SAFETY ASSESSMENT
NC State University
Study Abroad Office
Faculty-Led Group Programs

The health and safety of students participating in study abroad programs is the highest priority of the Study Abroad Office (SAO).  Our goal for faculty-led programs is to ensure that risks have been addressed thoroughly and that the University has covered all possible aspects related to program safety.  Having these official assessments on file in our office allows us to address any concerns raised by students, parents, or any University officials as well as to keep a paper trail of safety plans for a program location.  While it would be extremely rare for a program to be canceled or changed substantially, adjustments to logistical details are sometimes necessary or legally required.

Additional Goals of the Safety Assessment:

• To ensure that each program director has developed a strategic plan for possible risks, including: emergency evacuation, terrorist attack in program city, group housing reassignment due to fire at location, etc. 
• To ensure that all program staff are adequately prepared for possible issues that may arise (Where is the emergency meeting point?  Do all staff have the phone tree information? etc.)
• To serve as a written record of any changes made to a program in order to avoid risks and to ensure student safety.  For example, if a program in Japan usually flies into Tokyo, but flights into Tokyo are now subject to probable terrorist attack, a program change may be necessary so that another airport can be chosen.
• To address any new issues that may have arisen since the last assessment.  For example, the Segovia program included specific information addressing the 2004 train station bombings in Madrid in their updated safety report. 

Please note that the reasons we require a safety assessment are to both to plan for the safety of you and your students and as written documentation of the safety planning that has taken place prior to a program's departure. We rely on you, as the Faculty Directors of NC State Faculty Led Group programs, to serve as experts on the program site, to be very aware of safety concerns in the program location, and to address any safety concerns that may affect the program.  To this end, the Study Abroad Office requires that all Faculty Directors submit thorough and updated safety assessments. We greatly appreciate your efforts in preparing for the safety of your program.

Safety Assessment Instructions for New Program Applications

The following is a list of the items that need to be addressed in the Safety Assessment that will be submitted with your application to lead a NC State Study Abroad program.  If your program is approved, you will be asked to address the comprehensive list of items noted on the "Safety Assessment Instructions for Approved Study Abroad Programs":

Program Location(s) and Housing

• Based on the information you have compiled on your location thus far, please include details for any safety issues relevant to your study location and proposed living arrangements.  Please confirm that you will be housed in the same city as the students for the duration of the program, ideally in close vicinity or within easy traveling distance to the group. 

Transportation

• Please list the transportation you plan on using for program travel.  In your initial program planning it is important to remember the following policies: 1.) Faculty Director Driving Policy: It is a policy of NC State University that faculty directors are not allowed to drive students as part of any program activity.  2.) Overnight travel (defined as travel that occurs over the night and into the next day) will not be permitted on NC State programs unless you clearly document and justify the need and receive prior permission from the Study Abroad Office in writing. 

Medical Facilities

• If you are aware of medical facilities in the area, please list them in your Safety Assessment.

Faculty Director Contact Information and Backup

• The Faculty Director will need to be reachable at all times, either by cell phone or by providing a list of the telephone numbers where you can be reached.  Please note the form of communication you plan on using or having access to.  Please note: If your program is approved, you will need to detail in your final Safety Assessment who will serve as back-up in case the Faculty Director is unavailable, or in case a student gets sick and a staff member needs to stay with the group while the other staff member stays with the student.  This can be a second Faculty Director, a responsible Student Assistant, or your on-site vendor who will be contracted by your program.

Registration with and location of U.S. Embassy

• We require that all programs register their students with the U.S. Embassy/Consulate in the host country.  Please indicate in your safety assessment that you plan to do this. 
  

Pre-departure Information

• You are required by the Study Abroad Office to hold at least one orientation session before departure, however, we recommend you hold a few so that students have thorough details and appropriate preparation prior to their departure.  If only preliminary, please note the information will you provide to your students in advance of the program. 

U.S. State Department Consular Information Sheet

• Please review the U.S. State Department Consular Information Sheet for your program country.  This can be found at www.travel.state.gov.  Please address any concerns listed in the Consular Information Sheet. 

Additional Concerns

Please address any additional concerns that might be raised by students, parents, or University Officials. 

Introductory Safety Assessment Example

Final Safety Assessment Example