Emergencies abroad

International emergencies and the emergency number

There is always a possibility that a crisis could arise in the country that you are visiting. Or there could be another type of emergency. We have compiled a list of tips and guidelines that can be used in such situations.

In the event of an international emergency that involves Radboud students or staff members, there is an in-house contingency plan that can be used for the rapid organisation of rescue operations. This plan also allows specific information to be relayed to all of the people who are involved. The plan is initiated by an international emergency notification that is given via the emergency number.

The emergency number is +31 24 361 90 00

Emergency scenario when there is unrest abroad

Before you leave for abroad

Safety guidelines for international travel

Before you leave, prepare as best you can for the country you that you will be visiting. Always check the guidelines from uu77, which have been drawn up in order to prevent you from finding yourself in an unsafe situation while you are abroad. These guidelines prohibit travel to areas that have been deemed unsafe or potentially unsafe. The guidelines are based on travel advice from the Dutch government.

Read the guidelines

When you are staying in a location that is experiencing an unexpected crisis:

Make sure that those at home have your address and contact details (even if you have been given a new local phone number or email address!) and that these details are also known to your student advisor or internationalisation coordinator and the Dutch embassy or consulate.
Stay in touch with the Dutch embassy or consulate so that you can get regular updates about the safety in the country that you are visiting and ask for advice about what you should or should not do. Make sure that you also get advice about where you will need to go if you want or need to leave the country quickly. Also make sure that you carry a copy of the details (address, phone number and internet address) of the Dutch embassy or consulate with you in case you need to contact them.
Sometimes the embassy or consulate will have a mailing list that they will use in order to ascertain whether there are any Dutch nationals who require assistance. Your mobile phone number is particularly important in this situation as you will usually carry it with you and it is not dependent on any external power supply. If the Dutch embassy in the country where you are located also has such a list, it is a good idea to register your details so that you can be added to the list.
If possible, also try to make sure that you maintain regular contact with those at home so that they know how you are doing. Try not to call each other at set times, because if you are unable to make or take one of these calls, this could cause unnecessary worry.
Try to stay up to date with your local situation by reading the newspapers or reading online news reports.
Withdraw some extra cash so that you have some money in case you lose your debit card or it gets blocked. Then at least you will have some funds to pay for any unexpected costs.
Continue to use your common sense and don’t take unnecessary risks.

Radboud emergency number to be used in an international emergency

If you are involved in an emergency abroad, please call the designated Radboud emergency number: +31 24 361 90 00. This number will initiate an in-house contingency plan, so that specific assistance can be provided as soon as possible.

Emergencies at home in the Netherlands

If an unexpected calamity should occur in the Netherlands while you are away, there are a number of things that you will need to consider.

In such a situation, you will need to contact your at uu77. Talking to your travel insurance company before you leave will ensure that you won’t face any unpleasant surprises later on! And you will obviously also need to inform your contact at the host university about your situation.