Safety and Security Issues in Mobility

This article discusses the responsibilities of higher education institutions towards their internationally mobile staff and students, and possible actions that the institutions can take with respect to activities such as international business trips, study and training periods abroad, and international secondments and traineeships. Security issues have gained much more public attention over the last years, not only because of increased travel but also because there have been more incidents and greater violence and terrorist developments around the world. As a result, there is more awareness of the risks inherent in international mobility. All institutions are well-advised to conduct risk analyses with respect to mobility and develop risk mitigation policies and strategies for these activities.These include a safety and security policy, related infrastructures, an experienced crisis management team and a continuous creation of awareness of these issues among staff and students. Although this article elaborates some general principles, the design and implementation of such policies and strategies must be tailored to each institution’s needs and specific circumstances.