International Travel
We work to ensure students, faculty and staff who travel abroad in an official DU capacity have the knowledge, preparation and support necessary to manage risk and travel safely. International travel is best undertaken by well-informed travelers. While international travel offers many opportunities, it also exposes travelers at any experience level to risk. We want University travelers to benefit from international experiences, but we also want to help keep our travelers safe.
With that in mind, we provide information and resources to help ensure travelers are well-informed, encourage behaviors that minimize risk, and help travelers navigate University requirements.
Restricted Travel
Out of an abundance of caution, effective March 6th, 2020, the University of Denver is modifying its travel policy until further notice. We will re-evaluate our policy when new information becomes available. All non-essential international travel for University-related programs and activities is prohibited. All students and employees must receive approval for any international travel deemed essential.
Essential travel is defined as travel that is required to: preserve the safety and security of students, faculty, staff, research subjects and research activity and which is not possible to be postponed. Essential travel is absolutely and immediately necessary. Essential travel does not include travel to attend professional or educational conferences. Conferences are just one example of non-essential travel – other activities will also be considered non-essential travel.
Students who feel that international travel is essential to their academic plans will need to complete an international travel risk petition. Please contact us with questions.
How We Mitigate Risk
DU takes all reasonable steps to help students, faculty and staff stay safe during university-sponsored international travel. By proactively providing travelers with information and resources regarding potential risks, we can educate and prepare travelers to make good decisions regarding their own well-being while abroad. These are some of the ways we promote and preserve the health and safety of our travelers:
- Our full-time International Travel Risk Analyst monitors world events through a variety of means:
- U.S. Department of State's Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC)
- U.S. Department of State's Travel Advisories and Alerts
- International SOS Notices and Advisories
- Pulse – Group for International Risk Managers
- Centers for Disease Control
- World Health Organization
- Other Countries Governmental Travel Advice
- Reputable News Sources
- Reaching out to travelers, when appropriate, to either share relevant health, safety, or security information or check-in
- Partnering with International SOS, a medical and travel assistance provider, who facilitates pre-departure travel consultations, sends email alerts regarding in-country issues, delivers 24/7 emergency response assistance and provides evacuation and repatriation services for all travelers
- Providing preparatory measures including information and resources in DU Passport and on our website
- Requiring all travelers to register with DU Passport or Pioneer Travel and Expense, which allows us to track travelers' whereabouts
- Asking travelers to consult with a physician before departure to discuss health and mental health concerns; DU's Health & Counseling Center can provide these services for student travelers
- Encouraging travelers to enroll in the U.S. Department of State's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive important information from the local embassy about safety conditions in the host country
- Collecting emergency contact information should we need to communicate information about an affected traveler to family and friends
- Evaluating on-site support and vetting program options available to travelers
- Providing health and safety resources and training for leaders taking group programs abroad
- Creating crisis management protocols in partnership with the Office of Internationalization along with the International Travel Committee.
Register your travel!
Emergencies
Emergencies happen, and we're here to help. Find information on what to do in a travel emergency, and make sure you're prepared for your trip.
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Be Prepared
Use our resources to get ready for your travel abroad experience, ensuring a safe, smooth and fulfilling experience.
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International SOS
Read up on the services our International SOS plan covers including political, medical and natural disaster evacuation and repatriation expenses.
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