Global Engagement Gateway

The Global Engagement Gateway is a compilation of University-wide resources meant to assist the Boston College community in the process of engaging internationally鈥攂oth on campus and abroad. When embarking on an international activity, there are many elements to be aware of, and offices across the University are dedicated to providing guidance to help make your international engagement a success.听

Academic & Extracurricular
Student Travel Policy

BC's Global Partners
听

International Travel Policy

In addition, if you are traveling to an , , or other University-designated high-risk destination, your trip will require Dean and Vice President/Provost approval. In such cases, you should enter your travel plans (destination & dates) into the travel registry, but do not book your flight/hotel accommodations until after your trip has been reviewed by the Associate Director of Global Safety and Security and you have received final approval to travel from your Dean/VP. If you have any questions please reach out to the Office of Global Engagement at bc.global@bc.edu or +1-617-552-1240.

Any trip abroad should be planned well in advance to ensure that you are prepared, have received all pre-departure approvals and briefings, and have time to apply for any visas or other entry requirements for your destination(s). Please take advantage of the relevant resources and information provided on this page. For information about vaccinations, refer to the Global Health and Safety section below.听听

*Personal travel does not require registration.听Please听contact听bc.global@bc.edu听to clarify if your travel plans constitute听University Travel.

Going Abroad

Travel Abroad

Please consult with your direct supervisor prior to traveling on behalf of the University

Any trip abroad should be planned well in advance to ensure that you are prepared, have received all pre-departure approvals and briefings, and have time to apply for any visas or other entry requirements for your destination(s). For more information about vaccinations, refer to听Global Health and Safety.听

In addition, if you are traveling to an , , or other University-designated high-risk destination, your trip will require Dean and Vice President/Provost approval. In such cases, you should enter your travel plans (destination & dates) into the University's , but do not book your flight/hotel accommodations until after your trip has been reviewed by the Associate Director of Global Safety and Security and you have received final approval to travel from your Dean/VP. If you have any questions please reach out to the Office of Global Engagement at bc.global@bc.edu or +1-617-552-1240.

Follow the instructions to register your itinerary using the travel registry for听听or听. Contact听bc.global@bc.edu听for questions or assistance.

Here is useful information on travel booking, insurance, funding, and reimbursements, as well as regulations regarding travel on sponsored programs.

BC Travel
Faculty Handbook:听Travel
Foreign travel on sponsored programs听
For faculty leading student group travels abroad:听University guidelines for academic and extracurricular group travel

Enroll your travel with the听听for alerts and assistance while abroad.

We also recommend that you consult听Export Controls听and read about听travel security tips听to protect your electronic devices and the data they contain.听

Teaching Abroad

If you are interested in taking groups of students abroad, you should consult with the听Office of Global Education听for information and support.

If you are looking to teach abroad or considering developing curricula as a consultant or in the framework of a partnership with a university or organization abroad, please consult your Dean and the Vice Provost for Faculties. Teaching and service for other universities implicate university policies including:

Questions regarding the foregoing should be directed to your Department Chair, Dean, Vice Provost for Faculties, the听Office for Sponsored Programs, or听Export Controls.

Global Health and Safety

听is Boston College's required travel health insurance provider and provides health and emergency services.

Certain countries have specific health and safety requirements. If you would like a consultation for required immunizations and country specific health advisories, you may contact听Health Services. In order to receive immunizations, you will need to visit a听.

You may also refer to the US Department of State for country specific requirements and advisories:

Follow the instructions to register your itinerary using the travel registry foror听. Contact听bc.global@bc.edu听for questions or assistance.

Download the App on your mobile device from
the or . After downloading the app, go to
your user in the travel registry to obtain your
password for the mobile

Enroll your trip with the听听for alerts and assistance while abroad.

