Canadian universities often say they stand for justice, academic freedom, and the public good. These values appear prominently in strategic mission statements and guidelines. But what would it look like to put these values into practice more fully—in ways that go further into shaping institutional priorities, practices, and on-campus opportunities?
This question lies at the heart of what many call the third mission of higher education: the idea that universities have a role beyond teaching and research, grounded in moral responsibility for advancing societal wellbeing. At its core, this mission is about actively contributing to the cultural, environmental, economic, social, and scientific development that helps societies thrive (Pinheiro, Langa, & Pausits, 2015). In Canada, this ambition was echoed in the Universities Canada Roundtables on Social Impact, which urged institutions to embed social impact into strategic plans and foster cultures where students, staff, and faculty “take ownership of their social impact” (Universities Canada, 2020).
This raises an important question: could supporting the people who defend human rights be one of the most meaningful ways to advance this mission? After all, many Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) work to uphold fundamental rights—including academic and democratic freedoms—that underpin the very existence of universities as we know them.
A role uniquely suited to higher education
When defenders are silenced or forced to flee, the impact doesn’t stop at the borders of their homes. It weakens the civic spaces and freedoms everyone relies on—students, researchers, and communities—to exchange ideas and challenge injustice. While hosting HRDs can help sustain academic freedom, it also strengthens the broader respect for human rights that the global community depends on.
Canadian universities are especially well positioned to step into this role, as “protectors, collaborators, and incubators” of civic resilience (Gready & Jackson, 2023). They have the infrastructure, experience, credibility, and networks that can offer more than just temporary safety. A supportive campus can help defenders continue their work, build capacity, and share their insights. Importantly, the support isn’t a one-way exchange. As the Universities Canada report observed, “Community engagement initiatives have typically been viewed as charitable activity ‘to help’ the community, instead of recognizing the reciprocal nature of the relationship and the unique benefits that the community brings to the university” (Universities Canada, 2020).
HRDs bring vital experiences into communities. They set a reminder that human rights aren’t abstract—they’re living commitments that shape international norms, social development, and the public purpose of higher education. Defenders can act as educators, researchers, and mentors. They can enrich teaching at universities through contributing firsthand knowledge that deepens curricula and drives innovation in social justice education (Gready & Jackson, 2023).
From intention to practice
Universities often measure success primarily through economic and output-based metrics, such as student enrolment, graduate employability, publication output, and research funding, which may undervalue or overlook contributions to civic engagement, democratic resilience, and human rights. Expanding evaluation frameworks to include and properly value these social impacts could help institutions better align their priorities with the values they promote (Carl & Menter, 2021).
Some Canadian universities are already showing what this can look like with HRD support programs. For example, McGill University’s O’Brien Fellowship, hosted by the Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism, offers a secure and reciprocal environment for defenders to continue their human rights work, further their professional development, and connect with civil society and academic communities. At the University of Guelph, the Activist-in-Residence program gives defenders space to reflect on their work as well as to engage with students. As one activist noted:
“What I’m hoping to bring is a message of hope… to help students understand that they have the power to change their world because through social justice work, things get done.”
(Dr. Marsha Hinds Myrie, Guelph Today, 2024)
Internationally, several programs have demonstrated what is possible when institutions collaborate and take a stand. ProtectDefenders.eu, a European Union-funded consortium, has helped universities and civil society organizations support thousands of defenders. The University of York’s Centre for Applied Human Rights has been a pioneer supporter since 2008, offering protective fellowships where defenders can reset, build networks, and re-energize, as well as helping other universities develop their own hosting initiatives.
Pathways to Sustainable Support
Creating sustainable programs for HRD support takes work, and more progress is needed to make this feasible for more institutions. While in-person placements are an ideal, flexible or remote models—such as access to libraries, networks, mentorship, training, or bursaries in partnership with a faculty—can also make a meaningful difference. And while government funding would also be ideal, Canadian universities already have models to draw from: student levies, such as the WUSC Student Refugee Program (WUSC, 2020), and endowments like McGill’s O’Brien Fellowship demonstrate that long-term support can be sustained from within.
