Health and Safety
AIM Emergency Plan
AIM is constantly informed and updated with relevant information related to safety in Spain. We are in close contact with the US Embassy in Madrid. They inform us of any important information in terms of safety for American citizens.
AIM is subscribed to the State Department's travel advisory list and receive all announcements about Travel Warnings and Advisories. We are also in contact with local Spanish authorities so, additionally, we also have internal recommendations from the Spanish National Government, the Regional Governments of Spain and the local city halls. We also are in close contact with other colleagues and follow up on SECUSS-L for other recommendations and suggestions.
Our Resident Directors assess the local situation in their cities and are well informed and updated on matters related specifically to their cities.
Pre-Departure Information & Onsite Orientation
All AIM students receive thorough pre-departure information and an onsite orientation. Health and safety information is very important and we go over it in detail so our students are well informed on this relevant matter. Semester and Academic Year students are registered with the U.S. Embassy.
All our students receive AIM emergency cell phone numbers so they may reach our staff in case they need to. Local emergency numbers (police, fire brigade, ambulance) are provided to our students as well.
In the unlikely event of a national emergency situation in Spain:
- AIM staff will contact our students to make sure they are accounted for and safe.
- AIM staff will provide our students with the most update situation and provide them with appropriate instructions.
- AIM staff will contact the US Embassy or Consulate to receive their recommendations
- AIM staff will contact national, regional and local official Spanish governments and agencies to receive their recommendations
- AIM staff will decide, taking into considerations all official recommendations, the steps to take
- AIM staff will contact US home institution and inform them of the situation in Spain
- AIM staff will undertake the appropriate procedures to ensure the health and safety of our students, this could lead to develop an evacuation plan, if needed, and follow the recommendations from official American and Spanish authorities.
- AIM will post updated information on its website in terms of maintaining a constant account of events
In the unlikely event of a major emergency that may impact the health and/or safety of all students in the AIM program country:
1. The AIM staff will contact all students to ensure that they are accounted for and are safe, as well as provide them with information and instructions.
2. The AIM staff will contact the .U.S Embassy or Consulate.
3. The AIM staff will gather information related to the event causing the on emergency, possible danger to U.S. citizens, impact, intensity of the emergency, and the feasibility of continuing classes.
4. Depending on the situation, the AIM staff may or may not gather the students together. This will depend on the specific situation encountered.
5. The AIM staff will keep a detailed log of all events concerning this situation.
6. The AIM staff will immediately contact AIM Global Operations and provide a briefing on the situation, including any recommendations the Director may have regarding the program.
7. AIM staff will contact the U.S. State Department for further information and provide that to the Crisis Management Team.
8. AIM will post information on its website, as well as reach out to the students’ emergency contacts and host institutions to apprise them of the situation and steps that AIM is taking.
Advice for AIM Students and Their Families
• Emergency Contacts: When designating emergency contacts, students should designate their parents as their emergency contacts whenever possible. This way, information regarding any emergency situation will automatically be distributed to parents.
• Communication: Students should provide accurate contact information for themselves to their parents and home institutions. Students should also stay in touch with their parents or other emergency contacts in the event of any emergency.
• Tips: Prior to departure, read through our helpful tips for students and parents.
Emergency Support
Preparedness and Professional Support
The health and safety of students studying abroad on AIM program is of the utmost importance to us and is a top priority. AIM maintains a comprehensive health and safety plan in order to ensure a safe and productive learning environment for students. This plan includes specific guidelines for dealing with emergencies such as student assault, suicide, serious accident or emotional issues as well as large scale crises such as natural disasters or acts of terrorism. Teams are in place to lead the plan, to locate all students to confirm their whereabouts and safety and provide them information, instructions and advice, and to keep home campus informed at all times. AIM’s relationships with tour operators, housing providers and other third party providers in each program site ensure it will be possible to relocate students should such a need occur.
Please see www.docleaf.com for further information on docleaf.
24–Hour Emergency Contact
The AIM program has a dedicated emergency mobile phone, which is manned by a trained AIM staff member 24/7. Students are given instructions to call the emergency mobile any time they feel that they are in distress and require urgent AIM assistance.
Arrival Orientation
Within the first few days of arrival in-country, all AIM students are provided with a full program orientation, which includes a section on health and safety specific to their program location. Students are informed how to contact AIM in the case of an emergency, given an emergency card and asked to put the AIM 24-hour emergency number into their mobile phones.
Students are also advised to contact their parents, guardians, or emergency contacts as soon as possible should there be any serious incident within the country they are studying. This is the case even if the student or their host city is not directly affected. Students are reminded that US news can amplify situations abroad and frequent contact with home is that much more important during those times.
AIM is registered with the U.S. Embassy and is on the State Department’s advisory list to receive regular updated on security issues abroad. Updates pertaining to our program locations or potential travel areas are always communicated to students. AIM also keeps home campuses up-to-date on the welfare of their students and keeps the campuses informed of any serious issues that arise while students are abroad.
Student Insurance
AIM or the students own university provides insurance for each student, including health, travel and accident coverage; emergency evacuation and repatriation; basic accident; sickness; trip cancellation; trip delay; trip interruption; and baggage loss. Additional coverage is also made available to participants prior to departure.
Advice for Participants and their Families
AIM has the following recommendations for students and their emergency contacts:
• Students should keep in touch with their families and emergency contacts throughout their time abroad.
• Students should ensure that their parents and/or emergency contacts have their accurate and up-to-date local contact information at all times.
• Students should immediately notify their emergency contacts in the event of any emergency, accident, serious health problem, or other serious mishap.
• Students are required to notify the Resident Director in the event of any health condition that lasts longer than a day or two.
Communication between AIM and our student’s home institutions is considered “internal communication” in regards to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). AIM has the right and the duty to communicate all relevant information concerning a student’s health and safety, academic progress, behavior, etc. to appropriate officers at the student’s home institution on a need-to-know basis.
It is important to note that the U.S. Department of State Office of American Citizens Services and Crisis Management will generally not release information about specific individuals to AIM or to other third parties.
The U.S. State Department website includes the following statement: “Families in the United States whose U.S. Citizen relatives abroad are directly affected by a crisis can communicate with the Department of State through our Office of American Citizens Services and Crisis Management (202) 647-5225."