Passports, Visas, and Permits for BC Travelers

If you have to apply for a visa or other permit, here are useful links

听(Department of State)
听(American Express)

Insurance Abroad

Here is for BC faculty, staff, and students traveling abroad. For questions concerning insurance of property, vehicles, and general liability abroad, please contact the Office of Risk Management. Undergraduate students participating in a study abroad program through the Office of Global Education will be enrolled in supplemental health insurance for the duration of their program.

Procurement Abroad

When planning to purchase goods or services from foreign vendors (for instance, consultants or law firms), contact听Procurement Services. You may also need to consult the听Office for Sponsored Programs听if the procurement is occurring under federally sponsored projects, which may set forth rules restricting foreign procurement.听

IT and Data Security

Before traveling abroad with your computer or mobile device, be sure to
听review the following tips about information security while traveling. Contact the听Office of Research Security, Integrity and Compliance (RSIC) regarding possible export restrictions on the devices and data that you plan to bring with you. Also remember to use Boston College's VPN to access specific computers or servers behind BC's firewall, or to access confidential BC information from home that should be encrypted (scrambled) while traveling. Guidelines on using BC's VPN may be found here.

The University has been notified that, in order to comply with U.S. law, Duo, Zoom, and Canvas will restrict usage of their services from the following countries/regions sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC):

Cuba
North Korea
Iran
Sudan
Syria
Crimea, Sevastopol, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions of Ukraine

BC faculty, staff, and students who are based in, or travel to, OFAC-sanctioned countries or regions will no longer be able to use Duo (two-factor authentication); Zoom (teleconferencing); or Canvas (learning management system). Questions about compliance with U.S. export law while traveling can be addressed to RSIC at exportcontrol@bc.edu. Questions regarding the IT impact created by Duo's, Zoom's, and Canvas' service changes should be addressed to ITS.

Data Transfer and Privacy Protection

If your research involves the transfer of personally identifiable information, you should consult the Institutional Review Board/Office of Research Protections听as your first point of contact, to confirm that adequate protocols are in place to mitigate harm against those to whom the data relates. In certain cases, such as in Europe, the transfer of personally identifiable information may implicate the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or other applicable privacy laws. Often, the party making the transfer will require that the recipient researcher agrees to a date use or data sharing agreement. These agreements need to be reviewed with Information Technology Services and the Office of the General Counsel to confirm that the technology security requirements and other obligations can be met by Boston College.

Human Resources

If your project requires you to contract or hire a local consultant or employee, please consult with the Office of the Vice President of Human Resources for information on regulations and procedures. When taking on a work assignment abroad, you will have to consider a number of issues, in particular related to banking, taxes, social security, and benefits. If you are a foreign national, an extended stay abroad may have implications for your visa in the United States. For support and guidance when planning your move, please contact听the Office of the Vice President of听Human Resources.

Financial Matters

These are your resources if you need to access, manage, spend, and report on money used abroad:

Banking issues:听If you need to open a bank account in a foreign country to carry out your activities, Bank and Cash services within the听Office of the Controller听is dedicated to providing you with fiscal advice.
Use of purchase card (P-card):听For questions related to the purchase of goods or services abroad with a p-card (for a value of less than $5,000), and which type of card to use, please refer to听.
Payments abroad:听For payments to foreign vendors by wire, please refer to the听policies and procedures听of the Office of the Controller.听
Advances and reimbursements:听To apply for an advance to cover your travel expenses, or for reimbursement, please visit听.

Travel Advisories

Certain countries around the world are issued travel advisories based on national recommendations. According to the听,听a Level 3 warning indicates a high warning and that you should听.听Level 4 advisories are given to sanctioned countries and can be found on the听.

Consult听Export Controls听for a list of countries where extra precautions are needed with respect to traveling with personal or university computers, phones, or other electronics.听For information regarding vaccinations and health notices while traveling to countries with advisories, visit the听's site.

