Message to staff from the Senior Vice-Principal - Tuesday 10 March 2020
Dear colleagues,
Given the large number of enquiries we are receiving around travel, I would like to clarify the University’s guidance.
I would ask you to be mindful that UK government travel advice continues to develop in response to the coronavirus – Covid-19 outbreak so please make sure you are following the most up to date advice. Anyone planning to travel should ensure they are aware of the latest Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice BEFORE booking or undertaking your trip. In addition to advising against travel to category 1 countries/areas, the University is now strongly discouraging travel to category 2 areas. Please note, this is a change from previous guidance.
If you are returning from an area where the advice from the FCO has changed (e.g. Italy) you should follow NHS advice and contact your HR Partner/Adviser for further guidance BEFORE returning to work. Please refer to the Further Information section of the coronavirus webpages to ensure you are following the latest advice.
Going forward, no international travel is to be booked without the approval of your Head of School or Director. If your travel has already been booked, it should not be undertaken without the knowledge of your Head of School, School Admin Officer or Director.
If you are considering travel, I would ask that you consider the following before discussing this with your Head of School or Director:
- Do you need to travel now – or could the trip be delayed or done virtually?
- Are you following government advice as outlined under Fit For Travel?
- Do you have a contingency plan if advice changes while you are travelling?
- Have you got insurance and will your insurance cover any changes? (Note: insurance companies may not reimburse you if you change your mind about travel if there is no change in official travel advice)
- Can you delay booking your travel until as close to your travel date as possible to mitigate against any possible change in government advice and travel restrictions?
VISITORS
If you have visitors due to come to campus, please ensure you are directing them to the University’s coronavirus webpages and the travel advice we are providing to our staff and student community. Visitors should be asked if they have recently travelled to or from an area with an elevated risk (category 1 or 2 countries or areas). If they have they should be advised not to travel to the University campus.
The University is regularly updating its FAQs, available at www.abdn.ac.uk/coronavirus, and I would ask that you consult these before sending an email seeking guidance.
Finally, I would like to close by reminding you that inclusiveness is a central pillar of our Aberdeen 2040 strategy. The University of Aberdeen has a zero tolerance approach to any form of discrimination or harassment and I would urge anyone who experiences this to contact your HR partner.
Best wishes,
Karl
Professor Karl Leydecker
Chair of the Coronavirus Steering Group
Senior Vice-Principal