By: ALICIA FLORES
Staff Writer
Every year students from across IU take the opportunity to study in a different country. This past spring and summer, 79 students studied abroad.
With the recent attacks in Paris on Nov. 13, students may be wondering how this affects future study abroad programs. Well the answer to that question would be not at all.
According to a statement from the Office of Overseas Study, “At this time, the university is not recommending that students return to the United States nor that students postpone plans to study abroad during the spring semester.”
Currently, there are seventeen IU students from across the IU system studying in France. The students were in Paris on the night of the attacks but are all accounted for and safe, according to Lisa Zwicker, director of international programs. The students will be finishing their trip as scheduled.
The Office of Overseas Study and the university has always taken the necessary precautions to keep their students and staff safe and will continue to do so by monitoring travel warnings and alerts, the statement said. IU ensures their faculty is properly trained to ensure their student’s health and safety when studying abroad.
IU looks at several factors when creating programs for the students, Zwicker said. The university keeps track of the state department watch lists and avoids dangerous regions of the countries.
Although, as stated in the Office of Overseas Study’s statement, they cannot guarantee the safety of any individual, they can still do all they can to provide a safe experience for the students on their programs.
“You always want to be careful, cautious and conservative, but the reality is you are more likely to get in a traffic accident here in South Bend and get hurt than you are to be in a terrorist attack abroad,” Zwicker said.
Students are still encouraged to take the opportunity of studying abroad. Currently there are no trips to Paris or France planned for the upcoming spring or summer semesters but that is not due to the attacks, Zwicker said.
Any student with questions or concerns may contact the Office of Overseas Study at overseas@iu.edu.
