Resumption of 2023 Outbound Student Mobility (Memo U2223-040)

The University will resume all outbound mobility engagements for higher education students [e.g. Junior Term Abroad (JTA), Summer Term Abroad (STA), seminars, workshops and conferences, and the like] conducted with and to be held at the premises of partner Higher Education Institutions (HEI) abroad, effective Second Semester of SY 2022-2023.

The resumption is in accordance with the advice of the Commission on Higher Education’s International Affairs Staff (CHED-IAS) that CHED conforms to the Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines (see attached) of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), which states that “restrictions on non-essential outbound travels have been lifted.”

With such resumption of outbound mobility engagements comes the reiteration of the need for all those who will be going abroad under the aforementioned outbound mobility engagements to exercise extreme vigilance during overseas travels which may still continue to expose them to contagions and health risks that have emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic or otherwise. While some measures have been taken to address COVID-19 (like vaccination and attendant safety and health protocols), the virus still continues to challenge health systems in many parts of the world. Thus, whoever decides to undergo these engagements overseas should be cognizant of the volatility of the situation and be prepared to address emergent situations while abroad.

As emphasized in my 5 March 2022 Memo # U2122-061, this resumption of outward mobility continues to be subject to pertinent government (e.g. CHED, DepEd, LEB or IATF) and University protocols that may be issued in response to future health situations, as they develop.

For your information and guidance.