UniversitySponsored Study Abroad Programs

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University-Sponsored Study Abroad Programs

• Studying in Countries with Current U.S.
  Department of State Travel Warnings
• UNC Legal Affairs Council Meeting November 1,
  2007
• Kathryn C. Bender
• UNC General Administration, Division of Legal
  Affairs

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Study Abroad is a priority of UNC

• North Carolina Board of Governors in January 2002
  adopted Internationalization is one of six
  strategic directions for the University's
  long-range plan.

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Study Abroad on our campuses is growing

• UNCs study abroad participation increased at
  nearly twice the national rate 18 versus 9.6.

4
UNC Students, Faculty and Staff are traveling to
countries that currently have U.S. State
Department Travel Warnings

• Warnings from U.S. Department of State
• Travel Warning Kenya
• In January 2007, two family members
• of a U.S. Embassy employee were
• killed by armed carjackers

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Public Announcement

• October 09, 2007
• Current information suggests that al-Qaida
  continues to plan terrorist attacks against U.S.
  interests in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle
  East. 
• Ongoing events in Iraq

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Public Announcement

• October 25, 2007 Burma
• U.S. citizens traveling to and residing
• in Burma political tension remains
• high protests violent Burmese
• Government response could recur at
• any time. 

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• Bureau of Diplomatic SecurityU.S. Department of
  State
• Consular Affairs Bulletins
• Middle East / N. Africa - Saudi Arabia
• On May 12, 2006 a lone gunman fired shots at the
  U.S. Consulate in Jeddah

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Centers for Disease Control

• Highly pathogenic avian influenza A
• virus has caused serious disease
• among wild birds and poultry on
• multiple continents.
• For a current list of countries, view
• updates from the World Organization
• for Animal Health

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World Health Organization

• Occupied Palestinian territory
• 25 September 2007
• concern about the risk of a further deterioration
  of the
• health situation in the Gaza Strip

10
UNC International Programs Officers need our help

• Risk management and legal liability may not be
  their top issues
• contingency plans
• waivers
• written plans
• communication strategies, etc.

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Example

• K.I. Asia is carrying out the Community Based
  Tsunami Recovery Action Initiative for Phang-nga"
  which will run for 18 months, starting in July
  2007

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Endeavors Magazine Article

• over the past decade several dozen UNC students
  have
• worked with K.I. Asia, including students from
• Business School
• College of Arts and Sciences
• Law School
• Carolina Environmental Program
• School of Information and Library Science
• School of Public Health
• Internships and research on global-health topics
  in Thailand
• HIV/AIDS, cancer, nutrition, water and
  sanitation, malaria, and
• womens health and empowerment.
• UNC student volunteers
• will be welcome for next years projects

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Written policies and procedures for study abroad
programs/students in countries under Travel
Warnings

• For a heightened risk  student must sign a
  release
• For travel warnings forbidding, restricting, or
  urging deferral of travel study abroad program
  in the country is suspended students not allowed
  to travel

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N.C. States policy is also clear

• Also follows U.S. State Department travel
• warnings
• The SAO Staff and Study Abroad Emergency Response
  Team review the U.S. State Department information
  and Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC)
  with contacts in the country and Embassies in
  order to have information on countries where
  students are studying

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UNC Study Abroad Insurance Policy

• Coverage is via our insurance carrier
• for study abroad HTH Worldwide
• Students can access HTH's Global
• Health and Safety databases

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The insurance policy is primarily medical but it
covers

• Medical expenses
• Bedside visit
• Evacuation
• Repatriation of remains
• Travel to a country under a Department of State
  Travel Warning is still covered.

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Exclusions

• There are 26 numbered exclusions
• Including
• Injuries resulting from "Loss Due to War -
  Declared or Undeclared

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Useful Resources Within the University

• UNC GA, International Programs
• UNC GA, Exchange Programs
• University Council on International Programs
  (UCIP)
• N.C. Center for International Understanding

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Useful Resources External to the University

• NACUA Publication Study Abroad in Higher
  Education by Nancy E. Tribbensee
• NAFSA Association of International Educators
• Center for Global Education
• SAFETI Clearinghouse
• Forum on Study Abroad
• The Center for Global Education

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Your Emergency Response Team

• Guidelines can be adapted from Peace Corps
  Crisis Management Handbook.
• Safety must be the top priority in administering
  study abroad programs

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Students studying abroad in countries with Travel
Warning should be

• Required to have medical insurance
• Given an extensive orientation about health risks
  
• Asked to sign releases
• Required to sign releases when the travel warning
  is beyond advisory and is a prohibition