International Travel and Safety – Students Procedure

1. Purpose

Loyalist College acknowledges that learning can be enhanced by experiences in a global environment. This policy has been developed to ensure that all reasonable precautions are taken for the safety of students who travel abroad for College-approved international activities, and to effectively manage measures intended to mitigate the risks associated with international travel.

2. Application

This policy applies to all students travelling internationally on College-approved international activities.

3. Roles and Responsibilities

Once a student’s international travel has been approved, it is the student’s responsibility to acquire medical insurance for the duration of their trip. It is also recommended that students obtain travel insurance.

In circumstances where students wish to use personal time in conjunction with College related international activities, but for purposes outside of those described in the associated policy, students are responsible for making all necessary arrangements, including acquiring medical insurance for the full duration of their trip.
The College will, to the best of its ability, assist students who are engaged in international activities that require international travel.

Regardless of travel warnings issued by DFATD, it is the individual traveller’s responsibility to be informed of the inherent risks of international travel and to take precautions to avoid undue risk and danger.

The Dean or Director overseeing the international activity will approve individual and groups of students travelling abroad on international activities. This approval will be based upon a review of the DFATD Risk Rating of the destination, the potential risk posed by the planned activities and any necessary consultation with the faculty member or employee.

The College shall not sanction travel by students participating in international activities in countries or regions deemed Extreme Risk or High Risk by DFATD. Students may appeal a decision to decline, postpone or cancel travel for international activities, as outlined in the procedures section below.

The final decision concerning appeals rests with the Senior Vice-President Academic and the Senior Vice-President Corporate Services and CFO.

Students must adhere to all steps and measures outlined in the procedures section of this policy and are reminded that they continue to be governed by College policies while travelling internationally.

The administration (Senior Vice-President Academic, Deans/Chairs and Directors) have the authority to disallow student participation or the granting of academic credit if the minimum requirements for participation in international activities are not met.

4. Students

4.1 Students must visit the Foreign Affairs and Trade Development Canada website for information on cultural and legal factors that will impact their experiences during international travel.

4.2 Group Travel:

• 4.2.1 The Group Leader is responsible for completing the Approval Risk Assessment Form for International Travel Involving Students (Appendix A) and submitting the documentation to their Approval Authority in order to receive trip approval.
• 4.2.2 The Approval Authority of their designate, will review the Approval Risk Assessment Form for International Travel Involving Students and will authorize or deny travel accordingly.
• 4.2.3 If the activity is classified as a field trip as per policy AOP 205 Field Trips, the Approval Authority should ensure that, in addition to meeting the guidelines of the International Travel and Safety Policy – Students, the activity also conforms to the requirements set out in AOP 205.
• 4.2.4 Group travel arrangements may also be informed through reference to the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO).

4.3 Students on Placement:

• 4.3.1 Students who are intending to participate in international travel for placement credit must review the request with the faculty member/program coordinator and complete the Approval Risk Assessment Form for International Travel Involving Students (Appendix A).
• 4.3.2 The Approval Authority or their designate, will review the student’s planned activities, ensure a completed International Travel Risk Assessment Form is filled out, and will authorize or deny travel accordingly. In addition, the Approval Authority will ensure that all placement approval documents are completed in advance of the placement.
• 4.3.3 Accident insurance will be provided to students on international placements by ACE INA Insurance (Appendix B), except for where the placement is done in the student’s country of primary residence, as per the Ministry of Colleges and Universities.
• 4.3.4 Students will make regular contact with the faculty member overseeing the placement, as stipulated in the placement course outline, assessments and approval documents. This is consistent with the level of contact for students on in-country placements.

4.4 All students participating in approved international activities must:

• 4.4.1 Register their travel with the Dean/Chair or Director at least six weeks prior to departure (International Student Traveller Registration Form, Appendix C).
• 4.4.2 Register with the DFATD’s Registration of Canadians Abroad. Students who do not hold Canadian citizenship will, when possible, register with their own Embassy or High Commission in the destination country.
• 4.4.3 Confirm that they possess medical insurance for the full duration of travel by completing the Pre-Departure Information Form (Appendix D).
• 4.4.4 Complete the Release of Liability, Waiver of Claims and Indemnity Agreement (Appendix E), and Travel Code of Conduct Agreement (Appendix F) and submit to their Dean/Chair or Director.
• 4.4.5 Participate in any pre-departure sessions organized by their program, school or department.
• 4.4.6 Provide the emergency contact information, requested upon registration for the College out-ofcountry medical insurance, which facilitates a single point of contact in an emergency.
• 4.4.7 Complete all necessary placement forms in advance of the placement.
• 4.4.8 Obtain any visas or associated immigration documents and meet immunization requirements necessary to enter their country(ies) of destination.
• 4.4.9 Promptly report accidents that occur during College-approved travel.

4.5 Monitoring Risk Ratings:

• It is the student and/or group leader’s responsibility to stay informed of hanging conditions by monitoring DFATD’s travel advisories.

4.6 International Crisis and Changes in Risk Ratings:

• It is the student and/or group leader’s responsibility to be informed of an international crisis or change to the Risk Rating to High Risk or Extreme Risk in a country or region where they are in place, or have been approved to travel. Consequences may include the cancellation of travel or the recall of students. If students are advised to leave while on travel, they must do so.

4.7 Appeal Process:

• 4.7.1 Students, group leaders who wish to appeal the denial of approval for international travel may do so, in writing or by email, to the appropriate Dean/Chair or Director. The communication should include a brief description of the proposed program or activity, the number of people travelling, an outline of the extenuating circumstances and rationale for proceeding with the proposed travel despite the Risk Rating or safety concerns, and a description of specific mitigation measures that will be employed to address the associated risks.
• 4.7.2 The Dean/Chair or Director will forward the appeal, along with his or her comments, to the Senior Vice-President Academic.
• 4.7.3 The Senior Vice-President Academic, in conjunction with the Senior Vice-President Corporate Services and CFO, will review the appeal and make a final decision.

4.8 Emergency Circumstances:

• 4.8.1 Should the Dean/Chair or Director become aware of emergency circumstances, either in Canada or in the country or region where a student is currently travelling abroad, measures may be taken, utilizing all information available, to facilitate all necessary contacts, actions on behalf of the College and actions for the return of the student, as deemed appropriate in the circumstances and respecting College policies.
• 4.8.2 Such actions will be taken in the context of all relevant regulations an policies of the College and all established protocols related to the travel, in the best interest of the student and the College.

5. Related Documents or Links

• International Travel and Safety – Students Policy
• International Travel and Safety for Loyalist Appendices

6. References

• This policy and procedure is based on Algonquin College’s International Travel and Safety – Students policy (AA44).