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Policy: Overseas Travel By University Staff And Students To High Risk Destinations

General Information
File Number	200603109
Purpose	To set out the approval processes for travel to high risk destinations
Relevant To	Staff
Related Topics	Travel & Transport, Insurance (Travel & Transport), Health & Working Safely (Staff), Staff

Authorisation & Contact Information
Responsible Officer	Director Human Resources
Approved By	Director Human Resources
Contact Area	HR Help Desk
Authority	Australian National University Act 1991 (Commonwealth)

Relevant Dates
Effective Date	01 June, 2006
Date Approved	01 June, 2006
Next Review	25 October, 2008

Related Documents
Related Procedures	Risk Assessment for Travel to High Risk Destinations, Procedures for
Related Forms	Travel To High Risk Destinations, Approval for

Principles

1. Introduction

The University recognises that it is frequently necessary for staff members and students to travel overseas to undertake research, teaching or for other University business. However, travel to some destinations may be at significant risk. Such risks must be managed in accordance with the Universitys duty of care obligations to staff and students under Occupational health & Safety legislation, and with reference to travel advice issued by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Similarly, ANU staff members and students are obliged to do all that is reasonably practicable to ensure that their acts or omissions do not create or increase a risk to the health and safety of themselves or others.

The University recognises that some travel to high risk countries may be necessary and supports the undertaking of such travel where an assessment of the risks is undertaken and appropriate risk management strategies are implemented.

2. Travel Advice

DFATs five levels of travel advice are as follows:

Risk Category	DFAT Warning	University Policy
Category 1	Be alert to your own security	Delegates must ensure that staff and students take due note of DFAT warning and prepare an appropriate risk management strategy
Category 2	Exercise caution
Category 3	High degree of caution
Category 4	Reassess your need to travel	College Convenor, College Dean, HR Director HR and Director, SRIE have relevant delegations, subject to a formal assessment being undertaken.
Categary 5	Do not travel	In exceptional circumstances only will staff and students be permitted to travel to, or remain in, these countries for work or study with the approval of the Vice-Chancellor on the advice of the Director, HR, where appropriate risk management strategies are in place.

(Source:www.smartraveller.gov.au/advice_meaning.html)

3. Decision to travel

Students and staff members must carefully consider the need to travel overseas when DFAT has advised against such travel, that is, where a DFAT Category 4 or 5 warning applies to the country to which travel is intended.

No student or staff member can be compelled to travel to a country which DFAT has advised Australians not to visit.

University employees and students who are foreign nationals should also consider safety warnings issued by their own government before deciding to apply to travel overseas.

Where a decision not to travel may affect/be affected by particular research grants advice should be sought from the Universitys Research Office if necessary.

The availability and cost of appropriate travel insurance should also be considered before any decision is made to travel.

4. Authorisation

Overseas travel is subject to prior approval by the appropriate delegate and should be based on current travel advice, as follows:

4.1 Categories 1, 2 and 3

The delegation for approval to travel covered by Categories 1, 2 and 3 travel advisories resides with the relevant Dean or Director for staff members and students.

4.2 Category 4

Given the risks of travel to countries covered by the Category 4 travel advisory, delegation resides with:

a. the relevant College Convenor for staff and the College Dean for students;

b. the Director, Human Resources, in the case of staff in Administrative Divisions; or

c. the Director, Student Administration and Student Recruitment and International Education for formal student exchange participants.

4.3 Category 5

The Vice-Chancellor is the delegate for all travel to countries covered by the Category 5 advisory. Any case for travel under this Category must be made to the Director, Human Resources who will then make a recommendation to the Vice-Chancellor.

5. Risk Reduction Strategies

In determining whether overseas travel should be approved, the delegate will consider:

5.1 Whether the travel is essential to the research or study being undertaken by a staff member orstudent, including factors such as:

the timing of the proposed travel vis a vis the research or study timetable, including the impact that not travelling may affect/be affected by particular research grants or a students ability to complete his/her course;
alternative options available for completion of the research or study;
in the case of students, whether the student will be at a disadvantage academically if he/she were to undertake alternative study options;
the level of support from the staff members or students supervisor.

5.2 Whether the student or staff member proposing to travel has particular expertise, local networks and support, and language facility to substantially reduce risks that would apply to other travellers; and

5.3 Documented viable risk-reduction strategies for travel to DFAT Category 5 countries must address the points covered in 1. and 2. above and the steps taken to implement such strategies. Such risk management strategies will include University emergency contact details, arrangements for regular reporting to the University and preparation of an evacuation plan (form hyperlink). Any staff member or student intending to travel overseas should advise the University of any pre-existing medical conditions which may be relevant to their travel.

Risk reduction strategies must be developed for all travel to countries where there is a DFAT travel advisory warning, with greater detail required where the advisory is at Category 4 or 5.

While travelling, staff members and students overseas should regularly check travel advice relating to countries in which they are travelling or intending to travel and ensure implementation of their risk-reduction strategies.

Staff and students approved to travel to countries covered by Categories 4 and 5 should register with the Australian High Commission/Embassy/Consulate in the country/ies in which they are travelling.

6. Insurance

Where approval has been given for travel overseas by the appropriate delegate, staff members will be covered by Workers Compensation, notwithstanding DFAT advice. Should staff members travel overseas without prior approval they may be excluded by from Workers Compensation coverage by Comcare.

Students and staff members travelling in countries affected by war (whether declared or not), invasion or civil strife will not be covered by the Universitys normal insurance policies

Wherever possible, the University will buy out war exclusion insurance cover for travel to countries covered by the Category 4 and 5 travel advisories. A quote for the buy out of the war exclusion can be made by the Business Manage/Executive Officer of each College to the ANU Insurance Office.

The additional insurance costs would ordinarily be paid by the relevant budget centre by:

making provision for the cost in research/grant applications; or
budgeting as part of the budget process for visits likely to occur.

Where the local area cannot fund the cost of the additional travel insurance, a case for central funding can be made as part of the travel approval process. Any submission for central payment of the cost should be attached to the Category 4/5 approval request. The submission should detail:

why local area funding is not available; and
whether travel is recommended regardless of whether central funding for the buy out of the war/civil unrest inclusions is made available.

The delegate will determine the funding source as part of the approval process.