Safety on the move

The Mobility Sector has implemented the Moodle Course "Ready to Mobile: your starter kit". This is a compulsory course, to be carried out before departure, which includes six modules, one of which is dedicated to safety. The module is configured as a practical guide to prevent risky situations and correctly deal with emergencies, while offering useful suggestions for staying abroad.

Before departure, it is important to find out about various issues that could have an impact on mobility, in particular: identify any risks associated with the period of stay abroad, know the geo-political, economic, cultural and socio-health context of the country of destination and check whether the Partner University adopts specific emergency measures and safety procedures.

It is advisable to locate services (including the healthcare system) and store the emergency numbers of the destination country.

First of all, it is necessary to consult the website of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs – MAECI for information on the country of destination.

The platform includes up-to-date information on the health situation, travel conditions, documentation required for entry, visas/temporary residence permits and local regulations on the subject and also allows you to check the government restrictions on travel and health in the country of destination.

It is always preferable to register on the MAECI website, "Where we are in the world": https://www.dovesiamonelmondo.it/

It is important not to neglect the cultural aspects of the destination country and the impact these could have on mobility. It is good, therefore, to inquire about the rules and customs of the country derived from religious and cultural aspects (holidays, dietary rules, behavior, etc.)

In order to ensure easier adaptation, it is necessary in any case to work on one's intercultural competences. There are various courses with this objective including Arqus MoVEs, the pre-mobility syllabus organized by the Arqus Alliance of which the University of Padova is a part.

For health insurance coverage during a stay abroad in countries outside the European Union, the coverage of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) issued by the Ministry of Health is not sufficient. It is therefore always necessary to take out private insurance.

The tuition fees paid to the University of Padova also include accident insurance coverage and civil liability insurance which is also valid for those who travel abroad. For more information on insurance coverage abroad, please consult the dedicated page: https://www.unipd.it/assicurazione. These insurances only cover claims that occurred during training and/or traineeship activities. It is therefore advisable to take out private insurance that covers accidents not related to the study activity, subject to verification that there are no overlaps with existing coverage.

Unipd policies do not include coverage for claims related to the exercise of the medical profession and health facilities. Therefore, students in the health area are responsible for finding ad hoc insurance independently.

Finally, it is preferable to take out travel insurance before departure to protect yourself in the event of cancellations, delays, loss of luggage, and more.

It is important to identify among your family members and acquaintances someone who can be contacted by the University and possibly by the authorities, in case of emergency.

Students with an active account on Mobility Online will be asked to enter the identified emergency contact. In addition, when significant situations occur, a safety check will be sent through the platform with which students will be able to confirm (or not) their state of well-being.