Overseas Visit Training Manual - Leeds Beckett University



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Leeds Beckett University

Overseas Visit Training Manual

Introduction

Leeds Beckett University’s International Office implemented the OVP (Overseas Visit Proposal) system to ensure that all staff requests to travel overseas are approved prior to travel, in accordance with University regulations.

An online system allows the University better to manage the international activities conducted by staff across the University and share information in a more timely and efficient manner.

The system also aids in risk management, allowing for quick identification of where staff members are travelling in case of international emergencies, or in order to share with them important information that may affect their trip.

Key Features

• All requests for travel outside of the UK are authorised by the online automated approval process.

• The system ensures all travel requests are considered in an open and consistent manner across the University, in accordance with official policy and guidelines.

• The system captures information such as emergency contact details, visit costs/budget codes, the authorised class of travel, and details of other staff travelling to particular countries.

• The system works by using automated emails that are sent to approvers, travellers and other interested parties who are informed once a proposal has been authorised (E.g. Insurance, the Mobiles team, Finance and Key Travel, our external travel supplier).

• The parties who approve proposals are consistent across the University.

• No travel bookings or financial commitments are permitted unless a visit has been approved via the system.

• The system links to other corporate systems to allow for better information sharing.

This manual is intended to help you complete the online form and understand how visits are approved.

Please note: You should complete a separate Travel Risk Assessment if travelling overseas. Please find more information here.

1. Logging onto the system

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You can log onto the online system at by using the same username and password used to access your work email/PC. You can access the system from any computer via the University network, or externally from a home laptop or PC.

Automatic Log-out

After 3 hours you will be automatically logged out of the system. Please ensure you have submitted your proposal within that time.

2. Preparing to submit an overseas visit proposal

One feature of the new online system is that all visit proposals must be submitted at least 31 days prior to departure.

To ensure you can meet the deadline for submission, please follow the guidance below:

• Do not necessarily wait until you have definite details for your proposed visit. Submit your best estimates and if details change then you can contact the International Office who will amend them accordingly.

• Please make sure you have secured full funding for your visit prior to submitting your proposal. This should include being able to identify the appropriate project code which is being used to fund the visit. If your visit is being exclusively funded from external sources please put ‘0000’ in the section of the form requesting a ‘Project Code’.

• In order to speed up the approval process please make sure you make the aims and objectives of your visit clear and concise. For example, do not enter something like ‘Project meeting’ or ‘Team Building’ as the sole purpose of the visit. You should give details of the project you are engaged in and what the intended outcomes are. For example, if you are attending a conference, please state which conference, whether you are delivering a paper, and whether it will lead to publication.

• Before you submit your proposal, please make sure you are up to date with all overseas reports. For the time being, all overseas visit reports should be emailed to ovp@leedsbeckett.ac.uk by using a template which can be found here.

• If you are unsure of the procedure or have a query about a particular visit please contact the International Office for advice at ovp@leedsbeckett.ac.uk.

3. Submitting your form

Please click the option ‘Visit Approval Form’ to begin entering your proposal.

You will be asked to enter the date of the proposed visit.

If you are attempting to submit a visit proposal less than 31 days prior to travel you will receive the following prompt:

Top of Form

We are sorry...

Sorry - you are too late to apply for this visit.

Please enter an alternative date, otherwise if you have any queries please contact the International Office for guidance.

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If you are trying to obtain approval for a visit less than 31 days prior to travel then you must contact the International Office. Please email ovp@leedsbeckett.ac.uk.

Once a suitable date has been selected you will see the form details.

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Bottom of Form

Each section of the on-line form will have a help function if you are unsure of what information is required:

• You should enter information in all fields. Providing incomplete information may delay approval of your visit.

• Once you have entered all your details ‘submit’ the proposal for approval.

• If you have failed to provide sufficient detail you will be prompted to amend your proposal.

• If you have outstanding overseas visit reports your form may not be submitted for approval. In such cases you should contact the International Office immediately and supply a completed report.

4. Completing the form

Below is a detailed review of what information is requested in order to successfully submit a visit proposal.

Mobile Phone Number: Please enter a mobile telephone number which can be used to contact you in case of an emergency when you are overseas.

Return date of visit: Please enter the date you will be returning to the UK. If you are unsure of this date please enter a provisional date. If you are planning to take leave as part of your visit please remember that personal travel insurance is required for such leave.

Country to be visited: Please enter the primary country you will be visiting during your visit. If you are visiting more than one country you must nominate one as the being the primary location.

Other countries to be visited (if appropriate) If you are visiting another country please enter details here.

Primary reason for visits: Please enter the primary purpose for your visit. If your visit is intended to meet more than one of the internationalisation objectives then you must nominate one as the primary objective for your visit.

Secondary reason for visits: If your visit has secondary objectives please enter details here.

Purpose of Visit and Intended outcomes: To facilitate the approval process, please enter further details on the purpose of the visit and the intended outcomes. Failure to provide additional information may result in delays in approving your visit proposal.

Is this visit for teaching only? Yes/No

Have you provided feedback on all previous visits? Yes/No. Staff who are undertaking visits for the sole purpose of teaching are not required to complete a visit report.

