The Office for Global Health, Safety, and Security is closely monitoring the on-going conflict between Russia and Ukraine. We are in regular communication with partners at MSU, including the Risk and Security Assessment Committee (RSAC) and the Faculty and Staff Travel Review committee (FASTR), as well the U.S. Department of State and MSU’s security assistance provider, International SOS (ISOS).

All travelers are advised to not travel to Ukraine, Belarus, or border regions with Ukraine. At this time, other travel to and within Europe can continue.

Recommendations for all MSU-sponsored travelers include:

• Register for U.S. Department of State consular messages at step.state.gov. If you are not a US citizen, please check if your home embassy offers a similar service.
• Download the ISOS app (MSU membership # 11BCAS798617). If you enable location sharing, you will receive security alerts as push notifications. You can also register for ISOS email alerts by logging in to internationalsos.com with MSU membership #11BCAS798617 and clicking “Sign Up for Email Alerts.”
• Remember that you have access to free, confidential, virtual counseling through ISOS. You can contact them through their app or by calling the 24/7 Assistance Center at 1-215-942-8478 (MSU membership # 11BCAS798617).

Some of the safety measures that we have in place for education abroad programs include: 

• 24/7 emergency response via the International SOS Assistance Line 24/7 at 1-215-942-8478 and the MSU International Emergency Assistance Line (1-517-353-3784). 

• Emergency response and critical incident management training for education abroad program directors in advance of their program departure. 

• All education abroad participants are covered by MSU’s international health insurance and political unrest/natural disaster evacuation insurance. 

• All education abroad participants have access to medical and security advice and support through International SOS before and during your program. You can also consult with their medical or security team by calling the 24/7 Assistance Center at 1-215-942-8478.

• Online pre-departure orientation for education abroad students. You will be enrolled in a D2L module in the weeks leading up to your program.

The Global Health, Safety, and Security team is ready to offer support and answer your questions. Please get in touch by emailing globalsafety(at)msu.edu.