What is Work Away?
The term ‘work away’ is a broad term used to refer to an authorised period spent out of normal residence in Cambridge where a student undertakes work or study for degree purposes;
- Which is either undertaken as an integral part of the student’s course e.g. Year Abroad
- Or can be justified as adequately beneficial to obtaining their degree e.g. PhD research
Work away does not apply to student sports and society activities.
The University has the right to refuse any proposal to work away on health and safety grounds. Any student who leaves the University to work or study without approval is not considered to be on authorised working away.
What is Risk Assessment?
Risk assessment is the process of examining the work, the workplace and the individual proposing the work to identify potential hazards that could cause significant harm to people. Once identified the assessment is used to determine what measures are required to remove or control the risks. More information about risk assessment in the workplace can be found here.
The requirement to complete a risk assessment to work away is not intended to limit activity but is intended to ensure that students and their departments consider consciously all aspects of undertaking work or study away both before a decision to approve plans is made, and during the time away, especially in a constantly changing world.
Examples of Work Away
Some examples of study or work away where a risk assessment would be required can be found in the table below:
| Study: |
Fieldwork |
All students |
|
Collaborative provision |
Predominantly PhD students, but also MBA and other Master’s level courses |
|
|
Year abroad study placement |
e.g. in MML, AMES, Law, Chemistry, Engineering |
|
|
Writing-up |
Only Doctoral students |
|
|
Industrial experience |
e.g. BA/MEng Engineering |
|
|
Summer activity (integral to course) |
e.g. Master of Finance, BA/MEng, Earth Sciences 'Mapping Project' |
|
|
Overseas conferences |
Predominantly graduate students |
|
|
Summer schools in overseas institutions |
Undergraduate and graduate students |
|
|
Research: |
Research placements in laboratories overseas (e.g. in a research centre or institution) |
Predominantly graduate students, but may also include final year undergraduates |
|
Work: |
Year abroad work placement |
e.g. in MML, AMES, Law, Chemistry, Engineering |
|
Mandatory work placements |
e.g. MPhil Public Policy, clinical study |
|
|
Professional placements |
e.g. MSt Building History |
|
|
Internships/work placements |
e.g. graduate and undergraduates as advertised opportunities and Bursary Scheme via the University's Career Service |