Purpose and target group
The travel policy must be seen in the context of UiA’s action plan for the environment and climate, and the guidelines are revised in line with the global need to limit the environmental impacts of our activities. The travel policy shall ensure that all travel needs are responsibly assessed, with a view to:
- Added value for UiA
- Environment and climate
- Expenditures and time use
The travel policy applies to all staff and all travel undertaken in connection with UiA’s activities. UIA has support systems (‘conscious travel’ poster, travel portal for employees) to help employees and managers make good environmental choices.
Sustainability and necessary travel
As a university, we have a special responsibility for the formation of society linked with sustainable development and therefore want our travel practices to reflect this.
Sustainability must be an integral part of UiA’s culture. UiA’s need to exchange knowledge may conflict with environmental and climate considerations. We expect employees to carefully assess the added value and necessity of each journey. Digitisation and experiences with digital collaboration have shown that it is possible to interact despite geographic distance, without travelling. The option of digital collaboration and virtual meetings should always be considered as environmentally friendly alternatives to travel if possible and appropriate. The longer the journey, the fewer people should travel. The longer the journey, the more important and comprehensive the interaction and knowledge sharing during the stay should be. Do not travel far for a short meeting.
All employees are responsible for ensuring that a trip provides added value for UiA. The following conditions increase the added value of a trip:
- The trip benefits UiA academically, for example, academic exchange or fieldwork.
- The employee contributes content to a conference, meeting or project, for example, by giving a lecture or presentation.
- The trip contributes to the fulfilment and realisation of UiA’s strategy, for example through contact and collaboration with partners or commissioners.
- The trip contributes to competence development, exchange and networking, especially early in the career path.
- The trip benefits a local community, such as knowledge exchange in developing countries.
- The employee combines several meetings in one trip.
- Other reasons may apply.
If the added value indicates that the employee should travel, the most environmentally friendly means of transport should be considered balanced against travel time, practicality and costs. This is done in consultation with the line manager, who pre-approves the trip. Exceptions apply to travel in connection with practice placements, as well as travel between places of activity.
Negotiated agreements
Employees must use UiA’s approved travel provider. The reasons for using a contracted travel agent to book travel and accommodation are:
Traceability
UiA must at all times be able to track its employees who are travelling, if necessary. This is crucial in terms of safety and emergency preparedness.
Sustainability
The negotiated agreements emphasise sustainable perspectives such as CO2 emissions, employees’ rights and conditions, inclusion, local impact or other strategic sustainability goals.
Transparency and measurements
UiA’s travel agent can produce statistical data related to travel activities and measure the carbon footprint.
UiA wants to actively measure the environmental impact of our travel activities.
UiA will set specific goals for environmental impact in its annual action plans.
Loyalty
Loyalty to contract partners safeguards UiA’s reputation as a serious and honest contract partner.
Travel insurance
UiA as a state employer is a self-insurer and cannot enter insurance agreements on behalf of its employees.
Everyone who travels must ensure they are covered by travel insurance. This is taken care of through the credit card UiA offers or the travel agent’s invoice solution for group travel. When using other credit cards, the individual employee must ensure that travel insurance is included. Additional insurance not covered by the credit card in question, such as insurance for expensive equipment, can be covered by UiA following approval by the line manager.
If an employee is invited on a trip that is organised and paid for by an external organiser, the employee must ensure that satisfactory travel insurance is included. The insurance cost can be covered by the university following approval by the line manager.
Insurance claims must be made to the relevant insurance company by the individual employee.
Credit card
Employees are offered credit cards with no annual fee through UiA, and that card must be used to pay for travel and other expenses naturally associated with the trip. The use of this credit card simplifies the management and processing of travel expenses. The credit card includes travel insurance when 50% or more of the travel cost is paid for with the card and the journey is made by public transport. It is therefore desirable that as many people as possible make use of this scheme. The card is issued with corporate liability where UiA has payment liability. The employee is liable for credit costs that accrue after the end of the interest-free period (normally up to 40 days).
Employees who want to use a personal credit card can do so. Such cards must be registered with our travel agent partner. If necessary, the employee can discuss alternative solutions with their line manager.
Safety
The Norwegian government’s travel advice must be followed, and the individual is responsible for registering their trip with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs prior to departure, if this is deemed appropriate. UiA can choose to introduce a travel ban to certain areas. Employees must familiarise themselves with the security situation in the countries in question and ensure that necessary preparations are made with regard to insurance, vaccinations and travel documents.
Employees travelling are at an increased risk of being exposed to undesirable incidents related to IT security. The threat level abroad may not be the same as in Norway. If employees bring laptops, smartphones and similar devices when travelling abroad, the risk that the information stored on the devices may go astray increases. To minimise the risk of IT security incidents, the guidelines for safety when travelling abroad must be followed.
When travelling to a high-risk country, employees should contact ‘UiA Help’ to set up and configure electronic devices that are brought. The Division of IT can always be contacted if you are unsure about data protection and security when travelling abroad.
Travel vaccinations
When travelling to countries where vaccinations are required, the traveller has an individual responsibility to ensure that the necessary disease prevention measures are implemented. UiA will cover the necessary expenses for this. The employee must ensure that they have the required proof of vaccinations for entering the country of destination.
Hotels and restaurants
When it comes to hotels and restaurants, employees must comply with the government’s travel regulations. UiA has negotiated rates with hotels for stays in Norway. The travel agent has a list of hotels and prices.
When travelling abroad, hotels/restaurants of good average standard should be chosen for health and safety reasons. In cities with a high crime rate, the hotel should be located in a safe part of the city. Hotels/restaurants in a higher price range must only be used when special circumstances so dictate, and subject to prior agreement with the employee’s line manager.
For security reasons (such as fire safety and accident reporting), UiA wants booking of accommodation through Airbnb and similar to be avoided. This is to ensure the employee’s location is known. Exceptions from this can be made for longer stays (more than one week), if approved by the line manager, and if the employee provides information about their location.
Combined business and personal travel
University business travel can be combined with personal travel pursuant to prior agreement with the line manager, and provided that this does not incur higher costs for the university. This will probably reduce the employee’s total personal carbon footprint.
Travel to Metochi
UiA has a study centre at Metochi on the island of Lesvos. The Metochi Study Centre has been an organisational unit at the University of Agder since 1993. “The Study Centre activities shall contribute to the university achieving its strategic goals, including raising the university’s international profile.” Travel to Metochi has therefore a special legitimacy. The collaboration with Metochi leads to sustainable consequences for the local community on Lesvos. The operation of Metochi will, as far as possible, compensate for the increased carbon footprint of travels to and from Lesvos.
Travel in connection with research stays and grants
A scholarship trip is a trip that is approved by the manager, but not mandated. Travel in connection with research stays and grants is not commissioned by UiA, and employees are not entitled to travel or to have all travel expenses covered. Prior approval of such travel must therefore clarify what is covered.
Short distance travel
By short distance travel we mean travel between the campuses and travel within the region. All short-distance journeys must be carried out in the most environmentally friendly way possible, taking into account costs (in time and money), environmental and practical considerations.
UiA challenges both staff and students to think about the environment when travelling between home and campus.