Beyond the Basics of Health, Safety, Security and Risk Management
Thursday, June 23, 2016
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Plenary Speaker: Dr. Stephen Hargarten
The Forum on Education Abroad is pleased to announce Dr. Stephen Hargarten, Associate Dean in the Office of Global Health at the Medical School of Wisconsin, as the morning plenary speaker at the Institute.
Dr. Hargarten, an emergency physician, is deeply sensitive to the rapidly evolving nexus of education abroad, public health, and public policy. His talk will address the need to include descriptive and analytical epidemiology in risk management in education abroad. Drawing from his vast experience in the field of public health, including work with the Peace Corps and the U.S. State Department, Dr. Hargarten will demonstrate the value of collaboration between risk management and the public health sciences to implement data-driven risk prevention and mitigation strategies as we send our students around the globe.
»View Dr. Hargarten’s Presentation
PLENARY SPONSOR: Mercer, Chubb, Powered by iJET International, Inc. and AXA Assistance
Concurrent Sessions: 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Standard 8 and Study Abroad in Non-Traditional, ‘High-Risk’ Locations
Graham Hettlinger (American Councils for International Education); Leanne Johnson (University of Maryland); Tineka Lebrun (AMIDEAST)
This panel will apply Standard 8 to examine the health and safety challenges of study in Jordan, Oman, Russia, and Tajikistan from the perspective of sending institutions and study abroad providers running programs in these countries. The panel will discuss the importance of conduct codes for health and safety policies and best practices when preparing students to study in locations such as these.
»Standard 8 and Student Conduct (Johnson)
Education Abroad Emergency! Case Study on Global Crisis: Developing a Risk Management Framework That Works in Response to a Student Death Abroad
Lisa McAdam Donegan (Johnson & Wales University); Carol Foley (HTH Worldwide)
Managing a crisis abroad is a partnership between organizations: the compassion, skill and professionalism of the Education Abroad Office, the University Risk Management team, international partners, the International Health Insurance team. This session explores the challenging experience one university faced when confronted with the ultimate crisis: the death of a student while studying abroad.
Security Risk Management (SRM): A Model for Reducing Risk in Education Abroad
Christopher Daniel (Michigan State University); Todd Holmes (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
The session will address the question, “What can the field of education abroad learn from other industries that have significant experience with safety and risk management?” It explores use of the Security Risk Management (SRM) Model, developed by the United Nations in 2004 to improve risk assessment, and
adopted by humanitarian organizations to help keep international staff and travelers safe.
Student Safety and the Importance of Data
Elizabeth Brenner (Protect Students Abroad); Natalie Mello (The Forum on Education Abroad); Dru Simmons (The Ohio State University)
In an increasingly globalized world, promoting student safety during study abroad seems evermore complex. Thoughtful collection and consideration of data is key to both risk mitigation and fatality prevention. This session will review the literature on study abroad fatalities to illustrate the essential relationship between sound scientific methods and student safety.
Brown-Bag Speed Date with a Higher Education Health, Safety and Security Specialist 12:20-1:30 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions: 1:45 – 3:15 p.m.
Supporting Student Travel to Israel: Two Perspectives
Julie Anne Friend (Northwestern University); Andi Meiseles (Ben Gurion University of the Negev); Kathleen Lee (Northwestern University)
Educational travel to Israel is uniquely valuable, though on-going security challenges worry students, parents and administrators. We offer lessons learned in preparing for, supporting students on, and reassuring others about academic travel to Israel, from two perspectives: an Israeli university welcoming international students and a U.S. academic program operating faculty-led travel.
You want to go WHERE?! A Comprehensive Guide to International Travel Risk Assessment
Erin Wolf (The University of Texas System); Laura Provencher (University of Arizona); Ashley Allen (Overseas Security Advisory Council)
When you learn that a faculty member is planning a trip with students to a rural village in a country that doesn’t seem safe, do you know what questions to ask to safeguard the wellbeing of your institution’s travelers? This session will highlight key considerations for assessing the health, safety, and security risks of international higher ed travel.
