Risk Management | Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University

At APU, we consider risk information for each destination, as well as the societal situation, when deciding whether or not to implement overseas programs. If the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affair’s “Travel Advice and Warning” level is over two for a given country/region, APU will not send students to that country/region. If the “Travel Advice and Warning” level rises above two while a student resides there, as a general rule, their program will be canceled and they will be instructed to return home as quickly as possible. Furthermore, if a new disease begins to spread and a “Warning on Infectious Diseases” is issued, APU may decide to cancel overseas programs depending on the situation.

In order to provide appropriate information and support in the event of a crisis, students are required to enroll in Overseas Travel Insurance and the Risk Management Support System (Japan IR&C Overseas Risk Management Services, “IR&C Safety Support Desk”) designated by APU. If the host university also requires students to enroll in a specific insurance plan, students must also enroll in the host university’s designated insurance.

The “IR&C Safety Support Desk” is a service that provides students with information and confirms their safety in a crisis. When a crisis takes place, the IR&C Safety Desk will promptly share information with APU, so that the university grasps the relevant information and can provide appropriate support to students.

If an accident occurs, the Overseas Travel Insurance will provide compensation (costs of treating any injuries sustained or illnesses contracted while traveling overseas, hospitalization fees, compensation liability, rescuer’s expenses, etc.).
Details of the insurance coverage and the insurance application process will be explained at the guidance sessions for internally accepted students.

The IR&C Safety Support Desk

In case of an overseas emergency, the IR&C Safety Support Desk will provide advice and crisis management information to students who go on overseas programs operated by Ritsumeikan. The IR&C Safety Support Desk will respond promptly to any situation with the necessary emergency assistance. Furthermore, the IR&C Safety Support Desk will share information with Ritsumeikan, so as to support the university in executing proper crisis management.

Below is a summary of the IR&C Safety Support Desk’s services, which are available to all students. Details about these services and the IR&C application process will be explained at the guidance sessions for internally accepted students.

• ・ International Hotline Exclusively for Students on Overseas Exchange (Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year in Japanese or English)
  If students feel unwell, the hotline operators will advise them. Hotline operators can also support students who have been victims of theft, provide English interpretation, etc. If it is not an emergency, students can also contact IR&C via email.
  *If you would like to speak with an operator in Chinese, please request a Chinese-speaking operator after dialing the hotline.
• ・ Risk Information for Every Country in the World/ The Safety Confirmation System
  Risk information will be provided to students through the app and via email. If an event occurs that seriously threatens the safety of students, such as a terrorist attack or a natural disaster, IR&C will confirm the students’ safety in coordination with the university.
• ・ Initial Registration to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Tabireji
  By registering to the Safety Support Desk Application, students will automatically complete their initial registration to the Ministry of Foreign Affair’s Tabireji.
• ・ Please refer to the below file for details.
  Information on the IR&C Safety Support Desk ＊PDF is Japanese only.

Overseas Travel Insurance

When students participate in an overseas program operated by APU, they are required to enroll in the overseas travel insurance designated by the university, “Overseas Comprehensive Travel Insurance for Ritsumeikan Students”, even if an individual was previously enrolled in a separate overseas travel insurance.

Ritsumeikan has entered into a comprehensive overseas travel insurance contract, which covers all approved participants in credit-bearing, overseas study programs or trips, such as exchange programs or trainings, at Ritsumeikan schools (i.e. universities, affiliated schools, etc.). Under this contract, the Ritsumeikan Trust is the policy owner, and approved participants in credit-bearing, overseas study programs or trips, such as exchange programs or trainings, are covered under our overseas comprehensive travel insurance.

As part of our comprehensive insurance contract, we receive a discount, which is applied by allowing our students to use past loss ratios.

Additionally, our insurance does not prevent students from purchasing individual insurance policies outside of this system.