Other Study Abroad Resources
The U.S. Department of State offers many resources for international travelers. The State Department’s Office of American Citizens Services and Crisis Management (ACS) administers the Consular Information Program, which informs the public of conditions abroad that may affect their safety and security. Country Specific Information, Travel Alerts, and Travel Warnings are vital parts of this program. Access is available through the following link:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/travel_1744.html; travel information geared specifically for students may be found at: http://studentsabroad.state.gov/ .
NAFSA http://www.nafsa.org/Find_Resources/Supporting_Study_Abroad/
NAFSA has many resources online to assist in planning and managing study abroad, as well as publications available for purchase. The link above is to the main access page for study abroad resources; many are available to non-members.
Forum on Education Abroad http://www.forumea.org/
This is a national membership organization devoted to improving the standards of study abroad programming. Some thoughtful resources are available to the public, including the Standards of Good Practice for Study Abroad http://www.forumea.org/standards-index.cfm.
Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) https://www.osac.gov/Pages/Home.aspx
OSAC was created in 1985 under the Federal Advisory Committee Act to promote security cooperation between American private sector interests worldwide and the U.S. Department of State. Colleges and universities may sign up for daily e-mail messages about security issues throughout the world, and access other security resources, including various training seminars, some of which are specifically geared for study abroad planning.
The OSAC Website is the focal point for the exchange of unclassified information on security related incidents and threats overseas between the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. private sector. Information on the OSAC website that constituents can access includes the following as well as embassy and consulate warden messages linked through the Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs.
• "Global Security" reports with the latest on major security incidents around the world
• Security-specific coverage of major events such as the Olympics, the World Cup, the economic summit meetings of the G8, and the World Economic Forum, with continual freshening of information on threats
• Security-focused reporting searchable by region and/or topic
• A resource library packed with expertise on contingency planning, plus model presentations that constituents can adapt for briefing their own personnel
MnSCU System Resources
Education for Global Learning (EGL) Consortium
A consortium of system colleges and universities that support and promote internationalism on campuses in a variety of ways, including approval to sponsor J visa applicants. For information on EGL activities, contact Diane Pearson at:
International travel management procedures are found at System Procedure 5.19.3 Part 11. http://www.mnscu.edu/board/procedure/519p3.html. This procedure addresses, among other things, the approval process for travel to destinations under Department of State Travel Warnings or Advisories.
MnSCU OGC 09/13