Client Story
How Dalhousie University Navigated Security Risks to Support International Travel
Updated
Overview
International experiences are an important part of Dalhousie University's activities, with approximately 40 students and 20 staff and faculty travelling internationally each year. These opportunities span multiple countries and regions—such as Philippines, UK, Belize, and Kenya, along with projects in the Caribbean, Egypt, Mongolia, and East Africa—requiring the university to assess potential risks and make informed decisions about the safety of its travellers.
When violent protests erupted in Kenya during a faculty member's visit, International SOS provided expert advice to help the university respond to the immediate situation and assess the risks of a subsequent trip to the region.
The Challenge
A Dalhousie University faculty member was in Kenya to deliver a keynote speech at a conference hosted by a partner institution when violent protests broke out in Nairobi and Meru.
Concerned about the developing situation, Lana Bos, Manager, International Projects and Curriculum Development Specialist at Dalhousie's Faculty of Agriculture, alerted the Dalhousie team and immediately reached out to International SOS for more information and guidance on how to navigate the situation.
Following advice from an International SOS operations specialist, the faculty member sheltered in place with associates from the partner institution. Fortunately, there was no need for escalation and the conference continued, and he returned home safely without further incident.
The same faculty member was expected to travel back to the area 3 weeks later for a field trip with a group of students and a second instructor. With the experience of the unrest still fresh, the university needed to assess the security situation and determine whether the planned educational opportunity could proceed.
The Solution
The decision to travel back to Kenya after this experience was not taken lightly. International SOS provided information and risk assessments to help Dalhousie University evaluate the situation in Kenya and understand the security conditions affecting the planned itinerary.
The university was informed that the areas the group would visit were considered safe and were no longer experiencing the unrest in question.
“Having an assistance partner to help us evaluate the safety of new areas so that our staff and students aren’t going into a new region blind when we set up a new trip is incredibly helpful.”
— Lana Bos, Manager, International Projects and Curriculum Development Specialist at Dalhousie's Faculty of Agriculture
Dalhousie also consulted the students, communicated information about the political situation and shared the advice it had received. Students were given the option to withdraw from the trip if they wished. Based on the evidence and risk assessments, including the mitigation and management plans presented, senior leaders discussed the situation and decided to proceed with the opportunity as planned.
The Outcome
The planned educational opportunity could go ahead following a considered assessment of the risks.
Bos highlights the value of International SOS and the access to expert advice in conducting risk assessments and keeping the university informed of any potential unrest affecting its travelers.
“I would not want to be responsible for trips like these without International SOS.” — Lana Bos
As the university continues to organize global experiences for its students and staff, International SOS remains a trusted partner in assessing travel risks and keeping the university informed of developments that could affect its travelers.