On July 2, the University of California Education Abroad Program (UCEAP) announced that it suspended its fall 2013 semester in Egypt as violent unrest and political uncertainty escalate in the country. The suspension impacts 22 UC students who were accepted to study advanced Arabic and other classes at the American University in Cairo (AUC). UCEAP has offered students the option to enroll in other UCEAP programs in Jordan, Turkey, Morocco or Israel that offer comparable classes.
“We are committed to promoting a safe environment for students, faculty, and staff,” said Jean-Xavier Guinard, Associate Vice Provost and Executive Director of the University of California Education Abroad Program. “The protocols we have established over the past 13 years for around-the-clock risk assessment and crisis management include contingency planning and effective response to safety, security or health emergencies, which are all critical to the success of our programs and participants.”
A travel warning for Egypt was recently re-issued to U.S. citizens by the U.S. Department of State in response to instability and violence that started after President Mohamed Morsi was unseated.
In February 2011 UCEAP suspended its academic year program at AUC during the Egyptian Revolution. UCEAP safely relocated 21 students from Cairo following standard protocols that involved organizing secure local transportation, providing a safe haven in the country, and arranging a charter flight out of Cairo for all members of the impacted UC community. Similar procedures have been employed in other world events, such as after the earthquake in Japan.
