Planning: Multi-Day Off-Campus International Trip

Step 1: Budgeting and Risk Assessment

Off-Campus Activity Risk Assessment Form (PDF) - submit to your School Manager and Director for approval.

• Please ensure inclusive elements of this risk plan are included.
• If Risk Assessment is Red, please contact the Risk Committee

Please ensure any budget considerations are aligned with the Business Travel guidelines.

If students are required to pay a fee to attend, please send this form to students to complete, then send to student accounts to invoice: Field Exploration Commitment Form (PDF)

Step 2: Planning and Task List

Please follow this planning and task list for Multi-Day International Trips.

Multi-Day Off-Campus International Trip Planning (XLSX)

Step 3: Planning Accessibility Considerations

For Multi-Day International Trips, please ensure to:

• Plan with inclusion in mind from the beginning.
• Communicate clearly, consistently, and accessibly.
• Provide multiple ways for students to participate.
• Normalize accommodations for all students.
• Respect privacy and student autonomy.

Please review the Accessibility and Belonging Unit for Resources, Examples and Checklists.

Step 4: Student Correspondence and Orientations

For Multi-Day Off-Campus International Trips, an informed orientation for students prior to any travel is mandatory and part of RRU's duty of care. Orientations can be conducted either face-to-face or online. Please see the links below for correspondence guidelines and an orientation example:

Correspondence Guidelines:

• Correspondence 1 (DOCX)
• Correspondence 2 (DOCX)
• Correspondence 3 (DOCX)
• Correspondence 4 (DOCX)

Orientation Example (PPTX)

International Students participating in an International Activity: Please discuss any international learning opportunities, such as Internships, Study Abroad or International Field Trips, with Immigration Advising. International academic experiences may impact international students' ability to stay and work in Canada after graduation.

Program staff and faculty should encourage students to investigate visa requirements for their country of citizenship in the destination country's government websites. An appropriate student visa for entry into the destination country is the student's responsibility.

Step 5: Managing Travel Information

Multi-Day International Trip:

1. Student-travel Information Management
2. Emergency Communication

Student-travel Information Management

All Multi-Day Off-Campus Trips must store Trip related information and forms on an accessible site for RRU Risk Management Teams.

Please follow the directions below to request a Moodle copy of the "Student Site for Off-Site activities"

• Please contact us here with a course copy request and the name of your destination and travel dates. Please do not email your program's CTET Instructional Designer.
• Please do not copy over Moodle Travel Sites from historical travel experiences or activities:
  • Only the Master copy will be kept updated with emerging risk practices and RRU policies
  • CTET's course retainment will ensure RRU follows FOIPOP requirements.
• The student-facing master site copied from CTET:
  • Contains information for managing your Moodle page for your activity, including how to carry over specific course information.
  • Can be customized to your off-campus field experience.
  • Will provide the structure to share information with participants and collect and store forms.

Emergency Communication

Pre-departure

• Ensure copies of participant travel documentation, forms, messaging, itineraries etc., are stored in your Student Site for Off-Site activities.
• The trip itinerary, including transportation methods, is forwarded to the Risk Committee.
• If you are travelling to locations where internet may be intermittent, or non existent, include relevant student emergency information on a secure, password protected USB.
• Orientate all supporting staff and faculty, as well as students to the Emergency Protocol section in Step 7 . Ensure familiarity with International SOS.
• Ensure all supporting staff and faculty understand their emergency response responsibilities and limitations.

Incident Response

• Incidents that require reporting could include participant injury, absent or lost participant, long travel delays, medical emergency or breach of policy.
• In the case of a medical incident, provide basic first aid while waiting for medical attention (ambulance or walk-in medical centre). Staff and faculty must not replace medical attention. Please see more detailed information in Step 7.
• If an incident occurs, complete the Incident Report (PDF) and send to the CARE team. They will respond and follow RRU policy for reporting student incidents.

Step 6: Student and Staff Document Overview

Off-campus activities provide meaningful and robust learning opportunities. Experiential learning opportunities also go beyond expected classroom work and regular academic activities and, therefore, come with increased inherent risk.

In the event of an injury or accident, the court would consider if the associated risks of activities were accurately represented in waivers and informed consent forms and if safety was considered in student information forms and planning and reporting documents.

RRU employees (staff, faculty and associate faculty) will complete and upload all relevant forms to the requested Student Travel site.

NOTE: All employees must be assigned "student" status in the moodle Student Ravel site to allow access to the droboxes and allow document upload.

What is the difference between Waivers and Informed Consent?

*Waivers (PDF) are used for extra-curricular activities that are not academically assessed. They should not be used for curricular or co-curricular activities.

*Use Informed Consent (PDF) forms for all compulsory or academically assessed activities or with participants under the age of eighteen.

Student and Staff Documents for a Multi-Day Off-Campus International Trip:

Relevant Forms to be uploaded to droboxes in your Student Travel Site:

• As Multi-Day Off-Campus Trips are typically academically assessed: Informed Consent (PDF) *must be customized.
• Emergency Contact form (PDF)
• Assessment of Emergency and Medical Emergency Communication Plan (PDF)
• Photo Consent (PDF)
• Student Rights and Responsibilities Confirmation of Understanding (PDF)
  
  • Faculty & Staff: Although RRU provides the required medical insurance, the document is signed to acknowledge the emergency process.
  • Associate Faculty: To confirm the required minimum 1 million dollar travel medical insurance coverage. Guard Me can supply this for them, or they can provide their own.

