Pitt reinstates Japan program, other programs unaffected by travel alert

Pitt’s study abroad program in Japan will be reinstated, and other programs will not be… Pitt’s study abroad program in Japan will be reinstated, and other programs will not be affected by a travel alert issued after the death of Osama bin Laden on Sunday.

The Department of State issued the alert, which said there is an increased chance of “Anti-American violence,” in the wake of a U.S. operation that resulted in the death of bin Laden in Pakistan earlier this week.

Jeffrey Whitehead, the director of Pitt’s Study Abroad Office, said that this travel alert will not affect any study abroad programs.

“We are paying close attention to world events, information from the State Department, and from our partners overseas,” Whitehead said.

The original travel warning for Japan, which was put out after the catastrophic earthquake, expired on March 31, 2011 and was replaced by a new alert on April 14, 2011. The new alert only applies to the 50 kilometer radius surrounding the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, according the the State Department’s website.

“Just this morning the suspension was lifted on the study abroad program in Japan based on recommendations of the alert,” Whitehead said.

The programs do not take place within the 50 kilometer radius surrounding the plant that is still considered unsafe.

The worldwide alert was put out May 1, 2011 and urges U.S. citizens staying in areas where anti-American violence is likely to limit their travel outside their homes and hotels, according to the State Department’s web site.

This travel alert is different from previous ones that have resulted in study abroad programs being cancelled — such as in Egypt and Japan — because this alert is a “worldwide caution. Its requesting diligence, not requesting people to not travel,” Whitehead said.

During the summer, Pitt runs more than 30 Panther Programs, with dozens more offered to students as Pitt-Recognized Programs or Exchange Programs. The summer is the most popular term for students to study abroad, Whitehead said.

Locations of the Panther Programs include Greece, Spain, China, Costa Rica, India, Italy, London, Czech Republic and Poland, among others.

While there are no students in the heart of the Middle East, there is a program in Turkey, which Whitehead said is characterized more as Europe these days.

There are also a couple of students in Morocco and Jordan, but there are no programs in countries that are under specific warnings, such as Syria and Pakistan, Whitehead said.

While this travel alert expires on August 1, 2011, there is a different travel alert out for Japan, which is also a destination for summer study abroad students.