Reading time: 2 minutes.
Due to the escalating conflict situation in parts of the Middle East and surrounding region, Curtin is taking a precautionary approach to international travel to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of our students and staff.
Effective tomorrow, Saturday 7 March, Curtin will temporarily add the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Level 2 destinations (“Exercise a high degree of caution”) to the University’s non-approved travel list.
This means Curtin-related travel will not proceed to destinations listed by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) as Level 2, Level 3 or Level 4.
Curtin already does not approve travel to Level 4 (“Do not travel”) destinations and normally only considers Level 3 (“Reconsider your need to travel”) travel in exceptional circumstances. During this period, Level 3 exceptional approvals will also be paused.
Travel to Level 1 destinations (“Exercise normal safety precautions”) may continue as usual.
To check whether your destination is affected, please refer to the current DFAT travel advice levels on the Smartraveller website: https://www.smartraveller.gov.au
- If you are booked to travel overseas between 7 and 20 March
Students scheduled to travel as part of a Curtin activity or program, including exchange, study tours, placements or fieldwork, may be affected if their destination falls under DFAT Levels 2–4.
The Curtin Travel Operations Team will contact all affected travellers directly to discuss next steps.
- If you are currently overseas
Students currently overseas on Curtin programs may continue their activities as planned, while taking sensible precautions and following the advice of local authorities and the Australian Government.
If circumstances change or travel arrangements need to be adjusted, the Curtin Travel Operations Team will contact affected travellers directly. Any decision regarding a possible recall to Australia would be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- If you have a booking or are planning overseas travel after 20 March
Please do not change your existing bookings yet. The Curtin Travel Operations Team will contact you if your plans need to be adjusted.
If you have not yet booked, please be patient for now. Curtin will not approve new travel requests to DFAT Level 2, 3 or 4 destinations for the time being.
For travel booking queries or cancellations, please contact the Curtin Travel Operations Team, who will be prioritising enquiries from affected travellers.
If you have questions about how this may affect your travel plans, please contact Curtin Connect (+61 8 9266 1000), who will help or direct your enquiry to the appropriate team.
We understand this may cause some disruption and appreciate your patience as we prioritise the safety of our community. Curtin will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as needed.
