Security Issues

The safety of UMD students studying abroad is a prime concern of the program. General safety issues include living in a big city environment and traveling in foreign countries. Orientation sessions will cover issues of personal safety and protecting personal possessions. A good handbook to consult is A Safe Trip Abroad, published by the U.S. State Department, which can be found on the web at http://travel.state.gov/travel/abroad_pub_safetrip.html

We strongly suggest that each student before arrival purchase additional insurance if they are planning on taking their laptop with them to Birmingham. Travel insurance often has extra coverage for computer equipment. Computer theft, as in the United States, is prevalent in England, and because for students an internet link with home is important, loss of a computer would be unfortunate. We also suggest that students purchase a computer lock if they plan to use it in the library.

We have developed special precautions to deal with such international crises as the Libyan bombings in 1996, the Gulf War in 1991, and the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the United States. The program is registered with the U.S. Embassy in London and is on the mailing list for any travel warnings issued by the United States government. Parents and students may also monitor U.S. travel advisories on the web site http://travel.state.gov. In addition, the Programme Director is in close contact with other international programs which pay careful attention to safety concerns. Students will be advised if there are countries which they should not visit or areas within Britain that are considered unsafe. If there is an international emergency in which the U.S. State Department or the University of Minnesota considers evacuation to be desirable, the program has contingency plans to arrange for immediate transport back to the United States.