Business Travel and Field Work

UZH employees who travel abroad on behalf UZH, for example for congresses, conferences or field research, including secondments, are automatically covered by the university’s travel insurance.

Travel to areas with increased risk requires authorisation from the dean. Authorisation is based on travel preparations that are appropriate to the conditions in the destination and include the necessary risk mitigation measures.

Please follow the steps below to be compliant with the UZH travel policy.

Please use the following documents to check the risk classification of your destination country with regard to security risk, as published on the Travel Risk Map by International SOS. No authorisation is required for all travel and stays abroad in EU/EFTA countries and in countries and areas with a risk level of ‘insignificant’, “low” or ‘medium’. 

For travel to countries and areas with a risk level of ‘High’ or ‘Extreme’, authorization must be obtained both from the line manager and the dean of the respective faculty or the corresponding directorate in the case of Central Services units (ZDU).

Risk rating 2026

Travel Risk Map 2026 (PDF, 20 MB)

Table with detailed information (XLSX, 88 KB)

Prior authorization must be obtained for travel on behalf of UZH to areas with an increased risk (high or extreme) according to the International SOS Travel Risk Map. Authorization must be obtained both from the line manager and the dean of the respective faculty or the corresponding directorate in the case of Central Services units. Before travelling to such areas, a risk assessment must also be carried out by International SOS.

See ‘Travel assistance services’ and ‘Travel preparations for areas with increased risk’ below.

To the application form for trips requiring authorisation (login required) (PDF, 248 KB)

In addition, separate insurance cover must be obtained from Chubb for travel to areas with an ‘extreme’ risk level. Please contactinfo@su.uzh.ch for more information.

Approval recommended: travel to remote areas
For travel and stays abroad in remote areas where delayed assistance is to be expected in emergencies, the University Management recommends obtaining approval. Travel preparations should be made in the same way as for travel to areas with a ‘high’ risk level. The delayed and costly assistance in emergencies when travelling to remote areas (medical care only available after several hours) must be taken into account. The ‘remote’ category is not listed as a risk level on the Travel Risk Map. The assessment is made by the travellers themselves or after consultation with info@su.uzh.ch.

Insurance coverage applies to employees, teaching staff and PhD candidates traveling abroad on behalf of UZH, as well as to students who travel abroad as part of their curriculum. Students are not insured during postgraduate study programs (i.e. MAS, DAS, CAS), semesters abroad, summer school and mobility programs for example. Home Office abroad is not covered by the university’s travel insurance.

Travel insurance from Chubb covers accidents and illness abroad and covers medical expenses in emergencies abroad and the costs of repatriation. It also offers insurance cover for travel cancellation, loss of luggage or personal injury and property damage (personal liability insurance). 

Overview of benefits Travel Insurance «Chubb» (UZH Login required) (PDF, 99 KB)

Insurance certificate
You can generate an insurance certificate (Travel Insurance Certificate), e.g. for visa applications, via the following website:

https://travelcertificate.chubbinsured.com

Contract number: CHBMNA17284. The certificate will be sent to you by email and is password-protected. Password (contract number): CHBMNA17284

Contact in the event of claims
Any damage/costs incurred, e.g. in the event of trip cancellation or theft of luggage, must be reported directly to the travel insurance company ‘Chubb’ (insurance policy number: CHBMNA17284): Tel. +49 (69) 75613 6722

Online Claims Centre by Chubb

claims.service@chubb.com

The travel assistance services provided by «International SOS» include risk assessment and preparation for trips abroad, country-specific travel information, and support in emergencies and in the event of damage or loss. 

Travel assistance confirmation
You can generate a certificate confirming your travel assistance from International SOS (Certificate of Assistance) via the following website:
https://certificates.internationalsos.com

Membership I.D.: 22AGDA978942. The certificate will be sent to you by email and is password-protected. You will receive the password in a separate email.

Emergency contact
In case of emergencies abroad, the travel assistance service provider ‘International SOS’ is the first point of contact:

+49 6102 3588 100
+41 (0)22 785 64 64

International SOS can also be contacted via the International SOS Assistance App

Travel preparations for areas with increased risk (security risk ‘High’ and ‘Extreme’) or remote areas.

In order to provide insurance cover for countries with high medical costs, e.g. the USA, Canada, Japan and Australia, specific travel preparations must be made. In the event of illness or medical emergencies, International SOS must be notified via the Assistance App or by telephone in order to provide optimal support. This enables, for example, cost approvals to be issued. 

Travel preparations
Download the International SOS: Assistance App and create your profile using the membership ID for UZH members: 22AGDA978942. You must use your primary UZH email address (e.g. felix.muster@uzh.ch) to register. 

Print out the International SOS Subscription Card (PDF, 826 KB) and carry it with you at all times (e.g. in your wallet). Add the Subscription Card to your smartphone wallet (under the profile menu of the Assistance App).

Sanctioned countries
For travel and stays on behalf of UZH in sanctioned countries (e.g. Iran, Syria, North Korea, North Sudan, Cuba, Crimea, Russia), a sanctions check  must be carried out via International SOS at least one week before departure. See Travel Preparations.

Travel by members of the LGBTIQ community
The laws and political measures of some countries can make it considerably more difficult for members of the LGBTIQ community to stay safe, or can make their stay involve significant risks. Many countries criminalise same-sex sexual orientation, and trans or non-binary travellers may encounter difficulties when entering certain countries if they present a passport with a name and photo that no longer corresponds to their gender identity or identifies their gender as ‘diverse’ or ‘X’. Displaying LGBTIQ symbols such as the rainbow flag in the country of travel may also be illegal. The ILGA world map provides a comprehensive overview of safety. A special risk assessment via the International SOSAssistance App is recommended. Current information on travel to the USA can be found in the country reports from International SOS.
Further recommendations on how to behave can be found at the Federal Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany.