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Global Opportunities
  1. Global Opportunities
  2. Outgoing students
  3. In an Emergency Abroad

In an Emergency Abroad

An emergency is a serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action and poses a threat to the wellbeing of an individual.  

Examples of emergency situations:  

  • Natural disasters (fire, storms, floods, earthquakes) which directly affect you 
  • Major civil unrest 
  • Serious health or welfare problems 

Examples of non-emergency situations:  

  • Minor accident 
  • Lost/delayed luggage   
  • Accommodation issues e.g.  
  • Failed exams or not meeting assignment deadlines  
  • Problems with courses/studies or academic matters 

For non-emergency situations: we understand that these situations may be difficult to deal with, but unless there is an immediate risk to your wellbeing, please contact the relevant team at Queen Mary: The Global Opportunities Team at goabroad@qmul.ac.uk, Advice and Counselling Services, your Go Abroad Coordinator in your academic department. Please contact your host institution where relevant.  

In the event of an emergency, contact/follow the directives of the below parties in the following order:1)Local public emergency services if life-threatening emergency/grave danger. If there is a medical emergency, seek medical treatment via a doctor or a local accident and emergency services. Your priority is your health and safety. Local police if victim of a crime. They will be able to help and securing a crime number/police report could be a requirement of your insurance. 2)Your host institution’s security services if living on campus or incident occurs on campus. Your host will will provide you with these details/they will be available on your host institution webpages. Take into consideration the working hours of your host security team and when you can expect to receive a reply- is there a 24 hour helpline? 3) Your personal, nominated emergency contact person (family/friend) . Contact in 2nd place in the event of a large-scale, life-threatening incident, to confirm you are safe and well (if that is the case). Keep them updated to your whereabouts/circumstances. We recommend memorizing at least one of your closest personal emergency contact’s phone numbers. Enter an ICE (In Case of Emergency) contact in your phone too. 4)Your host institution’s equivalent International Office (especially if not life-threatening or urgent emergency but you need assistance/support). Please bear in mind the working hours of your host (Monday - Friday). Keep them updated about your situation. In the event of a major widespread incident, your host will contact you with instructions. Please follow their advice carefully. Your host institution’s equivalent International Office (especially if not life-threatening or urgent emergency but you need assistance/support). Please bear in mind the working hours of your host (Monday - Friday). Keep them updated about your situation. In the event of a major widespread incident, your host will contact you with instructions. Please follow their advice carefully. 5)Global Opportunities at Queen Mary, to keep our team updated with latest developments and your current status. In the instance of a major incident overseas, the GO team will contact you to check in on your welfare, please respond when it is safe to do so. In the event of a personal emergency, please also inform the GO team of updates.

Emergency Contacts at Queen Mary (contact the relevant emergency service in your area first): 

  • Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm (UK time): please contact the Global Opportunities team direct via telephone: +44 (0)20 7882 2937 or email: goabroad@qmul.ac.uk. 
  • Out of Hours and 24/7: Queen Mary Security Emergency telephone: +44 (0)20 7882 3333. 
  • Queen Mary are working with an organisation called Health Assured to provide students with a free and confidential 24/7 wellbeing helpline, the phone number is +44 0800 028 3766 

Emergency contacts abroad 

  • You can find your nearest UK embassies abroad. You can also find out about support for British nationals abroad. Please be aware that the British Consulate only assists British Nationals overseas - they cannot provide this help to other countries’ nationals, even if they may have been legally living in the UK. Please contact your countries nearest national embassy or consulate if you need support. 
  • You should already have these at hand (you should have researched these before you went abroad when completing your Risk Assessment and saved them in your phone) but can also find the emergency contact details online. Here are the main ones by country: 

Country 

Emergency number 

Australia 

000 

Canada, USA 

911 

Europe 

112 

Japan  

119 for Fire and Emergency Services 

110 for Police 

 

Singapore 

995 

New Zealand  

111 

Hong Kong 

999 

Korea  

119 for Fire and Emergency Services  

112 for Police  

 

Insurance  

If you have accessed or require emergency assistance abroad, you need to inform Queen Mary’s travel insurance provider (you should have registered for this) as soon as it is safe for you to do so. Ideally, you should inform AIG (Queen Mary’s travel insurance provider) using the helpline number/email address below before you make any arrangements, as they will be able to assist you on next steps and let you know what is covered by the insurer. Please keep your cover note and your policy number accessible at all times.  

