Travel FAQs

The Travel Authorization Form can be found in the Forms Cabinet. 

You will need to ask your Travel Authorizer. Having said that, MyTrips will need to be updated with new travel details.

All students, faculty, and staff travelling internationally must complete Travel registration as per the University Travel Policy. 

• All international University Travel must be registered and approved by the Travel Authorizer prior to departure. 

• Students who undertake University Travel, as defined, within Canada will be required to register their travel. 

Registering with MyTrips allows International SOS to provide you with direct information based on where you may be going. This includes:

• Pre-Trip Advisory - Before you depart, International SOS will send a Pre-Trip Advisory email with information and links relevant to each of your destination countries.

• Automatic Pushed Alerts - In the event that there are Travel Updates, Medical Alerts, and/or Special Advisories for your destination, you will receive real-time alert emails directly from International SOS specific to that location.

However, the most important reason is that MyTrips allows the university to keep track of where students and employees are located in the event of an emergency abroad. This allows the university to more effectively provide help during these developing situations.

International SOS MyTrips collects travel itineraries and contact information for MacEwan University students and employees traveling internationally. This information enables either MacEwan or International SOS to quickly contact you in the event of an emergency (i.e. natural disaster, civil unrest, etc.), so that affected MacEwan travelers can be accounted for and provided the best assistance possible through International SOS.

All students, faculty, and staff travelling internationally must complete Travel registration as per the University Travel Policy. 

• All international University Travel must be registered and approved by the Travel Authorizer prior to departure. 

• Students who undertake University Travel, as defined, within Canada will be required to register their travel. 

Log in to MyTrips with your MacEwan email address. The first time you use MyTrips, you'll need to register as a new user and create your profile. See the MyTrips User Guide.

Register your trip after your Travel Authorization Form has been approved and before your travel departure date. Remember to keep your itinerary up to date in MyTrips. 

Yes. Enter as much information as you have for a given trip, even if you only know your expected travel dates and the city and country of your destination. You can save the trip and return to update it later.

Skip sections that you don’t have complete information for yet. Don’t begin to enter details for a given section until you’re ready to enter all required fields (*) for that section.

Log in to MyTrips with your MacEwan email address. From within your profile, click on the trip name that you wish to edit.

Then click on the tab that you wish to add to or edit (flight, accommodation, train, ground transportation). Click the SAVE button within each tab you add to or edit. 

Last, click "Save Trip Information" at the top of the webpage to save all of your new or updated trip information.

Yes. Once the trip details have been processed, travelers will receive an automated email from MyTrips to confirm which trip segments were successfully completed.

If you need to cancel your trip, advise the Travel Authorizer and log into MyTrips to manually delete the trip from MyTrips.

If you can't remember your password, it's best to email onlinehelp@internationalsos.com from your MacEwan email account and ask them to reset your password. If you enter the wrong password too many times, you will be locked out of your account.

Please note that MacEwan University cannot reset your MyTrips password for you. 

The Group Leader is responsible for ensuring that students receive and complete the Student Waiver form. Travel waiver forms are to be emailed by the Group Leader to the Travel Authorizer prior to the travel departure date.

Generally, this statement refers to travel completely unrelated to university-endorsed business travel. Examples of business travel include conferences, courses, other professional development, scholarly/creative activities, curricular faculty-led group travel, and research.

Examples of unrelated travel include leisure travel that bookends or is inserted into the business travel. Unrelated travel falls outside the authorization process and, therefore, is not subject to hazard assessment and other controls the university has in place to meet duty of care obligations for  employees traveling for MacEwan-approved activities. The university will bear no responsibility whatsoever for this travel.

Travel not directly related or incidental to the purpose of travel does not include: 

• Meals associated with the activity; 

• Meals, particularly dinners, not associated with the activity, but which can be expensed; 

• Activities organized by hosting or sponsoring bodies; or 

• Sightseeing activities organized by the Group Leader in faculty-led curricular travel. 

Travel not directly related or icidental to the purpose of travel may include: 

• Sightseeing not associated with the business purpose of travel; 

• Shopping trips outside the business activity; 

• Visits or excursions with friends or family; and 

• Other activities not organized by the hosting or sponsoring bodies that surround the business activity. 

The characterization of an activity as not directly related or incidental to the purpose of travel may impact: 

• The response of the university's liability insurance to indemnify you against the costs of defence and settlement for claims made against you for bodily injury and property damage; and 

• WCB coverage for injuries you sustain during these activities. 