Extracurricular Programs and Immersion Trips

If you are planning to take students abroad on an extra-curricular program, including volunteering, service, and immersion (such as听the programs on this overview), here are your听resources.听Please be mindful of the听Boston College Academic and Extracurricular Student Travel Policy.

Engaging with BC Communities Abroad

The Office of University Advancement seeks to identify ways for Boston College's international communities to engage with the University through volunteerism and philanthropic听support. For more information please email听internationalalumni@bc.edu.

Export Controls

Boston College follows the United States' comprehensive lists of restrictions on academic collaborations, research materials, and equipment. Information, equipment, technology, and other exchanges within the framework of academic collaborations with foreign nationals, on campus, in the United States, or abroad, should stay within compliance.听When traveling as an affiliate of the Boston College community, you are required to adhere to Boston College鈥檚 policies on international travel regarding export controls. If you are traveling with samples, materials, equipment, or sensitive data, please visit听Export Controls鈥� website or contact听exportcontrol@bc.edu听for more information and forms.听

Global Engagement at Home

Short-Term Visits at BC

Boston College welcomes visitors and delegations from around the world for meetings, short trainings, and conferences. As these visitors will not be employed or engaging in full-time study at BC, most will be coming with a B-1 鈥漋isitor for Business鈥� visa, or they may qualify for the听.

In exceptional cases, your visitors might need an official invitation or visa. If you are not sure if this is the case, please contact the听Office of International Students and Scholars. For visits to special sites on campus, please refer to听Export Controls鈥� guidelines to be sure the visit stays within compliance.听

International Faculty and Scholars at BC

Every year, Boston College hosts hundreds of esteemed scholars from around the world. If you are considering sponsoring an unpaid visiting scholar or a paid researcher, fellow, or part-time faculty member, your first point of contact is your Department Chair or Dean.听For unpaid visiting scholars, please first听request a visiting scholar appointment letter from the Office of the Provost. Once this letter has been issued, the Office of International Students and Scholars will contact your department and the scholar about听visa options. For paid visiting researchers, fellows,听 and part-time faculty, please contact the听Office of International Students and Scholars听directly about the process for obtaining a J-1 exchange visitor visa for this person.听

Immigration and Visas to the US听

When it is anticipated that a foreign national will be hired to work for Boston College and may require a different visa than the J-1, it will be necessary to work with the Office of the Provost (for faculty) or Human Resources (for staff) to ensure that the new hire works through the requisite paperwork and immigration and visa requirements necessary to complete the hiring process.

Global Curriculum and Classroom

The curriculum and the classroom are opportunities to engage in inclusive global learning, reaching out to all students regardless of national or cultural background.听The Center for Digital Innovation in Learning (CDIL) and the Center for Teaching Excellence听(CTE) offer support for faculty looking for help. Please visit their websites to learn what resources and services they can provide, including the CTE's page. You will also find useful resources on the听website of the Office of Global Education.

Collaborations & Partnerships

Intercultural Awareness

Having a sense of understanding and cultural awareness is necessary for effective communication. We recommend visiting the听Office of Global Education's website. Most semesters, the Office of Institutional Diversity (OID) offers听Cultural Competency Engagement Modules听as well as other programs. The OID听 and the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) also offer opportunities for assessment and development of intercultural competency through the use of the听听(IDI). The OISS also provides individual programs for departments/offices on other related issues, such as cross-cultural communication.

International partnerships and MOUs

When approached by a foreign university or other foreign entity to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) or other agreement, your primary points of contact are your Department Chair, your Dean, and the Office of the Vice Provost for Global Engagement. Even if they do not involve any financial or other resource commitments, these international agreements can raise a number of complex issues not ordinarily present in domestic arrangements.听Check with听(on the Office of Global Education website) and with the Office of the Vice Provost for Global Engagement to see whether Boston College already has an agreement with that institution. The Office of the Vice Provost for Global Engagement may have an appropriate University template agreement, and will advise on signing authority, any accreditation or reporting issues, and whether a review of the Office of the General Counsel is required. In addition, prior to entering into such agreements, international parties need to be screened in accordance with the University鈥檚 export controls procedures.听Contact:听exportcontrol@bc.edu听for questions or assistance. When the agreement is signed, please submit the original document to听the Office of the Vice Provost for Global Engagement.

