Academic staff and students at Imperial travel for various purposes including, but not limited to, conferences, exchange programmes, field work, teaching, and secondments. While international travel is common practice in academia, it is important to assess the risks of doing so, taking into consideration whether the risks and potential value justify travelling internationally for a particular activity.

Necessary protective measures will also depend on the country you plan to travel to as this will highlight the level of security risks you have to prepare for.

 

Similar processes to assess risk level would apply to international travel for work as have been described so far when considering a new research or funding collaboration such as carrying out due diligence, conflict of interest considerations and contractual considerations. However, international travel requires additional risk management.

 

The level of protective measures you need to take when travelling abroad for work will vary depending on the activity you have planned. For example, there are generally more complex procedures in place if you are considering a secondment abroad versus a short trip to attend an international conference. Necessary protective measures will also depend on the country you plan to travel to as this will highlight the level of security risks you have to prepare for, if any, as well as whether the democratic and ethical values of the host country might raise concerns for academic freedom, integrity and security of your work.

Another element of working abroad that may be overlooked, but is crucial to be mindful of, includes travelling for personal reasons and continuing work during that time. It is important to continue applying protective cyber security measures to protect your work from being compromised. This is particularly important if your work is of sensitive nature and would pose a threat to the UK’s national security if compromised; especially since some governments have surveillance systems in place. Trusted Research guidance aims to help you assess what risks might be involved. If you are unsure, you may speak to the Research Security Team for advice. 

Accordions intl travel