Health, Safety & Security
The CIEE Philosophy
Tens of thousands of students study abroad without incident each year. However, we are keenly aware that life is unpredictable and that it is critically important to prepare for any eventuality. So when our students need assistance, our worldwide team focuses on compassionate, respectful, individualized support that follows our protocols and safeguards others, if needed.
And while the immediate remedy is often focused upon, our service continues into the secondary phase, including academic support/continuity, financial implications, and institutional communication. We understand the reality of risk and embrace its challenges on behalf of our students, their families, and partner institutions. Preparedness plus response equals total care.
Measuring and Understanding Risk
Any time we leave home, we undertake an inherent risk calculation to determine what is “safe,” including the decision to study abroad. At CIEE, we calculate risk using data-driven analyses by experienced global risk management professionals to ensure the best-in-class safety of all participants and staff.
We follow core safety practices, which include bystander intervention training, mental health support, and site-specific information. Our staff’s priority is – and always has been – a primary focus on our students’ wellbeing.
Studying Abroad in the COVID-19 Era
The pandemic that began in early 2020 affected life around the globe in profound ways, especially study abroad. And yet our mission – to help people gain understanding, acquire knowledge, and develop skills for living in a globally interdependent and culturally diverse world – is just as critical as it was at CIEE’s founding in 1947.
CIEE successfully navigated the Covid-19 pandemic through staff training and student buy-in on effective protocols. Through vigilant data monitoring from trusted sources domestically and abroad, CIEE created the baseline to operate programs safely, the Health Risk Index (HRI). It is a relative numeric score to calculate various data points to assess the relative Covid-19 transmission risks of each CIEE country. We also outlined a series of best practices and guidelines for all our sites to follow during academic year 2023-2024.
2022 Health, Safety, and Security Trend Analysis
To contextualize actual risk to CIEE’s overseas participants, the Health, Safety and Security (HSS) team annually performs a comprehensive analysis of the incidents reported to at our sites. It is from this data our HSS team designs specific and targeted interventions and mitigation strategies to improve both student safety and our support response.
The CIEE Health, Safety, & Security Data Report (2016-2021) examines the risks, incidents, and trends reported during the last 6 years for our 76,000+ participants in our overseas programs during that time.
Don't Hesitate to Give Us a Call With Any Questions
Our offices in Portland are open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, but we can be reached 24/7 at 1-800-40-STUDY (1-800-407-8839).
Health and Safety Alerts
Active safety and security announcements will be posted here.