Research Protections

If you are planning to conduct international research, there are a number of protections and disclosure policies to be aware of and follow. Please consult the Office of the Vice Provost for Research regarding Intellectual Property,听Export Controls, and Boston College's听Institutional Review Board听(IRB) in the early stages of your research for guidance and assistance in filling out any required forms. In many cases, you will need to seek local IRB approval from the country in which you conduct research, in addition to Boston College's IRB approval. Be sure to stay compliant in disclosing details of your research according to university and national regulations.

Funding

If you are looking for funding for international travel and collaborations, here are some resources:

Faculty Handbook:听Travel
Office of the Provost听Grants and Awards
Vice Provost for Research/Office for Sponsored Programs听Funding

Intellectual Property

The听Scholarly Communication Librarian听at the University Libraries is available to offer advice and assistance on issues relating to the use of copyrighted materials, working with publishers, and other copyright issues.

Please be mindful of the University鈥檚听Intellectual Property Policy听and听consult with the听Office of Technology Transfer and Licensing听to confirm that there are adequate protections in place to ensure the security of the research and protection of intellectual property. Any contracts or licenses with foreign parties should be reviewed in accordance with University policies.听听

International Shipments

All faculty, staff, and students are required to submit an听听prior to shipping items abroad. The Office of Research Security, Compliance and Integrity (RSIC) will review the submission and determine whether a license from the U.S. Government is required for the shipment. FinaI RSIC approval, and a license if applicable, is required, before the item can ship

Reporting and Taxes

For questions related to reporting and taxes on income or payments abroad, please consult with the听Office of the Controller.

Legal Issues

To determine the legal issues and all operations related to your activity abroad, consult with your Department Chair or Dean, who may seek advice from Export Controls, the Office of the Controller, and the Office of the General Counsel, among other units.听

Conducting Research with Foreign Collaborators

International collaborations typically involve sharing of intellectual property, materials and equipment, data, technologies, and software, in addition to international travel, hiring on-site personnel, and diverse sources of funding. As such, engaging in research with foreign collaborators can trigger a number of legal and compliance considerations not ordinarily present with domestic collaborations.

Information regarding foreign collaborators, technology and equipment, sources of funding, international site locations, as well as the scope of international research may require disclosure in accordance with federal regulations and Boston College policies. If at any point during collaboration any of the aforementioned components change, it must be reported to the appropriate office.

Compliance and transparency is vital for our rich academic environment. Boston College's faculty and staff are entrusted with the responsibility of being transparent about their international engagements. In order to help BC manage its federal compliance obligations and mitigate potential conflicts of interest and conflicts of commitment, please review Boston College's policies on conflicts of commitment and conflicts of interest. For additional support, refer to the offices of:听Export Controls,听Human Resources,听Research Protections,听Office of Sponsored Programs,听Technology Transfer and Licensing, and the听Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty.

Accepting Gifts

Acceptance of gratuities, gifts, or travel from any source could create the appearance of a conflict of interest. This is of particular concern when something of value is given by a foreign source, where there may be additional disclosure requirements applicable to foreign support.听

Before accepting a gift (including travel) from a foreign source, be mindful of the University鈥檚 conflicts of interest policies as set forth in the Faculty Handbook, the听Policy on Conflicts of Interest and Commitment, the听Policy on Professional Standards and Business Conduct, and the听Policy on Conflicts of Interest and Commitment Pertaining to Sponsored Projects. Related questions may be directed to the听Vice Provost of Faculties.听

Any financial gift intended to be given to the University from a foreign source may require disclosure under federal law. For more information please email internationalalumni@bc.edu.