The waiver form will be seen by the Group Leader who collects the Travel Authorization Form, as well as the Dean or delegate who authorizes the travel. Upon receipt, the Group Leader will follow up with you about options for managing your special arrangement need before or during the travel. Depending on the special arrangement you require, you or your Group Leader may want to engage Access and Disability Resources (ADR) for advice or assistance. Please note that you do not need to disclose any diagnosis to support your need for special arrangement, but the Group Leader, Dean or delegate will require sufficient information about the nature of your special arrangement needs to respond appropriately.

SAMU Groups should contact the SAMU Student Groups Manager and the Manager, Student Life .

Before traveling abroad, you may need specific immunizations depending on your travel destination(s), the length of your stay, and whether or not your routine immunizations are up-to-date. Since it can take several weeks for an immunization to protect you against a disease, you should consult a travel health clinic or your family physician two to three months before your departure. For information on recommended vaccinations for your travel destination, see Travel Vaccinations. 

No. Travel insurance refers to insurance that covers aspects of travel not related to health or medical emergencies such as trip cancellation, trip interruption, theft and lost luggage.

1. Contact the health insurance provider(s) for assistance and direction.

2. Call MacEwan Security Services (+1-780-497-5555) and inform them of the situation. Security Services will accept collect calls.

MacEwan is only responsible for University Travel.  While you are engaged in University Travel for research, scholarly and creative activities, professional development, conferences, courses, or other university-sanctioned activities, you are generally covered under the university’s liability insurance and will have access to university resources in the event of a third party insurance claim for property damage or bodily injury.  However, where you participate in activities that are not directly related to University Travel (e.g. sightseeing the day(s) before the start of an education abroad course, or attending the symphony in the evening after a conference day, etc.), you will not be covered by the university’s liability insurance and may be personally liable. In such instances, access to university resources may still be made available to you.

Medical

1. Contact your health insurance provider for assistance and direction.

2. Advise MacEwan Security Services and inform them of the situation. (You will not need to disclose the illness and/or injury, however, you will be asked if it was related to the business conducted while on the trip.) You will also be asked if your emergency contact should be notified. If a traveller is missing, critically injured or deceased, the emergency contact will be contacted.

Non-medical related

1. Contact International SOS to connect with on-the-ground resources.

2. Advise MacEwan Security Services and inform them of the situation. You will be asked if your emergency contact should be notified. If a traveller is missing, critically injured or deceased, the emergency contact will be contacted.

When travelling domestically and an emergency occurs while on university-related travel, contact MacEwan Security Services (+1 780-497-5555), 24 hours/day, 365 days/year. 

No. In the event of an accident-causing injury the vehicle owner’s auto insurance will be required to respond to all claims for bodily injury. It is not possible for MacEwan University to ensure that each employee has adequate insurance coverage, therefore the transportation of students in personal vehicles is prohibited.

Where MacEwan University faculty or staff are required to travel locally with a student, the use of licensed taxis or public transit should be considered. Contracted transportation services (i.e. buses) should be used for larger groups. Please refrain from renting 15-passenger vans. The Alberta Government has released a bulletin citing a high incidence of rollover crashes with these vehicles. 

In an emergency situation, it is recommended that an ambulance be called.

Yes, subject to appropriate departmental approvals. Vehicles may be rented and expensed in accordance with the Allowable Expenses Policy. Vehicles should be rented in the name of MacEwan University. We are aware that there are some rental agencies who will not do this. Vehicles can be rented using the renter’s name but please ensure that you have documented departmental approval that can be attached to the rental agreement when you submit it as an expense. This documented approval may be necessary in the event of an insurance claim.

Employees should rent vehicles for the purposes of transporting students using their MacEwan P-Card. Please note that there is no vehicle rental insurance available with the use of the P-Card.

Yes, but the University does not provide any collision or liability coverage to the student.

Yes. The University does not provide any insurance to the student to cover collision, loss, or liability against 3rd party claims. Students renting vehicles should purchase the Collision Damage and Loss Waiver offered by the rental agency. 

Yes. Any MacEwan University faculty or staff who rents a vehicle to transport students must ensure that they are properly licensed to operate the rented vehicle. A Class 4 Alberta Operator’s License is required to drive a vehicle with a passenger capacity of 15 to 24.

For questions with respect to insurance coverage, please email riskservices@macewan.ca.

International SOS is not health insurance - it is a travel assistance service provider. 

International SOS is neither a substitute for, nor a supplement to, personal health insurance. Travellers must maintain their own personal health insurance. Prior to departure, individuals should confirm coverage limitations, if any, with their health plan administrator for travel abroad. 

No, your membership is already active. Simply carry the International SOS card at all times while traveling. Whenever you need service, contact one of the emergency phone numbers listed on the back of the card or download the app, which will show the emergency number to call for whichever country you’re in.