Crises in Study Abroad: Preparation and Response
Joe Vossen (United Educators); Jim Hutton (On Call International); Daniela Ascarelli (Drexel University)
A well-designed travel health and safety program doesn’t happen by chance. Travel risk management partners, and other external organizations, can contribute to the success of your health and safety initiatives for education abroad. By taking advantage of their unique insights and capabilities, your institution can develop methodologies to help create safer travel experiences for students.
To the Field and Back: Translating Government Safety and Security Practices to Higher Education
Ronald Machoian (University of Wisconsin-Madison); Nicholas Vasquez (College of William and Mary); Michael Sweazey (Kennesaw State University); Safi Khushal (Northeastern University)
This panel will present several safety and security practices common to various U.S. government operations and offer ideas for translating their utility to higher education international programming. Presenters will overview and discuss several practical tips for identifying, illustrating and mitigating risk to student and employee travelers abroad for university-affiliated outcomes.
»International Risk Management (IRM) : An ORM-based tool for pre-travel safety & security assessment in the international environment (Machoian)
»Adapting Government Mindsets to Academia (Sweazy)
What do former Federal employees offer? (Khushal)
Concurrent Sessions: 3:30 – 5 p.m.
“But if I Can’t Travel, I Don’t Graduate”: Students with Disabilities and Supporting Unique Needs within Degree Programs that Require International Travel
Jennifer Fullick (TCS Education System); Courtney Bilbrey (The Chicago School of Professional Psychology)
Campus internationalization is starting to take shape: several degree programs now require students to study abroad. Great! And then the first call comes in; a student with a documented disability has enrolled into the program: now what? Is the need to accommodate students with disabilities in a program that requires international travel different than in our study abroad programs that are elective in nature? How do we best strategize to address these unique challenges? Take a journey with one International Educator and one Disability Coordinator as they share best practices for accommodation support for required travel programs.
A Collaborative Approach to Address Sexual Violence Abroad
Carrie Wachter (Northwestern University); Erin Clark (Northwestern University); Francesca Miroballi (Northwestern University)
Sexual violence have been a significant topic in higher education; addressing it overseas is even more complex. During this session, the collaborations at Northwestern University to expand both response and prevention efforts for students overseas will be discussed in detail, including an interactive dialogue for participants to explore how to implement similar approaches at their own institution.
Mental Health & Traumatic Events Abroad: Lessons Learned from the 2015 Paris Attacks
Carol Foley (HTH Worldwide); Karey Fuhs (Northwestern University); Suzanne Black (New York University); Josh Taylor (New York University)
This session is a panel presentation to discuss the coordination of resources to provide mental health services to students following traumatic events, with a focus on lessons learned from the November 13, 2015, terror attacks in Paris, France.
Scenario-based Program Leader Training – Big School, Small School Approaches
Margaret Wiedenhoeft (Kalamazoo College); Liz Muller (University of Michigan); Patrick Morgan (University of Michigan)
Participants will learn how one large and one small institution prepare their program leader training sessions in ways that promote peer-to-peer learning, provide frameworks for emergency response – including cross-cultural approaches, and incorporate real case studies. The presenters will then facilitate mock scenario-based learning exercises as if participants were in a program leader workshop.
2016 Standards Institute Planning Committee
Julie Anne Friend, Director, Office of Global Safety and Security, Northwestern University (co-chair)
Michele Cox, Director of Study Abroad, University of Richmond (co-chair)
Elizabeth Brenner, Parent Advocate, Protect Students Abroad (PSA)
Christopher Daniel, Director, International Health and Safety, Michigan State University
Anette Frederiksen, Director of Student Affairs, DIS – Study Abroad in Scandinavia
Matthew Griffin, Senior Analyst, Business Risk Intelligence, Global Security, Abbott Labs
Lori Lammert, Associate Director, Office of Global Opportunities, Ohio University
Jessica Miller, International Risk Analyst, Global Risk & Safety, The University of Texas at Austin
Thank you to the 7th Annual Standards Institute Sponsors
Mercer, Chubb, Powered by iJET International, Inc. and AXA Assistance
Terra Dotta
