Guidelines for Travel for Research

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General Guidance on Travel for Research

UCC Researchers, referred to on this page, applies to postgraduate research students, research staff and academic staff in relation to research activities.
In line with UCC Guidelines on Covid-19 Travel and Events and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS): A safe return to on-site further and higher education and research in 2021/22, Department of the Taoiseach - Public Health Updates essential international travel for research is currently permitted, see Latest Updates for Research Continuity.
See current national Transitional Protocol: Good Practice Guidance for Continuing to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 and Latest Updates for Research Continuity guidance on business trips and working in community settings.
- Prior Approval for Domestic Travel is no longer required
- Prior Approval for International Travel for Research Purposes is no longer mandated by UCC Research Business Continuity Team/required - prior approval requirement by Head of Unit (School/RICU) should be decided upon locally, see Latest Updates for Research Continuity and Research Continuity Approval & Reporting Processes/
Gov.ie Covid Tracker App: All UCC Researchers are encouraged to use the gov.ie Covid Tracker app, available at https://covidtracker.gov.ie/, when travelling for research related activities.
UCC Covid-Tracker & Day Pass App: It is highly advisable and encouraged that researchers should use the UCC Covid Tracker and Day Pass App. It is particularly advised and encouraged that visiting researchers from abroad should be supported to access this App, as it facilitates direct support from the UCC Student Health Department.
UCC Researchers must avail and use the EU Digital Covid Certificate
Postgraduate Research Students should consult with their supervisor/PI and consult and comply with before embarking on any essential travel for research-related activities. Details regarding Travel to Ireland/Returning to Ireland for research students are found on the UCC Guidelines on Covid-19 Travel and Events webpage
- See guidance for Researchers & Postgraduate Researchers
UCC Researchers are advised to regularly check the up-to-date national information/advice regarding travel.The HSE has produced guidelines on work related travel here. For international travel, researchers should check updated information regarding Department of the Taoiseach-International Travel and advice available from the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Covid-19 Response Plan Documentation -Travel for Research

UCC Researchers, should consult and comply with the Research Business Continuity Supports webpage, regarding studies that may require travel involving Fieldwork (Guidelines for Fieldwork) or human-focused studies (Guidelines for Human-Focused Research).

Preparing a COVID-19 Response Plan for International Travel for other research related activities (other than Fieldwork or human-based studies (see template for general research travel at Templates and Resources for Research Continuity)

This plan must comply with and reference the following national/institutional guidelines:

National policies and procedures outlined on this page, including the Dept. Foreign Affairs Covid-19-Travel-Advisory and the national Transitional Protocol: Good Practice Guidance for Continuing to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19.
UCC’s Health and Safety Policy and other UCC Covid-19 protocols and guidelines detailed on this page such as Latest Updates for Research Continuity; Research Continuity Approval & Reporting Processes and UCC Guidelines on Covid-19 Travel and Events.
Detail and refer to the guidance on this page for International Travel as appropriate.

The Covid-19 Response Plan for International Travel for research (not involving a fieldwork or human-focused study), can be drafted using the relevant template accessed at Templates and Resources for Research Continuity and should include the following:

detail the nature, purpose of the travel/why it’s being undertaken
the name of researcher who is undertaking the travel
name of PI/supervisor
times, dates, location of travel
the local recording mechanism to facilitate contact tracing if travelling abroad if required at the destination country
Covid-19 safety measures
processes to follow should the researcher display Covid-19 symptoms while travelling
For international travel details should be provided on the Covid-19 requirements relating to the country they are travelling to/from as detailed on this webpage, and any requirements returning to Ireland from their destination country.

In addition, a full Risk Assessment must be conducted for travel for UCC research related activities for both Covid-19 public health pandemic risks and for standard risks. Template to be found here.

A Letter of Assurance should also be prepared, and submitted by the Head of Unit, along with the Covid-19 Response Plan and Risk Assessment, if further approval by the Head of College is required for international travel, as per Research Continuity Approval & Reporting Processes. See Letter of Assurance Template for International Travel on the Templates and Resources for Research Continuity.

Domestic Travel

No longer restricted and prior approval is no longer required.

Researchers should detail Covid-19 cross infection measures for domestic travel for researchers as part of their Covid-19 Response Plan Documentation for studies, if necessary/appropriate such as

Additionally

Researchers should comply with face-mask requirements for car-pooling and use of public transport - see Latest Updates for Research Continuity
Researchers should be aware of and apply the national Transitional Protocol: Good Practice Guidance for Continuing to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19

International Travel

Prior approval by Head of Unit (School/RICU) for international travel is no longer mandated/required by the UCC Research Business Continuity Team.
Prior approval requirements to be decided upon at a local level, ie prior approval may be deemed necessary by local Heads (Schools/RICUs), and in some instances Heads of Colleges, for certain activities. See Latest Updates for Research Continuity and Research Continuity Approval & Reporting Processes
Researchers undertaking international travel for research should consult and comply with the UCC Guidelines on Covid-19 Travel and Events and current governmental guidance on International Travel which may be updated regularly. For the latest up-to-date information on international travel, consult with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), including the DFA General Covid-19 Travel Advisory in Operation and Covid-19 travel advice from the Dept. of the Taoiseach.
Researchers undertaking international travel must be aware of any restriction/requirements in place in the jurisdiction they are travelling to, as well as national requirements in place in relation to the country they are travelling from on returning to Ireland - see DFA General Covid-19 Travel Advisory in Operation and Covid-19 travel advice from the Dept. of the Taoiseach.
UCC Researchers travelling abroad should avail and use the EU Digital Covid Certificate - the EU Digital COVID Certificate (DCC) is proof (in digital or paper format) that you have either been vaccinated against COVID-19 or received a negative COVID-19 test result or recovered from COVID-19 in the last 6 months.
Travel insurance coverage is not straightforward and the state of flux in relation to international travel means that insurance coverage valid at the date of booking might not be the same at the scheduled date of travel – for further advice on travel insurance for research you should consult with the UCC Office of Corporate and Legal Affairs.
Visiting Researchers from abroad (and UCC Researchers returning from abroad) must comply with national measures/guidelines in place - Department of Foreign Affairs, see Guidance for Access to Research Facilities & Buildings for further information relating to international visiting researchers.