• Section 1 - Purpose and Scope
• Section 2 - Definitions
• Section 3 - Booking Procedures
• Student Travel
• Section 4 - Preparation for Travel
• Section 5 - While Travelling
• Section 6 - Cancellations and Amendments to Bookings

Section 1 - Purpose and Scope

Purpose

(1) These procedures give effect to the Travel Policy.

Scope

(2) These procedures apply to staff, students, Council members, job applicants and others travelling for University purposes. 

Section 2 - Definitions

(3) Refer to the Travel Policy.

Section 3 - Booking Procedures

(4) All Travellers must submit a Travel Enquiry to Travel Services who will then prepare a Travel Request on behalf of the traveller, for approval. 

(5) On receipt of the travel approval, Travel Services will proceed to manage the booking.

Student Travel

(6) All student travel must be booked through Travel Services so that risk management procedures can be followed and expert travel advice can be provided. This includes advice on travel insurance as well as medical and emergency support and services available to travelling students. In rare circumstances, Travel Services may recommend an external travel provider to manage the booking.

Student Group Travel – New Colombo Plan and other Programs

(7) A Risk Assessment must be conducted for all Student Group Travel.

(8) The supervising/travelling staff member must submit a Travel Enquiry to Travel Services who will then seek the relevant approvals. 

(9) On receipt of the relevant travel approvals, Travel Services will proceed to manage the bookings.

(10) No student group travel bookings will be made until the appropriate travel approvals are in place. 

Section 4 - Preparation for Travel

(11) Travellers must be fit to travel. If planning to travel overseas, Travellers with pre-existing medical conditions, or mental health concerns must call International SOSfor a pre-trip medical consultation to ensure they are fit to travel and that the medical care and availability of medicine in the destination location is sufficient to ensure the Traveller's wellbeing. These consultations are confidential.

(12) Travellers with a higher risk profile due to their gender, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation are able to receive a confidential consultation prior to their travel from International SOS medical and security staff.

(13) Prior to travel, Travellers must:

1. Access the University's risk information services and make themselves familiar with medical and security risks at the destination.  
2. Download the International SOS app.
3. Save the following numbers into the phones they will use while travelling as 'SCU and International SOS Emergency Outreach':
   1. +61 429 336 557;  and
   2. +1  215 354 3803
4. Familiarise themselves with the University's travel insurance policy and if coverage is not sufficient, arrange their own private travel insurance prior to departure.
5. Arrange their own insurance for any private component of the trip that exceeds the 'merely incidental' private travel threshold.
6. Have the recommended vaccinations before travelling. The University will reimburse Travellers for recommended vaccinations.
7. Organise phone and other means of communication if travelling to a high risk area - such as geo tracking via smartphone, or a satellite device if in a remote area. 
8. Apply for a travel cash advance, if required.  
9. Seek information on Fringe Benefit Tax liabilities, if the trip includes a private component.

Cyber Security

(14) Travellers will prepare for possible cyber security threat by:

1. Backing up the data on their devices;
2. Updating the software on their devices;
3. Ensuring they have strong passwords and two-factor authentication where available;
4. Checking with Technology Servicesif taking sensitive or confidential data overseas, or travelling to a location that is considered high security risk.

Private Travel Costs Contributions

(15) Prior to travel, Travellers will be advised of the costs of any private component to the proposed travel and the method for paying that contribution to the University.

Travel Cash Advances

(16) Travel cash advances will not be paid when:

1. Travel is for a period of less than one day (24 hours); or
2. If the total amount requested is less than $500.

(17) A cash advance should be requested at the time of raising a Travel Request, to ensure it is approved for payment in a timely manner, prior to travel. Cash advances are normally released:

1. For domestic travel - a week prior to travel.
2. For international travel - two weeks prior to travel, to allow for currency conversion.

Corporate Credit Card

(18) If a Traveller intends to use a corporate credit card while travelling overseas, they should advise the credit card provider of their travel arrangements, to ensure the card is not unnecessarily blocked.

Section 5 - While Travelling

Communications and Contact

(19) Where Travellers use a phone number other than their usual number for travel (such as a locally sourced SIM card) they must inform Travel Services and update their profile in the International SOS Assistance App with the active contact number.

Emergency, Medical and Security Situations

(20) In the event of an emergency medical or security situation in Australia, Travellers will follow normal Work Health Safety Procedures and submit an Incident/Hazard Report as soon as safe to do so.

(21) In the event of an overseas emergency medical or security situation Travellers will:

1. Contact International SOS;
2. Read, and where necessary, respond to the real time alerts issued by International SOS; and
3. Submit an Incident/Hazard Report and follow all normal Work Health Safety Procedures.

(22) If there is a major incident in the location of a Traveller, International SOS will send affected Travellers an automated message on behalf of the University to confirm that they are safe. If the Traveller does not respond, an email alert, text to voicemail and then a push notification from the app will be activated.  This service is available to all Travellers who have booked their travel through University Travel Services. 

(23) The SMS will come from the number +61 429 336 557, and the phone call from + 1 215 354 3803.

Cyber Security

(24) Travellers must:

1. Minimise to the greatest extent possible the number of networks they connect with while travelling.
2. Not connect to non-secure networks, such as public WiFi networks.
3. Use a VPN to access sensitive or confidential information, or University networks.
4. Not install new software or update existing.
5. Immediately inform Technology Services if a University device is lost or compromised.

Lost Luggage

(25) In the event of lost or missing luggage, Travellers should first seek to recover:

1. Lost items via the airline and airport; and
2. Costs for lost baggage from the relevant airline.

Section 6 - Cancellations and Amendments to Bookings

(26) If Travellers wish to cancel or amend a travel booking, they must do so by contacting Travel Services.

(27) If urgent, out of business hours changes to travel bookings are required, the Traveller should contact the University's Travel Management Company.

(28) When a trip is cancelled by the operator, such as an airline, the Traveller should request an alternative booking by:

1. During business hours, contacting Travel Services; or
2. Outside business hours, contacting the University's Travel Management Company.

(29) The Traveller's itinerary includes the out of business hours contact details of the University's Travel Management Company.

(30) If the Traveller intends to change the purpose or dates of the approved travel, or its funding source, Travel Services will seek approval from the delegated authority for the proposed changes prior to amending the booking.