Risk category

Identified Risks

See table 5

Risk Reduction Strategies 

Health and Safety

Illnesses, injuries, allergies, environmental and weather hazards, accidents, road hazards, pandemics

Transportation- accidents, delays in programming, poor road conditions, unreliable public transportation, dangerous or reckless driving, Fatality

Use approved taxis and drivers only and agree on fare before departure, avoid travel on public transportation, travel in pairs. Keep windows and doors locked, travel on roads that are well maintained. If you use a trusted ridesharing app, confirm the driver’s identity and the license plate before getting in the car.

Air Travel – accidents, delays, cancellations, increased contact with the public, loss of baggage, air-sickness

Follow safety briefing in flight. Purchase trip cancellation and interruption insurance. Keep informed with updates on Flight. 

COVID-19, Influenza, Rabies

Visit a doctor to ensure you have all up to date vaccinations and to discuss your health and wellness plan for travel.

Food and Water contamination: bacteria, parasites, toxins, or viruses

Ask first about if water is Potable, Order drinks without ice – or ask how ice is made. Be careful where you go to swim or bathe

Gastro-intestinal issues: Diarrhea, indigestion

Practice safe food and water precautions. First aid kit to be carried by lead staff to have anti-diarrhea medication and rehydration salts.

Pre-conditions: Diabetes, Allergies, Life-threating anaphylaxis, Asthma other.

All participants are to be cleared to travel by a medical authority. All necessary prescriptions should be packed in carry on baggage with an additional amount and an additional prescription just in case. For all life-threatening conditions – group leaders and roommates should be advised. All trip leads should have a valid first aid.

Animal Precautions: bites, rabies, influenza

Avoid contact with animals, including dogs, livestock (pigs, cows), monkeys, snakes, rodents, birds, and bats, and to avoid eating undercooked wild game.

Alcohol Use – Intoxication, Inebriation, Illness, potential for conflict, getting lost or injured.

Limit or avoid alcohol use. Group to be briefed on being safe and specific attention to risks of public intoxication. Group leads to check in with students of concern. Repeated violations can lead to being sent home.

Person to person infections: STIs, colds, Flu, illnesses, mpox

Wear a mask, wash hands often, avoid crowded or large-scale events, practice safe sex, obtain travel health insurance in case medical care is needed.

Floods

Stay up to date with local news. Follow advice of local authorities.

Risk category

Identified Risks

See table 5

Risk Reduction Strategies 

Legal/ Political Issues

Permits, visa, civil unrest, unstable political environment

Terrorism, Demonstrations, Mass gatherings:

Increased Demonstrations against government are likely especially in Europe.

 Demonstrations can lead to disruptions to services and transportation and have led to acts of vandalism, arson, and violent clashes between demonstrators and police.

Monitor local media. Avoid tourist locations, public transit, areas where large gatherings are taking place, monitor local media, avoid travel on days where demonstrations usually occur, follow instructions form local authorities.

Visa Challenges: denial can lead to loss of ability to participate and loss of funds

Give participants full understanding of challenges and risks early in application process.

Social/Cultural Issues

Language, religion, gender issues, communication issues

Women’s safety: assault, rape, sexual aggression, harassment and verbal abuse

Travel in pairs or groups, use good judgement, do not accept food or drinks from strangers.

Culture shock/ adjustment challenges/ Potential for inter-cultural conflict

Participants should research their destination ahead of time, student should be given a briefing on ground about location, group leads should check in with students daily. Students should be guided to consider their own identity with respect to the known culture of the location to assess and determine any potential sites of conflict. Any sites of conflict should be considered and a strategy created to handle conflict.

Communication issues: English is spoken but Finnish is the national language

Participants should learn a few key phrases in Danish, group to travel with a translator. Participants can use translation apps on communications device.

Security Issues

Crime, theft, terrorist incidents, assault, kidnapping,

Petty Crime (Pick pocketing, Purse Snatching) Occurs frequently: the main tourist sites, department stores, restaurants and patios, hotel lobbies, parks, transport hubs

public transport –

Get regional safety briefing from in-country host

Secure belongings, avoid displays of affluence, travel in in pairs – be aware of high crime areas.

Theft from hotel rooms

Use safe for all valuables. Find good hiding locations. Double lock door and do not use housekeeping services unless needed. 

Getting lost/separated from the group - increased exposure to all other security threats previously listed.

Travel in pairs or groups, inform group leader of itinerary, enforce a standard curfew, ensure all students have working communications devices, ensure all students have geo-locations service or maps and know where not to go.

Cybercrime: theft of credit card information and personal information over unsecured networks

Avoid using unsecured public Wi-Fi networks

Avoid making purchases on unencrypted websites

Be cautious when posting information on social media

Be particularly vigilant when contacting or meeting individuals known over the internet

Unsupervised exploration time – increased exposure to all other security threats previously listed.

Travel in pairs or groups, inform group leader of itinerary, enforce a standard curfew, ensure all students have working communications devices, ensure all students have geo-locations service or maps and know where not to go.

Other

Travel disruptions, Duty of care, risks associated with international partners

Travel disruptions: getting turned away at boarding; missed connections

All participants must carry trip cancellation and interruption insurance. Group lead will make assessment to stay back with participant and assist in finding another flight home. If denied boarding at trip onset – GE team will troubleshoot and participant will be sent home to wait for resolution.

Breach of code of conduct: Participant

Group Lead will communicate with GE Team to determine resolution; if student is to be sent home – they will accompany to the airport and a direct flight will be purchased. Flight may be charged to student account and other college repercussions will follow.

Risks associated with Service Provider: transportation, accommodations and tour directors and rely on their selection and safety monitoring process.

Group Leads have ultimate authority to make decisions for Centennial College and are guided to make a dynamic risk assessment. Any complaints from participants regarding Turku University staff are to be relayed and investigated. Centennial will evaluate relationship annually.

Missed Duty of Care: Group Leaders do not perform the responsibility of care and miss taking action or mitigating a foreseeable risk which leads to loss.

Group leads will be selected for fitness of leading group based on experience. All staff leads will receive Risk and Safety training to know their roles and responsibilities, identify and mitigate risks associated with their trips and understand their duty of care. Global Experiences will evaluate leading staff annually.