SIT’s approach to safety and risk management

Announcement Date: November 15, 2023   |   DEIA, School for International Training

• Read more about Health, Safety & Well-being on SIT study abroad programs

SIT carefully balances immersive learning with student safety and security. Our unique program structure envelops students in trusted local communities, grounds them in the local culture, and helps them navigate their new surroundings.

While away, students have 24/7 access to SIT’s Student Health, Safety & Well-being team, which includes experts in risk management, crisis response, mental health, disability services, and global health. This team works closely with our field-based program staff to ensure that policies and program-specific plans meet current global health and safety realities. 

SIT conducts thorough program risk assessments to establish clear crisis management protocols and detailed safety guidelines. These protocols are part of the regular training of our field-based teams. We share standards regionally and across our extensive global portfolio of programs.

Socioeconomic, political, environmental, and medical conditions vary widely across the countries in which we operate. U.S.-based and in-country staff evaluate situational information from a wide variety of sources including U.S. and local governments, contacts in nongovernmental organizations, international and local media, and our own network of contacts within each country.