1. Consider whether your trip is essential and, if so, how you will minimise carbon emissions using the Travel Decision Tree.
2. Check that there is budget to allow you to travel and get provisional approval from the budget holder.
3. Plan your journey(s)
   Plan how you will reach your destination, using the University sustainable travel guidelines to minimise carbon emissions. Remember that SEED staff can use the SEED electric car for work journeys in the UK and can apply for funding to cover travel which is more sustainable but more costly. You can plan an itinerary on Key Travel ahead of time. See the ‘How to book using Key Travel’ section for more information.
4. Complete a Risk Assessment
   All travel requires risk assessment. For low-medium risk travel you have to read the relevant generic risk assessment form. High risk travel requires specific approval from the Head of School – you will need to submit your risk assessment form for approval when completing the Academic Absence Form. Note that it may take up to 60 days for high risk travel to be approved. Find out how to risk assess your travel. 
5. Gain approval for your absence
   Academic staff must complete an Academic Absence Form and submit this for approval. PS staff should contact SEED Estates directly for assistance. 
6. Book your travel using Key Travel
   Once you have approval, your travel can be booked using the Key Travel website. Key Travel should be used to book all travel, unless you have preapproval to book via another method. See ‘How To Book using Key Travel’.

All travel requires risk assessment. The Risk Assessment Flowchart will help you to decide what kind of risk assessment you need.

For low-medium risk travel you can use the University's generic risk assessment. High risk travel requires specific approval – note that it may take up to 60 days for high risk travel to be approved.

Assess the risk of your destination

Check the University’s high-ris countries list and use the AIG Travel Assistant and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to find the risk rating for your destination(s). If you don't already have a log-in for AIG, you can easily set one up using your name, university email address and the University policy number, which is 0010015245.  

Risk assessment for high-risk destinations

If you are travelling to or through countries listed on the University’s high-risk countries, where the University’s Insurance Company AIG has a high or extreme risk rating, or where the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has advised against all travel or all but essential travel, then a full risk assessment must be completed and approved by the Head of School and in some cases the Dean of Humanities.

Download the form to complete the high-risk travel assessment here .

For your travel to be approved, you must:

1. Provide robust justification as to why this travel is essential, with no feasible virtual options, and why now.
2. Demonstrate that you have adapted the high-risk risk assessment for your specific travels. To do this you must demonstrate that you have read, understood and addressed the risks outlined in the AIG Country Report. You must also include any specific risks and mitigations arising from your personal circumstance and intended activity.
3. Remove any risks that are not relevant.
4. Complete the contingency plan questions at the bottom of the risk assessment.
5. Confirm whether you are a national of the country you are travelling to. If not, you must include the details of the relevant embassy in that country.
6. If applicable, demonstrate whether you are a seasoned traveller to the intended destination.
7. Confirm that you will be limiting your travels to the locations listed.
8. Confirm that you have sufficient funding should the trip be extended due to quarantine, or if travel restrictions change and it is necessary to quarantine in Government approved accommodation.
9. Confirm that you have a planned review process to decide whether travel will go ahead.

Please contact the SEEDestates@manchester.ac.uk< if you require support.

Key Travel is the University’s one stop shop for all travel including hotel, rail, flights, group bookings, visas and overseas car hire.  

Academic and PS staff within SEED can now be allocated as ‘Bookers’ on Key Travel, enabling them self-service access for purchasing travel. Postgraduate students can be given ‘Standard user’ access to the platform to plan their itinerary.  

If you're a member of Academic or PS Staff in SEED

1. If you haven’t booked via Key Travel before, you’ll first need access to the system as a ‘Booker’. Ask your line manager to email the Travel Helpdesk to create a profile. The email should include the full name and ID number of the person needing booking access.  
2. Once your profile has been set up, you will need to create a log-in. Click this link, enter your University email address and click “Next”. You will receive an email with a link to create a memorable password. The Key Travel website is quite straightforward, but training and user guides are available here.  
3. Once your profile is set up, you can either create an itinerary (if you’re not yet ready to book) or go ahead and book your travel (if you have the approvals in place to book). Before making a booking, you MUST complete the steps detailed in the ‘Checklist for booking travel’, including completing a risk assessment, getting approval for budget spent and getting approval for your absence.  
4. You will be required to enter a budget code when making a booking and all bookings will need to be approved by the budget holder before being confirmed. You must ensure that the budget holder is aware of the booking and ready to approve it. If you are the budget holder and booking travel for yourself, approval will be sought from your Compliance, Safety and Estates Manager, so please ensure they are aware of the booking and ready to approve it.  

If you're a Postgraduate Student in SEED

1. You can’t book your own travel, but you can use Key Travel to plan a proposed itinerary. You’ll need access to the system as a ‘Standard user’. Ask your line manager to email the Travel Helpdesk to create a profile. The email should include the full name and ID number of the person needing standard user access.  
2. Once your profile has been set up, you will need to create a log-in. Click this link, enter your University email address and click “Next”. You will receive an email with a link to create a memorable password. The Key Travel website is quite straightforward, but training and user guides are available here.  
3. Once your profile is set up, you can search for travel options and create a proposed itinerary. Remember to add luggage options if required. 
4. If your travel is funded by the Doctoral Academy: once you have your proposed itinerary sent up you can click ‘view basket’ and add your Tracker Reference Number to the notes section of the quote.  
   If your travel is funded through another means (eg grant or travel built into PGR programme): you should seek approval for the spend from your academic supervisor. Your supervisor may be able to book your travel for you or may request that you approach the School Office for assistance.  
5. Once your itinerary is ready you can share this with the SEED Office Team (SEEDSchoolOffice@manchester.ac.uk) to request that they book your travel – remember to include the Tracker Reference Number for Doctoral Academy-funded travel.   

Key Travel support

For any questions not answered by the guidance provided on the Key Travel pages, please email travel.helpdesk@manchester.ac.uk

You can also contact Key Travel directly via the options below. Please do not visit their offices in Manchester, they do not accept in person visits.

• Phone: 0161 819 9797
• Email: UoM@keytravel.com
• SMS message: +44 7860019411
• WhatsApp message: +44 207 843 9602 (this is a prioritised channel with a fast response time)

Sustainable travel and top-up funds

Our Sustainable Travel policy guides all staff in making climate conscious decisions.

Business travel should only take place where there is no reasonable online alternative, and air travel should be avoided wherever possible.

Our SEED Sustainable Travel policy guides all staff in making climate conscious decisions, and you can apply to the SEED STAR Fund (Sustainable Travel Alternatives Routes) to cover additional costs of a more sustainable route via the Academic Absence form. This may be to replace flights with train fares, to pay for a more expensive, but more direct longer-haul route, or to support the cost of hotels where slower travel may require stopovers.

Applications to the fund are overseen by SEED’s Director of Social Responsibility.

Resources

• SEED Sustainable Travel Policy
• Apply to the SEED Sustainable Travel Alternative Routes Fund
• Apply for STAR funding through the Academic Absence Form

You may also apply to the SEED's conference caregiving fund for staff and PGR students to subsidise childcare, or other caregiving costs, when required for attendance (including overnight) at a conference or training event (or similar).

• SEED Conference Caregiving Costs Scheme form.

SEED E-vehicle for staff and PGRs

The School’s e-vehicle (a Nissan Leaf) is available for free use by SEED staff and PGRs for work-related trips. For more information visit SEED Resources | Travel | Electric Vehicle