Dr Sonja Knutson was the Director of the Internationalization Office (IO) at Memorial University from 2015 to 2024, and is adjunct professor with the Faculty of Education.

In her role as director, Sonja was responsible for leading, partnering and supporting the Internationalization Office to implement the actions of the Strategic Internationalization Plan 2020 at Memorial. She oversaw a team with responsibilities that range from international student support, mobility and partnerships, an overseas campus, federal and provincial government relations, and capacity building projects and consultancies. 

Dr. Knutson is committed to supporting the professional field of internationalization through her teaching, research and service.  She has contributed chapters to several recent publications, and is a frequent presenter at international conferences. She teaches graduate courses in internationalization of higher education and is on the doctoral supervisory committees of two graduate students in the Faculty of Education, as well as mentoring students internationally who are completing doctorates in the field. She served for six years on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Bureau for International Education. She also held the role of chair of NAFSA’s International Education Leadership Knowledge Community, and worked with that group for four years. In honour of her retirement, donations can be made to Scholars at Risk at Memorial University.

Overview of Scholars at Risk:

In 2017 Memorial University joined Scholars at Risk (SAR), a network of more than 400 higher education institutions 139 countries working to protect threatened scholars, prevent attacks on higher education and promote academic freedom. We are part of a member network of 28 Canadian Universities: https://www.scholarsatrisk.org/sections/sar-canada/ 

SAR member institutions assist persecuted scholars and students by offering temporary research and teaching positions, monitoring and advocating against attacks on higher education and conducting learning initiatives to promote academic freedom.

Scholars at Risk’s work is rooted in the principle of academic freedom - the freedom to pursue scholarship and research without discrimination, censorship, intimidation, or violence. SAR aims to bring scholars facing severe human rights abuses in their home region to positions universities, colleges, and research centers in any safe country.

Stakeholders support the management of employment and placement; communication and event planning; fundraising activities and the arrival and settlement of scholars and their families.