It is a goal of the University of New Hampshire (UNH) strategic plan to ensure that students will have maximum exposure to international experiences. To minimize health hazards and safety risks, UNH established the International Travel Risk Review Committee (ITRRC) to evaluate UNH-sponsored education abroad activities when a significant health or safety concern is raised and to decide whether to suspend that activity.
UNH policy prohibits student travel and activities, undergraduate and graduate, in countries and areas that the U.S. Department of State rates as Level 3: Reconsider Travel or Level 4: Do Not Travel. There may be instances when an individual UNH student or a UNH-sponsored group considers that there is a compelling educational interest to conducting an activity in a Level 3 or Level 4 country or area and that it is possible to mitigate the risks. In these cases, an individual student or unit may petition to the International Travel Risk Review Committee (ITRRC) for prior approval. You can read the official UNH International Travel Risk Review policy in the USNH Online Policy Manual.
Suspending an Education Abroad Activity
The International Travel Risk Review Committee (ITRRC) evaluates student travel and education abroad activities when a significant health or safety concern is raised and decides whether to suspend that international activity. ITRRC may decide to suspend an education abroad activity before a program starts or while it is in progress.
This health or safety concern may arise from a variety of sources, including: U.S. Department of State, governmental or non-governmental health organizations, risk assessments from travel assistance providers, UNH faculty and staff with an expertise in the area, on-site staff officials, international education organizations or other indicators of potential or emergent health or safety threats.
The committee will determine whether to suspend an education abroad activity based on the ITRRC Review Criteria.
In emergency situations where it is impractical for the International Travel Risk Review Committee (ITRRC) to meet, the Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Associate Vice Provost for International Programs may take immediate steps to have students removed from a country, region or area. Individual UNH-sponsored program staff also may take immediate steps to remove students from a country, region or area in emergency circumstances without prior action by the committee. The individual program director or designee will notify the Committee within 24 hours of any such emergency action.
