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Student Travel and Expenses Policy

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Purpose | Scope | Principles | Policy statements | Roles and responsibilities | Definitions | Approval information | Version history | References

1. Purpose

1.1 The Student Travel and Expenses Policy (the policy) outlines the requirements and support for students undertaking university travel and for managing expenses and reimbursements.

1.2 The policy should be read in conjunction with the Student Travel and Expenses Procedure (the procedure).

2. Scope

2.1 This policy applies to all students undertaking university travel.

2.2 This policy does not apply to staff undertaking university travel (refer Staff Travel, Expenses and Credit Card Policy (staff policy)). Students who are also staff should discuss with their supervisor and/or faculty whether this policy or the staff policy applies to their university travel.

2.3 This policy does not apply to students in the Global exchange program or Global short programs. UTS International may use elements of this policy in managing their students.

3. Principles

3.1 When undertaking university travel, students must conduct themselves in line with UTS’s social, ethical and behavioural standards (refer Conduct, behaviour and integrity at Policy by classification).

3.2 UTS will manage all university travel in a sustainable, budget conscious and cost effective manner. University travel for students must be: 

  1. included, where relevant, in the faculty, division or unit annual travel budget, and 
  2. justified, taking into consideration environmental impacts (refer Sustainability Policy) and a consideration of whether the purpose of the travel can be achieved through other means, for example, online and video conferencing.

3.3 All university travel must be pre-approved. Any travel by a student not managed in line with this policy is not recognised as university travel and falls outside the university's responsibility and support.

3.4 UTS reserves the right to restrict, cancel or ban all university travel and decline high-risk travel requests in line with the staff policy.

4. Policy statements

Travel safety

4.1 Student safety is paramount when approving and undertaking university travel. UTS will seek to ensure the safety and wellbeing of its students and manage known travel risks at the time of booking and travel (including travel advice provided by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the International SOS/UTS global assistance program and the procedure). Students must complete any pre-travel risk assessments required by UTS.

4.2 Students undertaking university travel must be mindful of potential risks associated with their travel plans, including the local laws at their country of destination and countries that they may transit through. On the day of or the day before travel students must check and confirm the latest travel advice for destination/s and transit/s of their travel.

4.3 When booking and approving university travel, UTS will consider a range of factors including whether the local laws may impact a student’s safety while travelling to or transiting through the destination. UTS recognises that local laws may discriminate on the basis of race, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, gender or gender status and this may put students at risk.

4.4 Students who experience sexual harm while on university travel should refer to the Sexual Harm Prevention and Response Policy for advice and support.

Conditions of travel

4.5 All university travel must follow the provisions outlined in this policy, irrespective of the source of funding. Students must comply with all obligations and guidance provided by DFAT, the Department of Education (for example, Guidelines to counter foreign interference in the Australian university sector) or any other state or federal government department.

4.6 UTS will approve university travel in line with DFAT’s travel advice rating (refer smartraveller and the procedure). Students are not permitted to undertake university travel to destinations with a DFAT risk level rating of 4. Exceptions to this provision may be approved by the Provost where:

  1. a legitimate case has been made for the travel, and/or
  2. the destination is the student’s home country.

4.7 In addition to the normal conditions of travel, students undertaking research, including graduate research, as part of their travel must: 

  1. consider any potential health and safety hazards, including laboratory work, research or fieldwork (refer Preventing injury and illness) 
  2. where required, complete a research safety plan (refer Research: Research safety at UTS) before travel, and 
  3. ensure that the travel does not impact their scholarship or graduate research study plan (refer the Scholarships and Prizes Policy and the Graduate Research and Supervision Policy).

4.8 Students and/or preferred providers must not book flights on any air carrier included on the European Union Air Safety List (annex A and annex B).

Approving university travel

4.9 Students undertaking university travel must submit a travel approval form (available at Student travel forms (SharePoint)) before booking or undertaking university travel. (International studies students are not required to complete this form and should contact the School of International Studies and Education for pre-trip guidance and requirements.)

4.10 University travel must be approved by a staff member with band 1 to 4 financial delegation. University travel for students must only be approved where:

  1. the travel is necessary and provides a genuine learning experience 
  2. the student has identified their travel plans and submitted a travel approval form 
  3. the rationale for and nature of the travel is reasonable and consistent with the university travel request 
  4. funding sources have been identified and accounted for 
  5. DFAT’s travel advice rating has been assessed, and 
  6. risks have been assessed and managed in line with this policy and the procedure.

4.11 Travel approvers must follow any travel bans imposed by the Vice-Chancellor, the Provost or the Chief Operating Officer (COO).

