Participation Guide

GLOBAL GRAD PARTICIPATION GUIDE,

GENERAL SAFETY & PERSONAL CODE OF BEHAVIOUR

Participation Guide

The Global Grad programme is intended to be accessible to everyone for whom attendance at a “bricks & mortar” University is the alternative.

All participants are treated on the basis of being fully-abled, unless they declare at the time of booking a travel semester that they require reasonable adjustments to be made by Global Grad to cater for their personal circumstances.

Any special arrangements needed to travel to a Global Grad study-hub need to be made with the carrier at the time of booking the flight; on arrival at the hub, your transfer to the hostel accommodation will be arranged by Global Grad’s local team, in accordance with any special needs declared when booking the semester.

The Global Grad local team will remain available to assist as pre-agreed, but in the main participants will need to be self-sufficient in their use of hostel and study-hub facilities.

Following Global Grad’s assessments of the districts in which the hostel and study-hub facilities are located, the personal risk to participants is low.  However, participants are to be aware of the general risks associated with travelling overseas, and remain personally responsible for safeguarding their own welfare at all times.

The road trip(s) that will link semester study-hubs are designed to introduce an element of adventure, and are again intended to be accessible to all participants.  The content of the road-trips will be fully available at the time of booking a travel semester, and if necessary alternative travel arrangements between hubs can be made.

To participate in a road-trip, the essential requirements are:

  • Be able to independently identify and recognise environmental hazards. These hazards may include, but are not limited to, falling objects/rocks, loose rock and unstable surfaces, rugged steep and uneven terrain, cliff edges, snow crevasses, moving water (fast or slow) such as rivers, surf, or tides; and potentially hazardous animals and insects.
  • Recognize and understand the hazards and risks posed by other course members, which include, but are not limited to, fatigue, state of mind, and actions that may influence judgement and decision-making.
  • Recall and understand hazards and risks previously explained by instructors.
  • Be able to effectively alert and warn others of potential or impending dangers such as falling rocks, aggressive animals, or other environmental hazards.
  • Be able to effectively signal or notify course instructors or other course members of personal distress, injury, or need for assistance.
  • Be able to do the preceding warnings and notifications up to a distance of 50 meters and in conditions with limited visibility such as in darkness or inclement weather or with loud background noise, such as high winds or while near roaring rivers.
  • Act reliably around above stated hazards to minimize risk even when not directly supervised.
  • Independently perceive, understand, and follow directions and instructions given by others to be able to successfully execute appropriate and perhaps unfamiliar, techniques to avoid hazards and /or manage risks. These directions may be given before the hazard or risk is encountered or may need to be given during exposure to the hazard/risk and out of necessity and practicality are often given orally.
  • Be able to stay alert and to focus attention for up to several hours at a time while travelling in wilderness terrain, attending classes, or receiving instructions.
  • Be able to respond appropriately to stress or crisis such as when encountering large and/or potentially hazardous animals, severe weather, or a medical emergency.
  • If taking prescription medications, be able to maintain proper dosage by self-medicating without assistance from instructors or others (except possibly in emergency situations).

General Safety

International travel carries a greater degree of risk compared to your home town. There is also greater risk on our programs, and in particular the road trips, compared to a typical holiday.  Local safety standards may also be below what usually protects you at home.

Global Grad and its partners have leaders in every location, we undertake risk assessments that aim to make a program safer than independent travel. You should read our Terms and Conditions prior to booking, and agree the associated risk assessment that we will provide.

Personal Code of Behaviour

Global Grad applicants will be drawn from a wide variety of backgrounds, with varying perceptions of how they might be expected to behave on a travel semester.  This is no different to attending a conventional University but, bearing in mind the closer-knit nature of the travel semester experience, all participants must be mindful of the adverse impact that their behaviour may have on their fellow-travellers and/or the local community.

All participants are therefore required to avoid any behaviour that could potentially spoil the travel experience for others and, in particular, avoid:

  • Being disrespectful to the laws, customs and people of the host country
  • Refusing to accept the reasonable requests/instructions of the local Global Grad team
  • Unruly behaviour, particularly if alcohol or drugs related
  • Serious breaches of hostel or study-hub rules
  • Violent, dangerous, abusive or intimidating behaviour
  • Racial, gender, disability, or other discriminatory behaviour or abuse
  • Any action which brings the Global Grad programme into disrepute