Fieldwork and study away approval

As part of your studies and research, it may be necessary for you to travel away from campus. These activities include fieldwork to carry out empirical work related to your research, visits to other higher education institutions, summer schools and conferences. In order to ensure that these are conducted in accordance with the University policies and codes of conduct and in order for the insurance policy to provide protection to all parties involved, you must follow relevant approval processes before commencing these activities.

Types of study away

Fieldwork

A period of time, integral to the programme, allocated to research data collection. Fieldwork may or may not be off campus but will be limited to a distinct period of time. 

Study Away

This includes any of the following 

  • Placement: An opportunity to undertake a period of work within the period of the programme which may or may not be funded, and which may enhance future career prospects. A placement should be related to and part of the programme of study or a discrete activity that enhances experience. See the note below regarding Interruptions
  • Institutional visit: A short-term visit to another institution related to the student’s programme of study. It may or may not be part of a formal partnership agreement with external organisation.
  • Exchange: An approved period of time where a student visits another institution, which has a formal reciprocal arrangement in place with the University of Manchester, to conduct research related to their programme of study (examples of an exchange might be to learn new research techniques; access archives; use specific pieces of equipment etc.)   
  • National Scheme: If you have made an application to an external body and have been successful in obtaining an offer to undertake an activity that meets one of the above definitions 

An application should be made in My Placement if you are undertaking any of the above activities.

Interruptions 

If your activity is not integral to your programme or cannot be carried out under the Official Leave of Absence Procedure, you will need to follow the Change of Circumstance process to apply for an interruption. In this case, do not make an application in My Placement. 

Conference attendance 

Conference attendance does not require an application in My Placement. 

If you have questions, please contact the Doctoral Academy.  

General guidance

You should follow the travel flowchart and comply with the University Travel Policy. For trips to high risk countries, travellers must seek appropriate approval before travel. 

Please note, you must check FCDO guidance prior to requesting any travel.

Further information on the University Travel Policy can be found on Travel. Please also refer to the University Business Travel Insurance Procedure website for information on what to do in an emergency.

You must explore and discuss your potential travels, ethical requirements and risk assessment with your supervisory team before submitting an application. In general, the minimum requirements for different types of travel include: 

  • Fieldwork: Specific or generic risk assessment, ethics approval,
  • Institution visit, summer school, conference: Specific or generic risk assessment

Risk assessments

Wherever and whenever you travel there will be some form of risk involved.  It is compulsory, regardless of your destination, to assess the risks associated with your trip and that a risk assessment is in place before any travel commences or booking made. 

If you are planning to travel on University business (e.g. conference, research fieldwork) you will require a risk assessment and pre-travel approval. In Humanities, all Schools follow the current University guidance on the Travel page on Staffnet. 

Please note, you must check FCDO guidance prior to requesting any travel.

University uses AIG, the University’s insurance company’s risk indicators and FCDO foreign travel advice as guidance to categorise travel destinations as low, medium, high, or extreme risk. The University Insurer’s AIG Travel Assistance website can be accessed through Staffnet (requires creating an account with the University’s Insurance policy number).

In accordance with the University's code of practice, students should complete a formal risk assessment for all activities that have the potential to cause harm. This involves identifying hazards, evaluating the associated risk and devising suitable control measures to eliminate, or reduce, the risk to an acceptable level.

It is the duty of students and supervisors to carry out risk assessments of their activities if such do not already exist, or to follow the control measures defined by existing risk assessments. Risk assessments are particularly important for off-campus activities, this includes:

  • Events off campus external to the University organised by the School, Departments or Student Representatives
  • Fieldwork, data collection for research projects

All staff and students involved with these activities must complete a full risk assessment or, if applicable, sign one of the risk assessments that cover low hazard activities. Please go to the Safety and risk assessment section of the School website below for more details.

Your School Safety Advisor (email address below) will be able to provide guidance on the School travel approval process. Depending on the destination, travellers are strongly encouraged to prepare their risk assessment 3 months in advance to allow sufficient time for approval and travel booking.

The risks associated with fieldwork are not necessarily confined to travel related risks. All hazards associated with fieldwork needs to be carefully considered and assessed. All individual and group fieldwork require a School approval prior to the start of the fieldwork.

Students and PGRs who are required to travel for course related work will be insured under the University travel insurance provided that necessary risk assessments are carried out prior to the planned trip or activity, approval has been obtained and travel booked through the University’s approved supplier.

For ethical risk associated with research, you will also need to assess the risk level or applications under UREC consideration, please see the University Ethics website. For research ethics applications under the remit of Divisional/School review, please see:

In accordance with the University's code of practice, students should complete a formal risk assessment for all activities that have the potential to cause harm. This involves identifying hazards, evaluating the associated risk and devising suitable control measures to eliminate, or reduce, the risk to an acceptable level.

It is the duty of students and supervisors to carry out risk assessments of their activities if such do not already exist, or to follow the control measures defined by existing risk assessments.  

