CISaustralia places the utmost importance on the health and safety of all students whilst travelling abroad and participating in our programs.
The team at CISaustralia have gone to great lengths to ensure the best possible risk management procedures are put in place to help students stay safe whilst abroad and respond to emergency situations should they arise.
CISaustralia handles all situations on a case-by-case basis to ensure students receive everything they need from us. That said, the ultimate responsibility for personal health, safety and recovery from emergency situations is that of the individual.
CISaustralia acknowledges that while we are heavily involved in all aspects of a student’s study abroad experience, the students attending CISaustralia programs are ultimately enrolled in an Australian University. As such, the University’s own risk management plans and associated documents also need to be closely considered.
Pre-Departure Orientation
CISaustralia is committed to offering the necessary resources to its staff, students, parents, International Office staff and University Faculty as they relate to in-country emergency contacts and support services, travel and medical insurance, country-specific information and additional web resources.
Prior to departure, all students are issued with a comprehensive Pre-Departure Guide and emergency contacts with information about the program details, health and safety issues, culture shock, re-entry and reverse culture shock, transportation, accommodation and more.
Prior to the departure on any CISaustralia program, all students will participate in a pre-departure session. This session is usually conducted by senior CISaustralia staff either in person, over the phone and/or via Skype/tele-conference. Meet our Team
On-Site Orientation
Once a student arrives in country, they will take part in an on-site orientation program that will again highlight local health and safety issues, and, at that time, information will be given as to what procedures to follow should an emergency situation arise. This includes emergency evacuation and meeting points.
In addition to our Australian-based team that helps prepare students for their overseas experience, CISaustralia has personal and supportive ‘on the ground’ staff in all host destinations. Our on-site representatives meet and greet students on arrival and are there to help with emergencies, issues or concerns. When travelling on a CISaustralia program, students will always have someone in country to contact – even if simply for some local advice when they are looking for an activity or dining recommendation. Our team wants to ensure students make the most of their time overseas. Overseas Staff
On-Site Staff Training
Annual training is provided to on-site representatives to ensure they have all the necessary resources required to deal with emergency situations. Training for staff is conducted by a senior representative from CISaustralia and includes a Site Director presentation, Site Director manual, provision of incident report forms and instructions for completion, provision of the CISaustralia Risk Management and Emergency Response Plan, emergency contact details and delivery of training.
CISaustralia Risk Management and Emergency Response Plan
An emergency is any situation where a student’s health and safety have been compromised. If the problem can wait 24 hours, it is most likely not an emergency. The CISaustralia Risk Management and Emergency Response Plan has been developed to provide information that will prepare all parties to work effectively in cases of an emergency or crisis.
Sometimes an event occurs that is interpreted by a student or parent to be an emergency when it is not, in fact, an emergency. This is what is called a “perceived emergency”. In a perceived emergency circumstance, the trained CIS Site Director and/or On-Site Senior Representative will make a decision on the seriousness of the matter (based on their training, experience and CIS guidelines found in the CISaustralia Risk Management and Emergency Response Plan) and respond appropriately.
Specifically, the plan outlines exactly what CIS will do in the event of:
Major Crises
- Natural disasters
- Terrorism
- War or political emergencies
Individual Crises
- Life threatening accidents or illnesses
- Crimes against a student
- Arrest of a student
- Death of a student
- Missing student
Crises in Australia (not a physical threat to student)
Emergency Contact Information
CISaustralia offers 24-hour emergency assistance to all students and their parents in Australia and in-country. We have on-site contacts available 24/7/365 in all of the locations we operate. These on-site individuals have a network of local contacts (police, fire, hospital, embassy) with whom they can be in communication with should the need arise. Contact details for the CIS Site Director and/or On-Site Senior Representative are provided to program participants in pre-departure materials and orientation. Emergency contact details can be found on our Contact Us page.
