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Global Initiatives – Study Abroad

Responsibilities of Program Leaders

Roles Related to Academic Content

  • Ensure the academic rigor of the program fits college standards. Programs are required to meet the criteria of the college in which they are offered.​
  • Ensure that the pedagogy of the program is appropriate to the field and to an international study
  • Establish course numbers and credit hours
  • Determine the term in which the program will take place
  • Determine the minimum/maximum limit of enrollment
  • Determine the number of faculty or staff participating in the program
  • Determine the timing in which the program will take place and ensure that there are no local challenges with these dates (e.g. local holidays, school breaks)

Roles Related to Program Development

  • Coordinate with the Study Abroad Office to set up the program and application in the UTSA Study Abroad Portal
  • Establish departmental support for the administration of the program
  • Calculate the cost and the minimum/maximum student number for a successful program
  • Attend the mandatory UTSA International Risk Management workshop annually
  • Develop daily itinerary, including transportation and logistics
  • Develop a budget based on the template provided by the Study Abroad Office and determine the financial support of the program
  • Determine the process and eligibility criteria for student selection
  • If available, apply for funds to defray the cost of participation to students, i.e. Alvarez International Study Fund, Faculty International Travel Grant, or departmental funds
  • Coordinate with Study Abroad Office to determine the guidelines related to student travel, logistics, and international program agreements

Roles Related to Travel Safety

  • Review the Program Leader Study Abroad Handbook
  • Develop and submit a location-specific plan for mitigating risk while traveling with students. Program leaders are required to submit a location-specific plan for mitigating risk while traveling with students. The Education Abroad office can provide guidance for drafting this plan.
  • If needed, provide student compliance requirements to Education Abroad Office
  • If needed, submit a request form for travel to restricted regions
  • If you plan to travel to a location listed on the UTSA Restricted Regions list, you will need to submit a separate request form to the International Oversight Committee. Please refer to the Information for All UTSA Travelers page for the information regarding the restricted region list, procedures, and request forms.
  • Programs may only be offered in countries with which the United States has official relations.

The following are UTSA requirements for study abroad programs led by faculty or staff. Please be sure you understand and comply with all requirements.

Logistics

  • Program leaders may use the UTSA Study Abroad portal to receive/review/accept/reject student applications for the program. 
  • Program leaders should aim to have a finalized student participant list approximately four months prior to the departure date.
  • All program leaders and co-leaders are required to attend risk management training once per year. Program leaders who led programs before may have different training protocols in place. 
  • Program leaders and their departments are responsible for organizing all in-country transportation for the duration of the program. Ground transportation providers are required to be licensed, insured, and in compliance with UTSA student travel policies.
  • Program leaders and their departments are responsible for identifying safe/secure accommodations for students for the duration of the program.
  • The use of third-party providers for services (including transportation) in the foreign country may require an approved UT System/UTSA contract. 
  • All programs should be conducted within the dates of a single UTSA semester, either spring, fall, or any of the summer sessions.

Program Costs & Budget 

  • Program leaders are responsible for developing the program budget and calculating the cost per student.
  • Program leaders determine student funding and how much students' program costs will be. Note that in order for students to receive summer financial aid, undergraduate students are required to take at least six credits over the summer.
  • UTSA has limited competitive scholarship funding available for student study abroad, which is administered through International Services. The scholarship deadlines are fixed and not flexible. Because of this, it is important the participating students know their total program cost at a date well in advance of their program.
  • Budget and program costs should be developed according to the budget template on the Program-Budget page.