work that supports the UN SDGs, and empowering this group of scholars to make future leadership contributions is one of the most profound ways universities advance a better future for the world.
• Defend in-person education too: Transnational Education is attractive to policy makers for political reasons, but out of sight can also become out of mind. The interactions that make a truly global education happen when insights and perspectives are confronted, and ideas are exchanged. If those with first-hand knowledge of the world’s greatest challenges are missing from that discussion, the whole is impoverished.

Integration through the ‘Spirit of Cricket’

Integration is a two-way street, and mine led to the cricket pitch. In June 2022, I joined the St Michael’s – Lewes Cricket Club. While the sport provided me with a temporary escape from the stress of news from home, the benefit was mutual.

Afghanistan emerged out of decades of conflict; the nation is now a major global contributor to the sport. Bringing that same tenacity to the local level in Sussex, our team celebrated a promotion by 2024. On a personal level, I was honoured to receive the Best Bowling Award for the division, taking 42 wickets in the last season.

But the feedback from my teammates was more valuable than the trophy: they told me that my presence brought a unique ‘spirit’ and energy to the club. Whether in the lab or on the field, we contribute to the social cohesion that makes British towns thrive. Our universities, as well as our sports clubs, should have the foresight to recognise that the real inclusion of global talent, in person and as part of a deep community, doesn’t just benefit the individual; the whole team is made more capable of facing the challenge ahead.