International Activity
Are you planning travel abroad to study, research, or volunteer? Will you be collaborating with international visitors either here at Stanford or abroad? If so, you must be aware of your individual responsibilities for understanding the laws, regulations, and requirements that apply. Prepare for your international academic activity with the wealth of tools and services available to you.
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Explore Stanford's International Activities
Want to explore Stanford University’s impact as a global citizen? The new Go Global website features robust data and interactive maps showcasing the scope of Stanford’s international activities. With the click of a mouse, find out what is happening with regards to a specific country/region of interest, i.e., courses, faculty profiles and research, news, events, and projects. New social media tools will allow you to connect with faculty and projects that may be of interest to you.
Preparing for International Travel
Get a customized list of action items that you should consider when you are preparing to go abroad. The Office of International Affairs can help you find answers to your international activity questions.
Use the predeparture checklist for planning tips to help you prepare for international research or study, new collaborations, personal and group travel, or volunteer experiences.
Compliance and Operational Support
Register your foreign activities at Global Business Services (GBS), so Stanford can provide compliance and operational support for you and your global activities. The regulatory landscape is constantly changing and GBS ensures that you are adhering to stringent global regulatory compliance standards. If you need assistance with business issues in the field, from opening a bank account to hiring a researcher, then GBS is the office for you.
Guidance for International Visitors, Students, and Scholars
Do you have incoming visitors, students, or scholars that need information about and assistance with obtaining and maintaining legal status in the U.S? The Bechtel International Center can help both them and you. They enable international students, scholars, and their family members at Stanford to receive maximum academic, cultural, and personal benefit from their stays in the U.S. They also provide opportunities for Stanford students, faculty, staff, and members of our local community to broaden their horizons by interacting with people from different cultures through programs to increase international awareness and understanding. The Bechtel International Center also advises Stanford students who are pursuing scholarship for study and research abroad.
Medical, Personal, Travel, and Security While Abroad
Imagine you are in a foreign country...
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You have an allergic reaction and require immediate medical attention, but barely speak the language...
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The political climate has changed for the worse, and you need to get to a safe haven immediately...
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There is an earthquake, you are injured, and your passport is lost...
Who do you turn to? Stanford's International Travel Assistance Program.
Through its participating vendors Stanford University has 24/7 resources on call, online, and even on the ground to help with medical, security and logistical questions, concerns, and situations that may arise when you travel internationally or live abroad.
Digital Traveling Dangers, Protecting Your Data
The Information Security Office works with Stanford's community to protect laptops, phones, and other storage devices in order to:
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Prevent the loss of devices themselves
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Prevent the compromise of systems on SUNet
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Meet all contractual and legal obligations
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Avoid compromise of user's identity information
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Protect Stanford's reputation
Protecting data, information, and the devices upon which they reside requires attention to detail due to the enormous financial and reputational impacts of simple mistakes or other disclosures.
When traveling internationally, the safeguards provided by the Stanford University computing environment are not available.
Digital travelers carry laptops, notebooks, iPads, smart phones, MP3 players, thumb drives ("USB sticks"), SD cards, SIM cards, cameras, and other storage devices. Any important data on devices must be properly protected.
Furthermore, if traveling to countries that are known for computer and network-based espionage (e.g., network monitoring or keystroke-monitoring malware), then SUNet ID credentials used to access Stanford's resources (and credentials for a wide variety of Internet-based services) can be easily compromised.
To learn more:
Export Controls
Stanford University engages in research both in the United States and overseas. Research activities can include the use of technology, the development of items (e.g., products, goods, hardware, software, and materials), or the communication of information, all of which are subject to U.S. export-control laws and regulations including bio-security oversight.
Some activities that may trigger export control restrictions are:
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Traveling outside the United States, including to attend conferences
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Shipping items or technology to another country
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Transporting items or technology while traveling abroad (export control regulations do not distinguish between shipping an item and carrying an item.)
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Disclosing technology or information about a technology to a foreign national, including foreign nationals working in Stanford's research facilities
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Providing financial assistance to certain countries, persons, or entities
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Providing professional services to certain countries, persons, or entities
The Export Control website contains articles and publications, as well as memoranda and other correspondence templates to support you in understanding this complex issue. In addition, special pages have been created for special circumstances that present particular export control compliance challenges.
