Washington University in St. Louis is launching a new support system to ensure the safety of its community members while traveling abroad, the school said in a release.
The university is partnering with International SOS, a medical and travel security services firm, to implement the MyTrips international travel registry which helps faculty, staff, and students to record travel itineraries and emergency contact information.
University’s International Travel Oversight Committee (ITOC) is also starting a new TravelTracker Incident Support feature on Thursday which will automatically link itineraries registered on MyTrips.
“The MyTrips travel registry drives our ability to do this. With the implementation of TravelTracker Incident Support, when the safety and security of our travelers are at risk internationally, the ability to track, alert and respond in a timely, coordinated manner is invaluable,” said Benjamin Ola Akande, assistant vice chancellor for international affairs-Africa.
The new initiative will ensure immediate assistance to the community members during the natural disasters, acts of violence, civil unrest, and other untenable incidents while traveling internationally.
Members will receive email and text message in case there is an incident or emergency in the region where they are traveling. After the member responds back, the university’s team of responders and International SOS will determine the level of assistance required.
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