Sharing Responses and Plans for Education Abroad Programs in Japan

1. Sharing Responses and Plans for Education Abroad Programs in Japan Member Webinar Discussion Friday, March 18, 2011 3 PM EST The Webinar will begin shortly.

2. AGENDA 1.   Introduction and Instructions 2.   How have you responded to the crisis? 3.   What information and resources have you found to be the most useful? 4.   What are your plans for the near future? 5.   Concluding Remarks

3. 1. Introduction and Instructions • Purpose and goals of the webinar • How to navigate the webinar

4. 2. Crisis Responses • How and when does an institution decide to cancel a program? At what point did you/will • you decide to terminate a program, and/or give students the option to depart the • program? • How are schools involving their university counsel, risk managers, crisis • management teams? Who is the point person? This situation is evolving • almost hourly if not daily; how are colleagues handling the decision making -- • is it really “committee” based or do administrators assume the responsibility • for immediate decision making and response (based on policies, experience, etc) • If the Japanese institution does not cancel a program, do you allow a student to • participate, despite the State Dept. Travel Warning? • How are student health/medical facilities interacting with the radiation/health question? • Are they assisting with monitoring the situation? • For those with response experience in other events such as in the Middle East, • how has the response to this been the same, different, other? • How are you handling the financial guarantees that may be needed if, say, flights have to • be paid for and the traveler does not have the funds immediately available, especially if • the assistance policies are not invoking the coverage clauses. •  What has been the experience in interacting with emergency assistance companies? • How many institutions have security/natural disaster assistance and how is that working?

5. 3.   What Information and Resources Have You Found to be the Most Useful? • Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC): http://emergency.cdc.gov/radiation/ Frequently updated information about the current situation in Japan • World Health Organization (WHO): http://www.who.int/hac/crises/jpn/faqs/en/index.html FAQs about radiation and health • U.S. Department of State: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_5378.html Latest news and frequently asked questions • U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC): http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/news/2011/ Latest news releases and fact sheets • http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-warden20110317-02.html - FAQ that outlines out the payment for charter flights • Indiana University Policy: http://www.indiana.edu/~overseas/about/media/press/2011_3_15.shtml • Indiana University Press Release: http://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/17786.html

6. Resources • Does anyone have a one-page advisory protocol for individuals that can be used for training students and faculty to respond during an emergency? I am thinking of something along the CERT (Community Emergency Response Training) type of approach that can be used in the first few hours, days, etc.. How to respond while resources come together to manage personal expectations.

7.   4. What are Your Plans for the Near Future? • I am interested to know how others are planning to address short-term programs to Japan that they may have planned for upcoming months. What are the unique factors to consider as compared to site-based programs? • Does anyone else have students who departed, who might returning to Japan,  but who were not able to secure a re-entry permit before leaving. • The main topic we would like to see addressed in the webinar is the possibility of collaborating with other groups, both Japanese and foreign, in a meaningful service project.

8. 5.         Concluding Remarks Further Opportunities and Resources • Webinar audio and chat will be archived in the Standards Toolbox for Forum members to access, along with information resources: http://www.forumea.org/standards-toolbox.cfm • Forum Blog postings may also contain important information and updates: http://forumeaorg.blogspot.com/

9. Further Opportunities and Resources • Special Session at the Forum Annual Conference, Thursday, April 7, 12 – 1:30 PM, Boston Park Plaza Hotel “Debriefing after Recent Natural Disasters: Chile, Haiti, Japan and New Zealand” • Facilitator: John Sunnygard, University of Colorado, Denver • Location: Statler, Mezzanine • Recent natural disasters around the world have impacted education abroad programming in myriad ways. Share both your experiences in managing programs affected by these events and your plans for the future in these regions. http://www.forumea.org/conference11.cfm

10. Further Opportunities and Resources • Standards of Good Practice Institute, “Beyond the Basics of Health, Safety and Security,” June 24, 2011 at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois: http://www.forumea.org/StInstit-June11.cfm • Standard 8 (Health, Safety and Security) of the Standards of Good Practice for Education Abroad andBest Practice Examples for Standard 8 in the Standards Online Toolbox: http://www.forumea.org/standards-toolbox.cfm

11. Thank you for participating in this discussion and sharing your experience and knowledge with colleagues. The Forum on Education Abroad www.forumea.org 717-245-1031