24/7 Emergency Medical and Security Assistance helpline:  Tel: +44 (0) 1273 456 463.  

To make a claim, you can ring the helpline number above, or email insurance@qmul.ac.uk . You should inform AIG (the Queen Mary travel insurer) as soon as an incident occurs, and claims cannot be made later than 4 weeks after the incident occurs.  

For more information, please visit the travel insurance FAQs in the Insurance section under the relevant tab (either “Pre-departure (exchanges)” or “GO Summer!”) of our QMplus page.  page.  

If you have not registered for Queen Mary’s travel insurance, please alert your private travel insurance provider.  

Widespread Emergency Overseas: e.g. Civil unrest, natural disaster, or terrorism  

The Global Opportunities Team at Queen Mary stays up to date with Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel alerts, so we are aware when major problems arise overseas. If a serious incident happens whilst you are abroad near your host institution, we will contact you to make sure you are safe. Please let us know you are safe or if you need assistance at the earliest opportunity. You should also ensure to contact your emergency contact person (family/friend) to let them know your whereabouts. 

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCDO), Embassy or Consulate of the country will be able to advise you on what to do if a situation arises – consult especially the “Safety and security” section of the FCDO’s guidance for your destination country.   

In the event of civil unrest in your area make sure to avoid demonstrations and known areas of conflict.  

If a natural disaster occurs in your host institution area, you should follow all guidance issued by the government of your host country, and your host institution. You should contact your national embassy for advice as soon as you can. You can find information about natural hazards that can be expected to happen in a country on the relevant countries travel advice pages. 

Personal emergency  

If you experience a personal emergency abroad e.g. a serious accident or injury please follow the guidance in the yellow chart above, ensuring that you contact the relevant emergency services in your area first, and keep your emergency contact and the Global Opportunities team at Queen Mary updated regarding your situation. You can find guidance on maintaining personal safety abroad here.  

  • If you are the victim of a crime, report the incident to the local police as soon as you can. The FCDO provides guidance on reporting a crime overseas and how to get help.  
  • Cultural attitudes towards rape and sexual assault can vary in different countries and this can have an impact on how a report is dealt with. The FCDO provides specific guidance per individual country here, including how to report the crime and access medical treatment if you are the victim of rape or sexual assault overseas.  
  • Consult the Student Support Services document for your host university where available under the “Support for you at our partners abroad” section under the “Student feedback and support” tab of our QMplus page. Here you will find guidance and learn about support available for emergencies, harassment  and trauma and suicide prevention in the local area where you are studying.  

Please remember the Global Opportunities are here to support you during your placement abroad at goabroad@qmul.ac.uk. You also maintain access to Queen Mary’s Advice and Counselling Service whilst you are abroad, as well as the support services at your host institution.  

Additional Tips: 

  • Keep important documents, such as passports and visa documentation (where applicable), in a secure and easily accessible location. It is advised to keep electronic copies too. (You might want to consider sharing these with your parents/guardian.) 
  • Familiarise yourself with emergency contacts at your host institution. Inquire about any emergency management protocols established by the host. Read the Student Support Summary document for your host university as noted above. 
  • Refer to your Risk Assessment (document you will have filled out before your exchange) to identify problems you may encounter abroad, and the measures needed to mitigate the likelihood of these occurring.  

 

Additional Resources from Queen Mary’s Advice and Counselling Service: 

If you are in danger of harming yourself or others, please call the local emergency services in your area/ go to the emergency/accident services in your area. If you are not in immediate danger, while you are abroad you still have access to the following support services:  

  • Help in a crisis for support available if you are experiencing a mental health crisis or in need of urgent specialist support.  
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