Innovative Educators
presents…
Study Abroad: Safety, Liability and Risk
Management
www.innovativeeducators.org
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Study Abroad: Safety, Liability and Risk
Management from a University Perspective
Natalie A. Mello
Director of Global Opportunities
Interdisciplinary & Global Studies Division
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Where to start?
• Responsible Study Abroad:
Good Practices for Health and Safety
http://www.nafsa.org/knowledge_community_network.sec/education_abroad_1/
education_abroad_2/practice_resources_12/health_safety/guidelines_for_h
ealth
• Provides general guidelines
– Families
– Participants
– Program Sponsors
• Consider this the standard for the profession
Conduct periodic assessments of health and
safety conditions for their programs, and
develop and maintain emergency preparedness
processes and a crisis response plan.
Actions to Take
Establish a risk management team
Publish a handbook for all participants that
includes a crisis response plan
Hold training sessions for any campus personnel
who are leading excursions of students off
campus
Provide health and safety information for
prospective participants so that they and their
parents/guardians/families can make informed
decisions concerning preparation, participation
and behavior while on the program.
Comprehensive handbooks
– Specific to location
– Updated regularly
– Send home to families
Provide information concerning aspects of home
campus services and conditions that cannot be
replicated at overseas locations.
How to Spread the Word
• Include in handbook
• Train faculty or advisors traveling with
students
– Mandatory attendance at non-academic
issues workshop
– Collaborate with professionals in Student Life
Orientations
 When: Prior to the program and as needed on site
 Information should include
 safety
 health
 legal
 environmental
 political
 cultural
 religious conditions in the host country
 Additional Information
 potential health and safety risks
 appropriate emergency response measures
 Mandate Orientations
 Make sure they are site specific
Consider health and safety issues in evaluating
the appropriateness of an individual's
participation in a study abroad program.
• Involve office of disability services
• Inform participants of their responsibility to selfdisclose
• Have the ability to offer alternative locations if
appropriate
Determining criteria for an individual's removal
from an overseas program taking into account
participant behavior, health, and safety factors.
• Publish code of conduct
– Include in handbook
• Uphold judicial process even while off campus
• Publish behavioral expectations beyond the
code of conduct
Require that participants be insured. Either
provide health and travel accident (emergency
evacuation, repatriation) insurance to
participants, or provide information about how to
obtain such coverage.
Insurance
• Be prepared to provide letters verifying participation to
insurance companies
• Facilitate getting local insurance if necessary
• Explain the local health system
– Not necessarily a co-pay option, must pay in full at
time services rendered
• ISIC, Lewer Agency, HTH Worldwide, SOS International,
etc.
Conduct appropriate inquiry regarding the potential
health and safety risks of the local environment of the
program, including program-sponsored
accommodation, events, excursions and other
activities, on an ongoing basis and provide information
and assistance to participants and their parents /
guardians / families as needed.
How to Prepare
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Local expertise
Site visits
Certificates of insurance
Seek information from recognized sources
Hire vendors and contractors (e.g. travel and
tour agents) that have provided reputable
services in the country in which the program
takes place. Advise such vendors and
contractors of the program sponsor's
expectations with respect to their role in the
health and safety of participants.
Lessons Learned
• Sponsor’s (university’s) guidelines & protocols
must prevail
• Check with colleagues on experience with
certain vendors
Conduct appropriate inquiry regarding available
medical and professional services. Provide
information about these services for participants
and their parents/guardians/families, and help
participants obtain the services they may need.
Inquiry
• Perform inquiry for the best, closest hospitals,
dental and mental health facilities
– Check with US embassies / consulates for
their lists
• Publish such information in the handbook
– Include maps
– Emergency card in local language
Develop and provide health and safety training
for program directors and staff, including
guidelines with respect to intervention and
referral that take into account the nature and
location of the study abroad program.
Health and Safety Training
• Require attendance at workshops
– Involve professionals from Student Life in
developing these workshops
• Publish handbooks specific for use by university
leaders of excursions
– Inform of policies, practices and protocols
– Can’t uphold, can’t go
Develop codes of conduct for their programs;
communicate codes of conduct and the
consequences of noncompliance to participants.
Take appropriate action when aware that
participants are in violation.
Code of Conduct
• Publish in handbooks
• Enforce these rules!
– Don’t publish a policy that the university is
unwilling to enforce.
• Make the punishment fit the crime
– Pay attention to language
• “may result in termination” vs “will result in
termination”
Obtain current and reliable information
concerning heath and safety risks, and provide
that information to program administrators and
participants.