Approximate proposed costs (including cost of staff time and source(s) of funding: Please enter all costs associated with your visit (Travel, Subsistence, Conference fees, Advertising costs and exhibition fees etc.) You must enter the appropriate project code if the visit is funded by the University.

Air Travel: Please confirm class of travel. If you indicate Business Class travel please indicate the Manager who has approved this class of travel.

Do you plan to travel/visit with other colleagues: Yes/No. If you are travelling with other colleagues please enter their names. If not known please enter ‘other staff tbc’.

Do you plan to travel with anyone not employed by Leeds Beckett? Yes/No. If yes provide details including their relationship to you and how their visit is to be funded

Do you plan to take leave at this destination before or after the business: Yes/No. If yes indicate the number of days and provide the name of the manager who has authorised your leave.

Once you have completed the form click the option:

Top of Form

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Bottom of Form

If you try and submit the form without providing all the information required you will be given the following prompt:

We are sorry...

Your proposal has not been saved because there are a number of incorrect entries on the form.

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Once the form has been submitted, you will be directed to a page that contains Occupational Health pre-travel advice. You will be asked to read this information and then tick a box to state that you have done so.

5. What Happens Next

Once your visit proposal has been submitted successfully it will then be considered for approval. The approval process is completed via automated emails. The form will be sent automatically to the International Office and the traveller’s Dean/Chief Operating Officer/Head of Service for approval. If both parties approve the visit it will then be given final approval by the Director of the International Office.

Approval Stages

• If all parties approve your visit proposal then you should receive notification of this by email within 10 days of submission. Once approval has been given you should make all necessary travel arrangements.

• You should complete the Overseas Travel Finance Form prior to travel if you require a cash advance, and after travel if you need to claim expenses. This form can be found here.

• It is possible that during the approval stage one of the ‘Approving’ parties may contact you via email to request further information on your visit.

• It is possible that one or all parties will not approve your visit approval. You will be notified of this decision by email.

• In cases where a visit has been rejected the traveller will have the opportunity to appeal against the decision. If you decide to appeal the decision you will be asked to provide information to support your appeal by logging on to the section ‘Appeal Reason’.

• If the parties approving visits accept your appeal then your visit will be approved and you will be notified by email.

• If your appeal is unsuccessful then this decision is final and under no circumstances should you undertake the proposed overseas travel. Staff will be held personally responsible for any travel which takes place which has not been approved.

Service Console

Within the on-line approval website, staff are able to monitor the progress of their visit proposal. You can access this information by clicking on ‘Status Console’.

Cancellation of Visits

If you decide to cancel your visit please inform the international office at ovp@leedsbeckett.ac.uk immediately. If you fail to inform the international office that you have cancelled your visit it is possible the University will needlessly incur costs for items such as insurance.

Travel Bookings

All requests for flights and hotel accommodation should be made via Key Travel, the university’s travel agent as of December 2016.

You will not be able to book flights/accommodation with Key Travel unless you can provide the unique OVP reference number for your overseas visit.

Once your OVP is fully approved, please contact the Staff Travel team on stafftravel@leedsbeckett.ac.uk or Key Travel on gold@ / 0845 1220106.

Please note that you can contact Key Travel to get quotes at any time. However, you will not be able to confirm bookings until your OVP is fully approved.

If you decide not to use Key Travel to book your travel/accommodation then you must get approval for this from Staff Travel on stafftravel@leedsbeckett.ac.uk or 25814.

If you do not book your travel via Key Travel and fail to gain approval for this, then you may be held personally responsible for any financial transaction.

Health and Safety Procedures/Risk Assessment

When planning a visit you need to be aware of the University’s Policy on Health and Safety and current guidelines on working overseas. For details of the procedures to follow, contact your Faculty/Service Area office.

Make sure in advance that the place(s) you are planning to visit are sufficiently safe. Each traveller must therefore submit a Travel Risk Assessment for each visit.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office also issues guidelines which are regularly updated. Individual Embassy websites are also useful sources of information.

For further information and advice, see Travel Agents or Foreign & Commonwealth Office, .uk

It is in your own interest to check on any medical precautions recommended by the countries you are visiting. Details can be obtained from your GP or the National Health Information Service (tel. 0800 66 55 44). You are advised to check as early as possible as inoculations etc are often required several weeks prior to travel.

Insurance

Once a visit has been approved confirmation of this will be sent automatically to Finance requesting insurance coverage for you during the duration of your visit. Please note that incidental leave, including weekends, will only be covered should it not exceed the business element of the trip.  Our travel insurers will also cover your partner & children so long as they are not travelling against medical advice, so please state their name on your application.

Infoview reporting

The online approval website links to Infoview and a number of reports have been established to enable staff/managers to monitor international activity. Currently reports are available which will analyse activity by Dates of travel, Locations visited, Staff members, Faculty, Costs and Visit objectives.

In case of emergencies, staff will be able to run a report detailing the emergency contact details for staff members.

If you would like other reports to be included then please contact the International Office at ovp@leedsbeckett.ac.uk

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