Faculty and Staff Travel Information Management

Group Leaders must be knowledgeable and/or in possession of:

• Group Emergency Plan (DOCX) *must be customized
• Risk Assessment (PDF) *customized, submitted and approved by RRU Risk Committee, relevant Manager and Director
• The RRU EL Risk Management Handbook (PDF)
• The RRU Team Lead Handbook (PDF) *must be customized
• The processes of registering with ISOS, knowing the resources available through ISOS, and the process in an emergency with ISOS and RRU. See Step 7.

Step 7: Emergency Protocols and Responses

Participants in off-campus activities are at higher risk in an emergency or disaster situation, especially for international field experiences. Emergency situations range from natural disasters—such as earthquakes, floods and wildfires—to physical harm—such as a medical emergency or mental health crisis—to localized emergencies—such as gas leaks, chemical spills and transit accidents.

In an emergency or disaster response, RRU employee trip leaders are required to:

• First call 911 or, in the country equivalent, follow instructions provided by local police and emergency response authorities.
• Second, contact International SOS for emergency or disaster response support and services.
• Third, call or email the CARE Team.
• Fourth, contact appropriate RRU employees (Dean, Director, Program Head, etc.) *if able, otherwise CARE will act as the communication hub.

International SOS (ISOS) Emergency and Disaster Response Services

RRU holds a contract with International SOS (ISOS), an international support service that assists with travel-related risk management and emergency response. ISOS will facilitate emergency medical support, emergency financial resources, communicate relevant travel warnings and provide emergency assistance in the case of evacuations.

• All staff and students should have access to the ISOS card either physically or digitally. This should be communicated in the orientation, is copied in the Student Travel Site, and messaging sent with the card access information through multiple channels.
• There is only one membership number for all RRU students and staff.
• RRU employees and students are required to enroll in ISOS and log each trip in the travel tracker to ensure prompt, effective and up-to-date travel information.
• ISOS membership number and access number are found when you receive your Student Travel Information Moodle site.
• Please see the sub chapter for ISOS Frequently Asked Questions.

ISOS is not an insurance provider. The services do not replace medical or travel insurance.

*ISOS services for RRU employees: Business travel assistance | Royal Roads University - Our People

Incident Reporting

In the event of an emergency, and after emergency response authorities have been called, incidents should be reported directly to ISOS for immediate response. An incident report (PDF) must be completed if there is an emergency.

Incident reports will also be sent to the CARE Team. Upon receipt of an incident report, members of the CARE Team will respond to the individual who submitted it and immediately alert RRU’s leadership team.

Incidents that require reporting could include but are not limited to:

• Natural disaster
• Medical emergency of any kind or physical harm
• Breach of policy
• Localized emergency

As outlined in the Medical Insurance unit, participants’ medical insurance is individual to the participant. Reporting and filing claims for medical incidents or injuries to extended medical providers is the individual participant's responsibility.

ISOS Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ's - ISOS

What is the role of International SOS? International SOS provides students, staff and faculty travelling outside Canada on University business with health care and medical and security assistant response services worldwide 24 hours a day.

How does it work? Carry the International SOS membership card with you at all times. It includes the telephone numbers of the three major worldwide International SOS Assistance Centers. In the event of an emergency, call one of the phone numbers listed on the card. If you do not have a card, contact Financial Services (Staff & Faculty) or Student Services (Students).

When do I call International SOS? You can call anytime with a medical, security or travel related question or in an emergency. As a member, advice is unlimited and it is free to call and speak to a representative anytime.

What do I need to do to use the program? To access the services of International SOS call any Assistance Center from anywhere in the world by calling directly, calling collect or calling the toll-free number.

To ensure a prompt response when calling, you should be prepared to provide:

• Your first and last names.
• Your International SOS membership number.
• You are travelling on behalf of Royal Roads University.
• Phone number where you can be reached.
• Reason for your call.

Is International SOS an insurance company? No. International SOS provides medical, security, travel, and emergency assistance, but it is NOT insurance. All RRU Travellers must have appropriate out-of-country health and travel insurance. If there are costs associated with your case (e.g., prescription medication, hospital stays, emergency evacuation), they are the responsibility of the traveller and may be covered by your health or travel insurance.

RRU employee benefits insurance provider BlueCross provides medical emergency travel assistance coverage up to $5 million per lifetime for faculty, staff, and dependents.

Do I need to activate my membership? No, your membership is already active. Download the assistance app on your mobile phone and always carry the card in your wallet while travelling. Whenever you need service, the mobile app will direct you to the nearest Assistance centre, or you can contact one of the emergency phone numbers listed on the back of the card.

Can I use this for personal travel? No. This program can only be used for RRU-sponsored travel. If any component of the work trip is personal, participants will need to use their emergency travel assistance card through an extended health and dental plan.

What if I have pre-trip questions about my travel destination? In addition to calling the Assistance Center for any pre-trip questions, you can access Country Guides by logging in with your membership to International SOS. These comprehensive guides provide both medical and general travel advice, such as information on:

• The standard of healthcare
• Passport and visa requirements
• Vaccination requirements
• Cultural etiquette
• Currency
• Voltage/plug information
• Personal and driving information
• Hygiene: quality of food and water
• Personal safety advice

What steps should I take if I have a pre-existing medical condition that needs to be managed while I am abroad? Contact an International SOS confidential Assistance Centre for a pre-trip consultation.