Health and Safety Risks
• Research all available information from reliable,
expert sources
• Publish such information
– State Department
– Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC)
– CDC (Centers for Disease Control)
– WHO (World Health Organization)
– Other nations’ evaluations (UK, Canada,
Australia)
In cases of serious health problems, injury, or
other significant health and safety
circumstances, maintain good communication
among all program sponsors and others who
need to know.
Crisis Management
• Establish and publish a crisis management plan
– Revisit and update regularly
– Establish a clear line of communication BEFORE
anyone leaves for a site
• Wallet cards with emergency numbers
– 2 copies to each student
In the participant screening process, consider
factors such as disciplinary history that may
impact on the safety of the individual or the
group.
• Screen applicants through Student Life BEFORE
anyone is accepted
• Get permission from students to do this on the
application
Provide information for participants and their
parents/guardians/families regarding when and
where the sponsor's responsibility ends and the
range of aspects of participants' overseas
experiences that are beyond the sponsor's
control.
Sponsor Responsibilities
• Publish all policies about what is expressly
forbidden
• Publish start and end dates
• Address issues of personal decisions
Tools to help ensure Health and Safety
Web based tools
Tools to help ensure Health and Safety
Hand held tools
Web Resources
Web Resources
Web Resources
Web Resources
Web Resources
Web Resources
Web Resources
Web Resources
Web Resources
Web Resources
Professional Associations
Professional Associations
Professional Associations
Professional Associations
Professional Associations
Contact Information
Natalie A. Mello
Director of Global Operations
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
nmello@wpi.edu
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Study Abroad:
Safety, Liability and
Risk Management
Bill Frederick
Director of Risk Management Services
The School for Field Studies
Liability
• Negligence
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Duty to act
Injury
Breach of duty
Causation
• Standards
– Dominant orgs
– Legal rulings
– Trade orgs
• Due Diligence
Risk Management
• Reducing Risk – Safety
– Understand hazard exposure landscape
– Prevention of incidents
– Mitigation of consequences
• Transferring Risk
– Insurance
– Waivers/acknowledgement of risk forms
– MDs/Counselors
• Accepting Risk/Sharing Risk
Reducing Risk – Safety
• Initial Questions
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What is the work that your organization does?
Where do you do it?
How is it structured?
Who are your students?
• Homework/Research (due diligence)
– Open source/local inquiry
– Evaluate infrastructure
– Identify objective hazards
• Create risk management strategies
– Objective hazard avoidance and mitigation
• Create comprehensive strategies
– Transportation, medical, communication,
• Program analysis and review
Homework/Strategy
(due diligence)
• Regional Hazards
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Natural Disasters
Disease
Flora/Fauna
Crime/terrorism/political
strife
• Country Infrastructure
– Medical
– Communications
– Transportation
• Cultural Issues
• Student Issues
– History – med/psych/dis
– Issues
Risk Management Strategies
Engineering, Legislation, Education
• Engineering – program
structure, physical
structure, technology
• Legislation – rules,
procedures, policies,
protocols (clearly
communicated to staff
and students prior to
program)
• Education – (students)
pre program handbooks
and orientations; in
country orientations,
language and culture,
teachable moments,
ongoing education
• Education – (staff)
cultural competency,
emergency medical,
student issues, etc
Reducing Risk - Mitigation
• Contingency Plans
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Lost Student
Emergency Evacuation
Car Accident
“Misbehavior”
Psych Emergency
Natural Disaster
Other Disaster
Sexual Assault
Death
EAP, CMP, BCP, etc
Flu Pandemic
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Staff Training
Crisis Simulations
Incident Reporting
Evac and Repatriation
Insurance
Health Insurance
Staff Med Training
Advisory Physician
Advisory Counselor
Legal Counsel
Insurance Counsel
Program Analysis
What are the links in the chain?
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Program philosophy
Leadership structure
Policies/procedures
Staff hiring
Staff training
Operations
Medical screening
Gear
malfunction/misuse
• Miscommunications
Fault Tree Analysis
Transportation Strategy
DRIVING IN KENYA
Medical Strategy
Communications
• Look at the what, where, how and who of your
program
• Gather informational resources – NAFSA, CDC,
WHO, IAMAT, OSAC, US State Dept., etc.
• Develop the hazard landscape
• Create specific risk management strategies as
well as comprehensive strategies
• Analyze your program’s component parts and
exercise due diligence in identifying
opportunities for enhancing safety
• Continually strive for your ideal safety potential
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Innovative Educators
• Slides and Recording
– www.innovativeeducators.org/studyabroad.ppt
–
We will send you a link to view the recording by Monday, Nov. 7th
• Evaluation
• Exit
• Thank You