Canada’s policy landscape has had some concerning developments, such as the proposed Bill C-2 ‘Strong Borders’ legislation, which has raised alarms about narrowing asylum pathways for those most at risk. At the same time, there has also been some encouraging momentum. In 2021, the federal government launched a dedicated HRD refugee stream aimed at resettling 250 HRDs and their families annually, later expanded to 500—a clear sign of an evolving national commitment (Government of Canada, 2023). Many HRDs are also already in Canada, where universities could serve as supportive communities.
A Call to Action
The opportunity is here. While funding, immigration, and institutional coordination can be significant challenges, they are not insurmountable. So, let’s take the path toward making our universities places where the third mission truly shines—where HRD knowledge, resilience, and experience are protected, valued, and woven into the governance, curriculum, and mandate of higher education. Where all Canadian universities can become safe hubs for human rights and their defenders, helping build a more just and resilient world.
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At the University of British Columbia, the Human Rights Collective housed in the Office of Regional and International Community Engagement (ORICE), in partnership with Resilient Societies, is leading a research project to map and document Canadian university-based programs that directly support human rights defenders. The project will identify best practices, drawing on both Canadian and international examples, and recommend ways universities can strengthen their support— including through collaboration with HRDs and civil society groups, and through improved public policy. To learn more and stay connected to upcoming events and findings, you can follow the UBC Human Rights Collective.
References
Carl, Johannas and Menter, Matthias. (2021). “The social impact of universities: assessing the effects of the three university missions on social engagement.” Studies in Higher Education 46(5): 965-976. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2021.1896803
Government of Canada. (2023). “Canada doubles resettlement spaces for human rights defenders”https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2023/07/canada-doubles-resettlement-spaces-for-human-rights-defenders.html
Gready, Paul, and Emma Jackson. (2023). “Universities as Sites of Activism and Protection,” University of York. UNESCO Policy Brief 2. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6540fbb77df51973568ecb34/t/654a269b6ff6e538a46e9b87/1699358363965/Unesco+policy+brief+No.2+%28Nov23%29.pdf
Guelph Today. (2024). “U of G’s new activists-in-residence combine activism with academia.” https://www.guelphtoday.com/success/u-of-g-activists-in-residence-unite-activism-with-academia-8215434
McGill University. (2022). O’Brien Fellowship Programs. Centre for Human Rights & Legal Pluralism. https://www.mcgill.ca/humanrights/obrien
OHCHR. (n.d.). “About human rights defenders.” United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-human-rights-defenders/about-human-rights-defenders
Pinheiro, Rómulo, Langa, Patricio. V., and Pausits, Attila. (2015). “One and two equals three? The third mission of higher education institutions.”. European Journal of Higher Education 5(3): 233–249. https://doi.org/10.1080/21568235.2015.1044552
ProtectDefenders.eu (2024). The protectdefenders.eu temporary relocation programme: Supporting defenders in the most challenging contexts. ProtectDefenders. https://protectdefenders.eu/the-protectdefenders-eu-temporary-relocation-programme-supporting-defenders-in-the-most-challenging-contexts/
Resilient societies. (n.d.). https://rsocieties.org/
UBC Human Rights Collective. (n.d.). https://humanrightscollective.ubc.ca/
United Kingdom National Commission for UNESCO. (2025). Guidelines for universities hosting Human Rights Defenders 2025 – UNESCO Chair on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and expansion of political space. https://unesco.org.uk/resources/guideline-for-universities-hosting-human-rights-defenders-2025-unesco-chair-on-the-protection-of-human-rights-defenders-and
Universities Canada. (2020). “Regional perspectives on the social impact of Canadian universities.”https://www.univcan.ca/publication/regional-perspectives-on-the-social-impact-of-canadian-universities/
University of Guelph. (n.d.). Activists-in-residence. Grounded Engaged Theory Lab. https://www.getlab.ca/activist-in-residence/
Woolf, M. (2025). Border bill would leave dissidents who visited Canada in the past at risk: experts. The Globe and Mail. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-canada-immigration-changes-foreign-dissidents-asylum/
WUSC (2020). Students in Canada vote “Yes!” to refugee resettlement – WUSC (World University Service of Canada). https://wusc.ca/students-in-canada-vote-yes-to-refugee-resettlement/