For Faculty

Hosting a Delegation

African-American Nkosinathi Biko speaks behind a podium about the rights work of his father, Steve Biko

Guidelines for Hosting an Official International Delegation

USF faculty and administrators often host international delegations for short-term campus visits, to discuss mutual collaboration opportunities, explore research collaborations, or to develop educational partnerships. The following resources have been identified to assist our campus units in planning of international delegation visits.

General Recommendations

If you wish to host an official international delegation on any of our USF campuses, please inform your Dean, Department Chair or VP, at least three weeks prior to the proposed visit, especially if their involvement is crucial to the visit purpose. Scheduling and availability of leadership may be factors for consideration in choosing a date for the visit. Typically, the hosting college or academic unit is responsible for coordinating logistics and itineraries for visitors/delegations. USF World, as an intermediary, can provide some guidance and may facilitate campus tours, overviews of the USF system, and meetings with USF World representatives to discuss prospective research and partnership opportunities.

Reasons for hosting an international delegation

  • Expand the research capacity of your college, department, or the University.
  • Create new educational opportunities for USF students, faculty and administrators
  • Create awareness of opportunities for International Students (Recruiting)
  • Increase “Brand Awareness” for your college or unit within the international community

 
Tips for Hosting International Visitors

Who should take the lead?

Identify a visit coordinator within your unit. This individual will communicate with the visitors to review travel plans, visit dates and other logistics. Note: The USF academic calendar should be reviewed before selecting or approving visit dates. Hosting a delegation during holidays, graduation weekend, homecoming, etc., could compromise your ability to secure meetings with administrators, large meeting rooms, hotels, restaurants, campus tours, etc.

 

What if an invitation letter is requested?

USF is not responsible for creating visas but you can provide a letter of invitation. If an invitation letter is requested by your visitors, you may contact USF World at one of the contacts below for sample letter to create a document for each individual. Note: a signed letter printed on unit letterhead can usually be scanned and e-mailed to the visitor, eliminating time and cost of manual mailing. Visit dates listed on invitation letters need to be as accurate as possible and should cover only dates the visitor is physically attending activities sponsored by your unit.

 

How to create agendas and itineraries.

Email or call colleagues, in advance of the visit, to schedule meetings and coordinate logistics. Provide your colleagues with the title and biographical information of the visitors so they will be able to narrow the focus of their presentations or conversations. When creating an itinerary for the guests, it is helpful to share full titles, departments, etc. of the individuals they are meeting to clarify the connections made during the visit. You can download an editable MS Word version of a sample itinerary here.

 

What if my guest requires special accommodations during the visit?

Carefully request information regarding physical accommodations needed or dietary restrictions of your guests. Assistance at the university can be found at Student Accessibility Services. The difference your courtesy can make in accommodating a guest’s preferences can make a remarkable difference down the road and will help in selecting appropriate restaurants, hotels, transportation, etc. during the visit.

 

Transportation?

Please communicate with your visitors in order to determine their transportation needs. You can coordinate logistics around campus using a unit golf cart or your personal vehicle. If a guest provides their own vehicle, please refer them to the USF Campus Information Center to arrange for on campus parking, maps, and fees.

 

Hotel Recommendations?

If you are providing suggestions to the international visitors on where to stay, the following links lists hotels near the USF campuses. If your college or department is sponsoring the delegation during their stay, please check with your accountable officer regarding internal procedures on how to book hotels, USF rates, and financial implications before making any reservations or making any payments.

 


Other Frequently Asked Questions

  • Do you or anyone in your college have an existing relationship with the international institution requesting the visit?

If there is an existing agreement, it can be reviewed prior to the visit on the Global Discovery Hub.

  • What are the specific areas of interest?

Do the areas of interest of the visitors align with the USF International goals?
 

  • Is there a financial commitment involved with the visit?

Visitors may choose to cover their own airfare, hotels, meals, etc. associated with the visit or the cost may be shared between the visitor and hosting unit. Please check with your chair or your Dean’s office in advance, before committing to using university funds to cover expenses such as hotels, transportation, meals, etc. Your department’s accountable officer should provide guidance regarding internal procedures and approvals needed BEFORE the guests arrive. Such commitments may involve Travel Authorization forms, Purchase Orders, access to Foundation funds, etc.
 

  • Who are the members of the visiting delegation?

You will need to “evaluate” the administrative position and official titles of your visitors. Please contact USF World if a university president (or equivalent), high-ranking government official or large company executive will be on campus. International protocol for VIP visitors is offered as a courtesy from USF World. You can find contact information below.

For additional information, please contact:

Ms. Adriana Morales
Email: morales@usf.edu 
Phone: (813) 974-8081