Booking university travel

4.12 Quotes and bookings for university travel (flights and accommodation) must be made through one of the university’s preferred providers to maintain a duty of care and maximise cost effectiveness.

4.13 Flights must be by economy class (excluding premium economy) via the most cost effective (using the lowest logical fare) and practical route. Exceptions to this requirement, for example if a student feels that travel to (including transit via) a particular country may put them at risk based on the country’s local laws, may be approved by a staff member with band 1 to 4 financial delegation.

4.14 Accommodation booked via a UTS preferred provider will be in a safe and secure environment while still taking into consideration value for money in line with the procedure.

4.15 UTS does not fund student memberships for frequent flyer programs. Students may use or gain frequent flyer points in line with the procedure.

4.16 Ground transport and taxi transfers between airports, accommodation and places of approved university travel and business may be covered in line with the procedure. Uber is acceptable as a form of transport where Uber is legal in the place of travel.

Payment for university travel and expenses

4.17 Genuine travel expenses (including meals and incidentals, visa and related travel taxes, immunisations and travel specific medications and some communication requirements) are covered for students undertaking university travel.

4.18 Students can be reimbursed for expenses associated with university travel on a payment request form (available at Student travel forms (SharePoint)) in line with the procedure.

4.19 Staff organising payment for student university travel must use one of the university’s preferred travel management companies where an invoice will be raised for the issuance of a ticket. This must be approved by the relevant staff member with band 1 to 4 financial delegation on the travel approval form.

4.20 UTS does not provide a daily allowance for students.

Personal travel

4.21 Where personal travel is undertaken in conjunction with approved university travel students must be aware that: 

  1. UTS is only responsible for the part of the trip approved as university travel 
  2. the personal travel component, and any additional costs, including insurance, are paid separately by the student.

Insurance

4.22 Students are covered by UTS’s corporate travel insurance (available at Insurance (SharePoint)) while undertaking university travel. Some students undertaking UTS approved international studies, global exchange or global short programs may have additional coverage required under an agreement with their host institution, state or country as managed and coordinated by UTS International.

4.23 University travel to destinations with a DFAT risk level rating of 4 will not be covered by UTS’s corporate travel insurance.

Policy breaches

4.24 All actual or suspected breaches of this policy must be reported to the relevant dean or director (for students) or the relevant supervisor (for staff) who are responsible for managing or escalating the breach to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The CFO will assess the nature of the breach to determine the appropriate response, including management in line with the Student Rules, the Student Rights and Responsibilities Policy, the Code of Conduct and/or the relevant Enterprise agreements. Breaches may be further escalated.

4.25 Breaches that represent serious wrongdoing (including corrupt conduct, maladministration or serious or substantial waste) must be reported in line with the Whistleblowing and Public Interest Disclosures Policy.

5. Roles and responsibilities

5.1 Policy owner: The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is responsible for policy enforcement and compliance, ensuring that its principles and statements are observed, and approval of any associated university level procedures.

5.2 Policy contact: The Head, Shared Services, Finance Unit is responsible for the implementation of this policy and providing advice. The Head, Shared Services is also responsible for the development, management and publication of all approval forms associated with this policy and its procedure.

5.3 Implementation and governance roles:

The Provost is responsible for approving university travel to countries with a DFAT risk level rating of 4 (high risk) and issuing travel bans in line with this policy. 

Staff with band 1 to 4 financial delegation (refer Schedule G2 – Strategic Delegations) may approve travel in line with this policy, the procedure and the Delegations. 

Staff dealing directly with students undertaking university travel must ensure they provide advice and guidance in line with this policy and its procedure. They must also ensure that all approval has been granted before booking university travel for students. 

Students are responsible for acting in accordance with this policy and the procedure when undertaking university travel. 

UTS International is responsible for providing advice and guidance to international students and students participating in the global exchange and global short programs.

6. Definitions

The following definitions apply for this policy and all associated procedures. These are in addition to the definitions outlined in Schedule 1, Student Rules. Definitions in the singular also include the plural meaning of the word.

Lowest logical fare means the most economical available airfare at the time of booking that suits the requirements of the traveller (i.e. that enables them to achieve the intended purpose of the travel) and ensures effective use of the traveller's time.

Preferred provider is defined in the Staff Travel, Expenses and Credit Card Policy.

Reimbursement, for the purposes of this policy, means a payment by UTS to cover approved out-of-pocket expenses incurred by a student undertaking university travel.

Serious wrongdoing is defined in the Whistleblowing and Public Interest Disclosures Policy.

Travel advice rating is defined in the Staff Travel, Expenses and Credit Card Policy.

University travel, for the purposes of this policy, means university approved domestic and international travel undertaken by a UTS student for the purpose of conducting learning or research activities, or representing UTS in an official capacity.