Traveling to a new country and culture can be one of the most meaningful and formative experiences that our students will have during their time at UW. Study abroad reaches beyond the program itself and can impact a student’s personal and professional life going forward. It is a great and important responsibility, helping to shape and guide these experiences.
UW Global Travel Health and Safety (GTHS) can help you minimize risks, support students, and facilitate emergency response. The following pages were adapted from the UW Study Abroad Program Director Handbook and are meant to serve as an easy-to-access resource while you are overseas.
Remember: in the event of an emergency, you are a primary point of contact for emergency services, International SOS, and Global Travel Health and Safety. The health and safety of your students is your responsibility.
Before Departure
There are a number of steps that program directors and students can take to ensure their safety and success of the trip, before departure. This page provides reminders on topics to cover with your students in your pre-departure orientations and addresses the below questions:
- Are there steps we can take to minimize risk and be best prepared, in the event of an emergency?
- What should I consider in regards to in-country transportation, accommodation, and vendors?
- How can Global Travel Health and Safety support us before we depart?
Crisis Procedures
Your response will look different, depending on the type of emergency that you or your group is facing. Here you’ll find the steps to take when dealing with:
• Serious accident or illness
• Mental health crisis
• Title IX-related incidents
• Natural disasters & political crises
Supporting Your Students
No two programs are the same and it can be difficult to prepare for the unexpected. International travel is hard and some students may encounter some challenging situations on your program. This section outlines some ways you can support your students, including:
• Student mental health warning signs
• Tips on approaching challenging conversations
• Navigating interpersonal conflict in your program
• Supporting students through culture shock or an identity crisis
Emergency Response
Step 1: Call the local emergency number
Step 2. Remind students to contact International SOS via phone (+1.215.942.8226) or the Assistance app. If the student is unable to do this themselves, you can contact ISOS on their behalf. Students who have received a waiver and purchased their own insurance should contact their individual insurance carrier.
Step 3. Contact the UW Global Emergency line at +1.206.632.0153 (answered initially by UW Police Department) or email travelemergency@uw.edu to inform Global Travel Health and Safety of the incident or for further assistance