Off-Campus Activity and Travel Requirements
The U of A shapes futures through top-tier education and research, which can take faculty, staff and students across Canada and the world.
The Off-Campus and Travel Requirements Procedure supports those traveling since emergencies occur without warning. The following details will help faculty, staff and students prepare for travel, know what to do if something goes wrong and ensure that the university can contact them in case of emergency.
Before Travelling
1. Assess your risk level:
- Review the descriptions below to determine the risk based on the highest risk level. For example, if your risk is assessed as Risk Level 2 (medium), for all categories except the activity risk category which is assessed at Risk Level 4 (high), your overall risk is Risk Level 4 (high).
- If the activity involves field research, refer to the Examples of Field Activities with Risk Levels assigned as a guide. This is a guide only as individual activities may change.
- Note your risk level and proceed to step 2 below (Select your category of travel).
Risk level 5 (extreme)
If any of the following are true, your activity is risk level 5; if none apply, see risk level 4:
- A location where Global Affairs Canada (GAC) indicates “Avoid all travel.”
- An activity for which there is substantial risk to participants and risks cannot be reduced with any reasonable probability.
- Isolated Work Site to EMS (more than 40 minutes) + extremely difficult rescue (rugged terrain or crevasse rescue, etc.).
Risk level 4 (high)
If any of the following are true, your activity is risk level 4; if none apply, see risk level 3:
- A location where Global Affairs Canada (GAC), indicates “Avoid non-essential travel.”
- Activities that have the potential to expose participants to hazards that are significantly greater than those likely to be encountered in their everyday lives but those risks can be markedly reduced through engineered controls, administrative processes, specialized training and appropriate PPE.
- Isolated Work Site to EMS (more than 40 minutes) + difficult rescue.
Risk level 3 (moderate)
If the following is true, your activity is risk level 3; if none apply, see risk level 2:
- An activity for which there is substantial risk to participants and risks cannot be reduced with any reasonable probability.
Risk level 2 (medium)
If any of the following are true, your activity is risk level 2; if none apply, see risk level 1:
- Undergraduate students are involved in the travel.
- Activities that entail a higher level of risk than individuals would encounter in their daily lives, but those risks can be minimized by engineered controls, administrative processes, training and appropriate PPE.
- Distant Work Site to EMS (20-40 minutes).
Risk level 1 (low)
- A location where Global Affairs Canada (GAC) Travel Advice and Advisories indicate “Take normal security precautions.” Typically travel within Canada is low risk. However, all travellers should look at the current situation to assess possible hazards such as wildfires, natural disasters, severe weather, and public health warnings that should be taken into consideration in determining whether the risk level has increased.
- An activity that entails hazards or risk no greater than those encountered by average participants in their everyday lives.
- Close to EMS (within 20 minutes) - e.g. city limits.
2. Select your category of travel
Select your primary category of travel below to determine required actions and approvals.
Administrative Affairs
Requirements for faculty and staff
Includes faculty, staff, postdoctoral fellows and volunteers travelling for meetings, conferences, undertaking a sabbatical or administrative leave, or participating in a faculty exchange or teaching opportunity.
Academic Programs
Requirements for faculty, staff and students
Programs established by a faculty or International Education and Enrolment (IEE) offered to students, including practicum placements, faculty-managed student groups and travel abroad programs.
Field Research
Requirements for faculty, staff and graduate students
Includes any off-campus research activity to collect, generate or analyze all forms of data, including environmental, biological, archival, ethnographical, anthropological, library or other research, spanning trips to locate suitable field sites or visits to host institutions, industrial or construction sites.