International Travel

Employees are responsible for ensuring they have taken the necessary steps before undertaking any UNI-sponsored international travel. This includes submitting a trip in ProTrav, completing the UNI Travel Registry, enrolling in U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, addressing IT-Security and export control concerns, and seeking ITOC approval if required. For additional information regarding the approval process view UNI's International Travel Safety Policy.

Supervisor Approval

Authorization for travel should first be secured from the employee’s immediate supervisor and department head or dean.

Travel Requests

The Office of Business Operations (OBO) is the designated university office to administer travel reimbursement guidelines and procedures. Individuals traveling for international university business must receive approval from their department and/or other appropriate university officials prior to incurring any expenses.  Travelers are encouraged to submit a Travel Request form for all international travel 30 days prior to departure. Please visit the Travel Guidelines for additional information. 

If you have any questions about  or travel reimbursement guidelines and procedures, please contact OBO at 319-273-2162, option 3 or email obo-hub@uni.edu.

International Travel Registry

UNI Study Abroad oversees the university's International Travel Registry. Individuals traveling for international university business must register their travel plans on this registry so that their whereabouts will be known in the event of an emergency. Travelers will be required to sign a waiver of liability and hold harmless agreement as part of this step.

If you have any questions about the International Travel Registry, please contact Study Abroad at 319-273-7078 or email study-abroad@uni.edu.

U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)

All employees who are eligible must enroll in the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. Enrolling in this free service allows travelers to receive important information from the U.S. Embassy about safety conditions in their destination country and helps the U.S. Embassy contact them in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency.

Sponsored Projects and Grants

If an employee’s travel is related to a sponsored project or grant, the employee must contact the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs prior to travel to ensure international travel is permitted under their sponsored project or grant. Any travel permitted under a sponsored project or grant must still be approved by the university.

If you have questions about sponsored projects or grants, please contact Michele Mullings-Shand at (319) 273-6418.

Information Security

If UNI employees must take an electronic device abroad for purposes of communication, data transfer and/or data storage, they must contact IT Information Security prior to travel to discuss their data needs while abroad.

If you have any questions about IT Information Security, email security@uni.edu.

International Travel Oversight Committee (ITOC) Review

Any employee traveling to a region of the world that is under a travel advisory by the U.S. Department of State of either Level 3 (Reconsider Travel) or Level 4 (Do Not Travel) should complete the International Travel Oversight Committee's (ITOC's) Travel Request Form. The ITOC will undertake a risk assessment and make a recommendation to the employee’s division head regarding if the travel request should be approved or denied.

If you have any questions about the ITOC review process, visit the ITOC website or contact Christie Poppe, Director of Risk Management, at 319-273-3319 or christie.poppe@uni.edu.