Study abroad programs exist through partnership. Safety is a shared responsibility between participants, their support networks, their institution, and its partners. For a full outline of the fundamental expectations for health, safety, and security in study abroad, see here.
Expectations for you and your support network. You, as the program participant, should engage in thoughtful research and consideration as you decide on the right study abroad program for you. Support networks, like your family, should bolster your decision-making process while allowing you to take the lead. As you analyze the safety factors of a study abroad program, take the following actions:
- Find out more about your potential host locations. Research program location(s) that interest you, with particular emphasis on health, safety, and security concerns, as well as the current social, cultural, and political situations. This research should also include information specific to identity and accessibility concerns.
- Discover a local newspaper that prints in a language you can read! Start following the news.
- Review the Department of State travel advisories.
- Talk to a student who has participated in the program.
- Make a list of your personal health and wellbeing needs. Consider your personal physical and mental health, as well as other personal factors and identities that may have a bearing on your well-being during your study abroad program. Disclose to appropriate staff accurate and complete accommodation needs and physical and mental health information.
- Consider any prescriptions you might need and if you can access them abroad.
- Book a physical exam and discuss travel and continuing care with your doctor and any other members of your care team, including any mental health professionals.
- Will you need other physical or academic accommodations to participate in your program? Bring these up with your advisor right away.
- Talk with your study abroad advisor. Read and carefully consider all materials issued by your program or university that relate to safety, health, legal, environmental, political, cultural, and religious conditions in the host location(s). Be familiar with current relevant resources, and seek additional information before and during travel as needed.
- For a list of health and safety related questions to ask your study abroad advisor, look below! Remember: this is your decision, this is your program, you [the student] should be the one communicating with your study abroad advisor.
Expectations for your study abroad office and their partners. Study abroad advisors are knowledgeable about study abroad programs and can help students find programs that fit their academic, professional, and personal goals. Beyond advising students, your study abroad office manages their portfolio of programs, and as such, often works with partner organizations, commonly referred to as “program providers,” to assist with the implementation of these programs. The nature of the partnership will depend on the needs of your university and your unique program. Most often, program providers manage the on-site operations of a program.
- The core health, safety, and security responsibilities connected to a Study Abroad office include:
- Maintain strong partnerships. Collaborate with partners, like a program provider, to ensure that destinations, itineraries, and activities are consistent with health, safety, and security policies of the responsible organization.
- Provide information about institutional insurance. Understand and convey the provisions, processes, and exclusions of the institutional insurance policy covering participants on the program.
- Stay up to date. Seek relevant and current knowledge about the health, safety, and security of study abroad offerings and local conditions.
- The core health, safety, and security responsibilities connected to a program provider include:
- Equip and train on-site staff. Provide training for personnel and participants to support effective and accurate awareness and implementation of health, safety, and security protocols; behavior management; and emergency management before, during, and after the program.
- Be prepared for emergency situations. Develop and maintain emergency preparedness processes and an emergency response plan, including a communication plan for all stakeholders prior to participants’ arrival in the host country.
- Provide local expertise. Maintain and communicate to participants current knowledge about location-specific laws, regulations, and protections that may or may not be accorded to participants.
