2. Approval for Travel

FCM is the University’s contracted travel management company. Approved travel is to be booked via FCM, unless 100% of travel is paid for by the individual (not grant or research funds) or by an external party (eg another University), or in certain circumstances eg remote travel locations, bookings can be made directly with the accommodation.

FCM Platform is the University’s online travel portal and gives access to travel policy, preferred suppliers, membership programs, online booking tool (SAVI), crisis management alerts, traveller profiles and Pre Trip Approval (PTA).

All travel must be approved using PTA.

Travel approval is required, regardless of funding, for the purpose of Fed Uni business travel that includes either a flight or overnight accommodation away from a traveller’s normal place of work. This applies to individual and group travel.

Approvals

Approval process – using PTA

Domestic travel: Approval for domestic travel is required from the VCST member of the relevant Directorate/Institute.

International travel: Approval for international travel is required from the VCST member of the relevant Directorate/Institute AND COO.

Travellers / travel bookers must select a VCST member by office - eg coo@federation.edu.au, or clxo@federation.edu.au to obtain approval.

A decision to authorise or approve travel will be based on:

  • Approval from the travellers authorising officer (can be in email format attached to the PTA).
  • Whether the intended travel is integral to the traveller's work for the University.
  • There being sufficient funds available in the budget for the relevant Directorate/Institute (Written support (email) may be required from the travellers supervisor and attached to the PTA).
  • Where the travel is funded by a research grant, an understanding of any restrictions, and limitations that may be imposed by the grant funding organisation.
  • A PTA is required when travel is self-funded.

Note:

Cost centre: The PTA does not link the traveller to a cost centre. For approval, a business unit is required, however that can be a high level eg: CLXO/IHW etc. On completion of travel, the costs will be associated to the individual via Concur, the University’s expense management system.

High Risk Destination

If travel is to a High Risk Destination/s, travellers must complete an international travel risk form via the PTA. High risk travel requests should be submitted at least 10 business days prior to planned departure.

Travel to High Risk Destination/s will not be approved without careful planning and justification such as:

  • Is the travel essential and why can’t the business objective be achieved via other means or in another destination?
  • What are the main risks associated with travel, including personal health and safety risks as well as reputational/strategic risks to Fed Uni?
  • How will the risks associated with the travel be managed and/or mitigated?

Approval decision will be provided via PTA.

Travellers and approvers are responsible for checking DFAT’s travel advice levels from when they start planning until their departure and during their travels, for both their destination and transit countries. If the travel advice level increases prior to departure, the travel must be re-approved by submitting a new PTA request. Advice levels can change at short notice.

Personal travel during university travel

Personal travel (also referred to as private travel) that occurs during, before or after University business travel is only permitted when it is incidental to the business need and meets all of the below requirements:

  • Must be added to a bona fide trip on University business.
  • The traveller must fly into and out of the business location (no exceptions). Any side trips for personal travel must be noted in the travel approval request and be paid for by the traveller.
  • The traveller must personally pay all direct or incremental travel costs attributable to private days. The University will not cover any costs incurred on private days including, but not limited to, flights, accommodation, meals, car hire, other transport and incidentals.
  • A traveller undertaking private travel must ensure that they are appropriately insured for all aspects of their private travel.

Any private travel days must meet all the following requirements:

  1. Private travel days that fall on a usual workday must be entered into Workday as annual leave and reviewed and approved by the supervisor.
  2. Recorded in the travel diary in PTA to ensure FBT requirements are reported correctly by the University.

Definition of Business Day

Business days whilst travelling are defined as a day on which official University business is undertaken for a period exceeding three hours of the day, not including meals or rest breaks. Examples of official University business activities include, but are not limited to:

  • Attending a business-related conference, workshop, forum or similar.
  • Undertaking approved research, fieldwork, teaching or study.
  • Attending business meetings.

Business days also include:

  • A day on which a University traveller travels to a business location.
  • A recovery day - the day following the traveller’s arrival in a business location, provided the traveller was required to complete an economy class flight of seven or more continuous hours to arrive at that business location.
  • A business weekend – the Saturday/Sunday in the business location where the traveller undertakes official University business on the preceding Friday and the following Monday.
  • A public holiday recognised in the business location, where the preceding day and the following day are business days. A public holiday recognised at the traveller’s home campus but not recognised in the business location does not meet the definition of a business day.

Definition of Private Day

Private days whilst on travelling are defined as any day that is not a business day, including:

  • Days of booked annual leave, other personal leave, long service leave, days of time-off-in-lieu or flexi-days.
  • Personal weekends – categorised when either the preceding Friday or following Monday are not used to conduct University business.