Student Safety During Overseas Fieldwork & Cultural Exchanges:

Scenarios & Actions

Dr David J NashSchool of the Environment

University of Brighton

Scenario 1:Scenario 1:

You are a 20 year old male undergraduate student studying physical geography, who will be travelling to southern Morocco for four weeks in August to carry out work for your final year dissertation. You will be flying to Marrakech and travelling overland to your field area with 4 other undergraduates and a postgraduate student. You will each be staying with a different Moroccan family and will not be accompanied by a member of academic staff. You have not been to Morocco previously, but the postgraduate student has worked there before and has a contact in the village where you

will be based.

Compile a checklist of the safety issues you would need to have considered before leaving the UK

Scenario 2:Scenario 2:

You are a senior lecturer in Development Studies with responsibility for organising student placement visits. Two of your female students wish to travel to Malawi during the summer to undertake teaching work for an international development agency. They plan to fly to Lilongwe, where they will be met by a representative of the agency. They will travel overland to a rural village where they will stay in a hostel attached to the school where they will be teaching. A report on their experiences is an assessment component contributing to their final degree. You have never travelled to Malawi and have not

sent students on placement with this agency previously.

Compile a checklist of the safety issues you would need to have considered before your students leave the UK

Available from:

Wendy Laird,City of Edinburgh Council Education Department Publications Unit, Level 2, Wellington Court,

10 Waterloo Place, Edinburgh EH1 3EG.

Provisional Checklist for Organisers:

Have I ensured that:

staff/support staff have the knowledge and skills to ensure student/staffsafety?

staff/support staff understand their roles and group safety responsibilities? I am aware, as far as possible, of the relevant laws in the host country? my contact/partner abroad has fully met my requirements to ensure the

safety of students and staff in their care?

all group members have completed the necessary travel documentation? I have a complete, up-to-date, list of all group members with contact

names, addresses, and next of kin, and that a copy is lodged with my HEinstitution?

a detailed itinerary and contact information is lodged with my HEinstitution?

I am aware of any medical or special needs requirements of groupmembers?

(Cont...)

the group has appropriate insurance cover? the group has appropriate First Aid equipment? I/group members understand the emergency procedures in the host

country?

I/group members have a 24-hour contact number for a UK-based memberof staff should an emergency arise while we are abroad?

I/group members have a mobile phone enabled for international calls andsufficient funds to deal with emergencies?

group members have the mobile phone number of the group leader, aswell contact details for their accommodation, HE institution and localEmbassy/High Commission?

my travel agent/tour operator will provide drivers and other staff who areable to ensure a proper standard of safety for the care of the group?

I have established at least a basic knowledge of the area we are visiting? I have completed a Risk/Hazard Assessment according to my institution's

procedures?

(...Cont.)

Provisional Checklist for Students Travelling Overseas:

Do I know:

who will be in charge of me (if anyone) when I am travelling abroad? who will be in charge of me (if anyone) when I am staying abroad? where exactly I am going? the address and telephone numbers of the places I shall be staying? that I have appropriate clothing/equipment for the place I am visiting? how to contact my group leader (or UK HE institution) if there is an

emergency?

how the emergency procedures operate in the country we are visiting? how to use the phone if help is required? what to do if I am worried/unhappy about anything if I am staying with a

host?

any necessary security arrangements in the country/place I am visiting? what to do if I get lost or into difficulty if I am not with a member of staff? how to behave where I am staying? that the organiser of the visit is aware of any medical/personal

circumstances which may influence my safety and that of the group whilstabroad?

Provisional Checklist for Heads of Department/School:

Have I ensured that:

all travel arrangements comply with the guidelines of my HE institution? the organiser has completed appropriate insurance documentation for

staff and other group members?

the organiser has completed all necessary Risk/Hazard Assessment andother safety procedures and briefed staff and students as appropriate?

appropriately skilled/trained staff/support staff will accompany the group? all group members are adequately briefed about their responsibilities and

appropriately equipped to deal with emergencies and sensitive situations?

an up-to-date list of group members' names, addresses, contact detailsand next of kin is lodged at a designated place and that the group leaderhas a duplicate list?

a designated member of staff with a copy of all contact names is available24-hours a day should an emergency arise whilst the group is abroad?

a detailed itinerary of the visit (including the programme, addresses,contact names and telephone numbers) is lodged at a designated place?

the group leader has a mobile phone and access to emergency funds?