Risk assessments are particularly important for off-campus activities, this includes:

  • Events off campus external to the University organised by the School, Departments or Student Representatives
  • Fieldwork, data collection for research projects

All staff and students involved with these activities must complete a full risk assessment or, if applicable, sign one of the risk assessments that cover low hazard activities. Please go to the Safety and risk assessment section of the School website below for more details.

Training

Fieldwork off-campus training:

  • TLCO210 Managing Health and Safety in Off Campus Activities - Fieldwork - This training will help you understand and appreciate the value of systematic management and planning to fieldwork activities. Drawing on the principles of Risk Assessment and integration of Health and Safety into the overall management process.
  • TLCO300 Principles of Risk Assessment E Learning - Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations require you to assess risks to health and safety of anyone that may be affected by your activities. This course will cover methods for identifying hazards and assessing risks, how the perception of risk is influenced by many factors, and how using successful control strategies can minimise the risk of damage/injury.

Application process for fieldwork and study away

You should start preparing your fieldwork application process as early as possible, and at least three months before the first proposed fieldwork start date to ensure all necessary risk assessments, funding and ethics approvals (where applicable) and additional insurance are in place before submitting an application. You must not embark on your fieldwork without having received confirmation that your fieldwork has been approved.

Using My Placement system

  • Click the ‘Apply Now’ button to create your application and complete all the requirements before submitting. In order to return to your application in future, go to the Student mobility website, select Log In, Log in with Campus ID, and log in using your university credentials.
  • Application requirements include details of your intended activity, your supervisor supporting statement, evidence of research ethics approval, if required, and confirmation of an approved risk assessment. More details of these requirements can be found in the application.
  • Review and approval of your application is administered through My Placement. Should you have any queries in relation to your application, contact the Doctoral Academy. 

Local Fieldwork

You may need to undertake fieldwork locally where you will not travel for an extended period of time but visit fieldwork sites periodically. Fieldwork approval is only required for off-campus activity lasting longer than 48 hours. However, please ensure you complete the risk assessment for any off-campus activity in the UK.

Other types of travel

Applications for other travels such as overseas conference and summer school, please complete the risk assessment with your supervisors and once approved, send it to hums.doctoralacademy.support@manchester.ac.uk at least 1 month before the travel date.

Travel booking

After you have had permission to study away/travel and if the travel is to be funded by the University of Manchester, please see further information on how to make booking arrangements in the Funding section of the PGR handbook. Please note, you must check FCDO guidance prior to requesting any travel.

The University is committed to cutting carbon emissions. Please consider sustainable travel options when planning your journey by checking information on the website below.

Advice on travel health, vaccination and protection

If you are travelling outside of the UK for fieldwork or other study visits, you should see the Occupational Health Service’s website for advice on safe travelling, vaccination and protection recommendations.  If you have concerns around pre-existing health conditions or medication which may be affected by the trip and vice versa, please seek advice from your GP and the University Occupational Health Service before arranging the travel.

PGRs who are travelling outside of the UK for fieldwork or other study visits should see the Occupational Health Service's website for advice on safe travelling, vaccination and protection recommendation.

Export control regulations and guidelines

PGRs must discuss with their supervisor and take into consideration whether the activities they carry out could be subject to export control regulations as their studies and research may include movement of tangible and intangible "controlled" items and whether a licence would be required. Export control training is highly recommended and available online.

PGRs travelling internationally need to be aware of the export controls that apply to goods, technology, software and/or knowledge “exported” outside of the UK. If you are uncertain whether export controls apply to you, please contact the Export Controls Compliance (CCC) Team at ecc@manchester.ac.uk for assistance.

References

It is expected that some students will take the opportunity to devote part of their PhD degree to study and research outside of the University, as permitted by the regulations. Students are not permitted to spend more than 50% of the degree away from the University of Manchester.

Fieldwork is defined as primary, first-hand data collection that takes place away from the University of Manchester.

The University has a duty of care to you throughout your period of registration and for insurance and legal purposes, we must maintain an accurate system for recording any official and unofficial absences or periods away from the University.

AHRC and ESRC-funded PGRs

If you are funded by AHRC NWCDTP, ESRC NWDTC or ESRC NWSSDTP and wish to apply for an overseas fieldwork funding or overseas institutional visit, please refer to the NWDTC or NWSSDTP website. It is your responsibility to inform the Doctoral Academy of any changes to the dates, nature and details of the fieldwork.

Failure to notify the Doctoral Academy of changes may be construed as an attempt to defraud the University of the appropriate tuition fee or fieldwork bursary. This constitutes misconduct under the provisions of Regulation XVII (Conduct and Discipline of Students), and the handling of such cases will be pursuant to the procedures laid out in the regulation.

COVID guidance

The University takes PGR's safety in the COVID environment seriously. Please familiarise yourself with the following guides on how you can keep safe while working on and away from campus: