International student mobility in corona times
Can you travel abroad for a trip, traineeship, project or an exchange scheme in 21-22?
The information below applies to students who ticked an international option on their ISP for the 21-22 academic year, or who have included a programme modality that means travelling abroad as part of the course.
Here at Odisee, we want to facilitate trips abroad as far as possible in the 21-22 academic year. The authorities do not expect the pandemic to be under control before the end of 2021, so our 21-22 travel policy is two-part: the first applies to students who intend to travel during the first term and the second to students and staff who intend to go abroad during the second term. Our travel policy is determined by the European and federal travel policy and in coordination with the various VLHORA partners (Flemish Council of University Colleges).
The following has been decided for traveling abroad during the second term of the academic year 21-22
The information below applies to students who ticked an international option on their ISP for the 21-22 academic year, or who have included a course unit that requires to travel abroad and of which the course unit or the option is organised in the second semester.
TRAVEL POLICY UPDATE
As a result of the new Corona variant Omikron, the departure policy for Southern Africa has been reinforced. Until at least the end of March, students are not allowed to leave for South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi. Students whose exchange to any of these countries was going to start before this time should recontact their departmental coordinator internationalisation. These exchanges will have to be replaced by an alternative.
Meanwhile, the travel ban from these countries to Belgium has been lifted. The board of directors is not going back on its earlier decision, but will allow travel to these countries again from 1 April 2022 (taking into account the entry conditions of the countries concerned).
Individual mobility
If you have planned an exchange of less than 1 month, it may proceed provided that:
-
You travel to one of the regions within the European Union including Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, United Kingdom and Switzerland.
An exchange of less than 1 month to other regions than listed above is only possible with the explicit approval of the Executive Committee. Contact the departmental coordinator internationalisation of your study programme to create a file for permission.
If you have planned an exchange of 1 month or longer, it may proceed provided that:
-
You are travelling to one of the regions within the European Union, including Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, the United Kingdom and Switzerland.
-
You are travelling to another region than listed above and the following conditions have been discussed with the departmental coordinator internationalisation at the latest 2 months before departure:
- It is possible to enter the country of destination.
- You have a clear view on the COVID-19 situation in the country of destination concerning infection rates and measures in place.
- You agree with a possible extension of your studies if there is an unexpected turn of the travel policy or if certain activities on site are delayed due to a local outbreak.
- A quality check of the partner takes place in agreement with the departmental coordinator internationalisation of your study programme at least 2 months before departure. Contact your coordinator to conduct the quality check and to help you out with the next steps.
Group mobility
Group trips are only allowed if the destination is a region in the European Union, which in this case includes Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, the United Kingdom and Switzerland and is considered a "need to have" within the study programme.
Group trips outside the above regions are only possible with the agreement of the Executive Committee and approved at least one month before the planned departure.
The following has been decided for traveling abroad during the first term of the academic year 21-22
The information below applies to students who ticked an international option on their ISP for the 21-22 academic year, or who have included a course unit that requires to travel abroad and of which the course unit or the option is organised in the first semester.
Group Mobility
Group trips are only allowed if the destination is a region in the European Union, which in this case includes Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, the United Kingdom and Switzerland, and if the FPS Foreign Affairs’ coding system has given them Code Green or Code Amber. The people in charge of the programme will decide which group trips will get the go-ahead and which will have to be cancelled. However, Odisee’s Executive Committee has the final say in the matter.
Unfortunately, we cannot allow group trips outside the regions listed above.
Individual Travel
If you intend to go on exchange trip that should last less than 1 month to one of the regions in the European Union, which in this case includes Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, the United Kingdom and Switzerland, your trip can go ahead if that region is Code Green or Code Amber according to the FPS Foreign Affairs’ coding system. The last update of the colour coding system is scheduled for 15 September 2021.
Unfortunately, we cannot allow short student exchange trips outside the regions listed above.
If you have planned to go on an exchange that lasts 1 month or longer:
- Your exchange trip can go ahead without a problem if you are going to one of the regions in the European Union, which in this case includes Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, the United Kingdom and Switzerland, if that region is given Code Green or Code Amber up to no more than 1 month before you leave.
- Your exchange trip might go ahead if you are going to one of the regions in the European Union, which in this case includes Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, the United Kingdom and Switzerland, but that region is given Code Red no more than 1 month before you leave; you must discuss it with your programme’s anchor at internationalisation and it will be decided on a case-by-case basis. The people in charge of your programme will decide on your trip at the latest 1 month before you are scheduled to leave.
- Your exchange trip might go ahead if you are going outside the European Union, which here is given to include Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, the United Kingdom and Switzerland; you must discuss it with your programme’s anchor at internationalisation and will be decided on a case-by-case basis in a personal interview. The people in charge of your programme will decide on your trip by 30 June 2021 at the latest, regardless of when you are scheduled to leave. That date should give you enough time to prepare for your exchange trip. All students who are planning to go on an exchange trip to any of these regions must attend the mandatory awareness talk which is scheduled for 12 o’clock on 26 May 2021.
Exceptions: students who have included a travel option for the second term of the 21-22 academic year and will be leaving after the Christmas holidays but before 6 February 2022 are allowed to wait until 1 October 2021 so they have time to make a final decision after discussing it with the people who are in charge of the programme. They will not be required to attend the awareness talk on 26 May 2021 but the International Relations Department and their programme’s anchor at internationalisation will inform them about the next steps.
We will work out the details of our travel policy on travelling abroad during the second term of the 21-22 academic year (departure until 7/2 (inclusive)) in the course of the first term of the 21-22 academic year. In the meantime, please do not spend any money on any possible trips.
