Hosting Delegation Visitors: A Guide for Schools and Departments Leading Visits

The global partnerships team is happy to support schools, departments, and other offices as they welcome delegation visitors to our University of Pittsburgh campus.

If you have not already done so, please review the guidelines regarding determining whether delegations are lead by vs. supported by the global partnerships team and the PittGlobal/UCIS staff.

Delegation visit requests are received in a variety of ways and different scenarios for vetting and hosting delegations will vary.

This may include:

  • A potential visitor submits a delegation request to the University Center for International Studies (UCIS). UCIS may determines that the visit does not fall under their purview and directs the request to your school/department to allow you the decision to host or deny the request.
  • You are interested in inviting a visitor OR a potential visitor submits a request to you as an individual, school, or department. You are interested in hosting the visitors but must determine if UCIS should be involved with this delegation visit based on the established delegation guidelines.
  • A potential visitor submits a request to you as an individual, school, or department. You are NOT interested in hosting the visitors, but direct the request to UCIS and/or other relevant offices to allow them the decision to allow them to consider to host or deny the request.

This standard guideline has been created for Pitt administration, faculty, and staff as they consider the viability, plan logistics, or deny inquiries regarding delegations visitors to their school/department on the University of Pittsburgh campus.

The Role of PittGlobal in Hosting International Delegations

PittGlobal’s Partnerships Team typically takes the lead on visits which advance higher level initiatives for the University. If guests are invited by the Vice-Chancellor for Global Affairs or other Pitt leadership and/or if high-profile individuals or strategic are visiting to support Pitt-wide goals, PittGlobal will take the lead and engage relevant schools, departments, and University Center for International Studies (UCIS) centers for assistance.

In cases where delegations are not led by PittGlobal, individuals/schools/departments are able to utilize existing PittGlobal resources and expertise as they vet, plan, execute, and follow-up with visitors and hosted delegations.

Please note that all communications with the Office of the Chancellor, Provost, and Vice-Chancellor for Global Affairs must be done through PittGlobal’s Global Partnerships & Partner Engagement (GP&E) Team. Contact the team at GlobalPartnerships@pitt.edu.

Before moving forward with the planning steps below, please be sure you have notified UCIS of this visit request and have confirmed that UCIS collaboration is not required.

Guidelines for Schools Vetting and Welcoming Delegation Visitors

These standard procedure has been divided in to six phases of the planning process. Each phase includes an overview, checklist of items for the group hosting/planning the visit, available resources and guidance available from PittGlobal, as well as tips and tricks to ensure each phase runs smoothly and meets the key objectives of all those involved.

Please note that this is only a snapshot of the complex and detailed process. Comprehensive guidelines can be found on the Global Partnerships SharePoint site linked below.

These phases include:

Before accepting the visitor’s request, it is important that the Department/School/Center conducts its own due diligence to determine the viability and alignment to the school’s global goals and aspirations. This phase will outline the suggested and required steps to vet a potential visit request.

 

Key Planning Step Snapshot

PittGlobal Resource Snapshot

  • Determine visit viability and objectives
  • Determine value-add to your school/department/center and to Pitt's global goals
  • Garner input and gauge interest from faculty
  • Run Restricted Party Screenings (RPS)
  • Determine to host, deny, or defer inquiry to another relevant unit
  • University-wide partner engagement reports
  • Strategic planning consultation
  • Sample acceptance and denial language
  • Additional consultation upon request

Download the COMPLETE standard operating procedure and associated resources and templates here.

Once the School/Department/Center has vetted the request and its alignment to its strategic global goals and aspirations, it is important to start to build what a successful visit would look like. This includes budgeting for the visit, determining what costs, if any, will the School/Department/Center cover, and which important aspects of the University of Pittsburgh the host would like to present to the visitor/delegation. 

 

Key Planning Step Snapshot

PittGlobal Resource Snapshot

  • Determine potential involvement of Pitt senior leaders
  • Determine relevant meetings within your school/department
  • Determine budget
  • Connect with key Pitt departments such as UCIS Regional Centers for expertise and insights
  • Connects with Offices of the Chancellor, Provost, and/or Vice Chancellor for Global Affairs for meeting requests
  • Offers PittGlobal presentations upon request
  • Offers templates including a delegation cost planning document

Download the COMPLETE standard operating procedure and associated resources and templates here.

Once you have determined if you will accept the visitor and the type of meetings you would like to set up for the partner, it is advised that you schedule time to meet with the upcoming visitors/delegation to ensure alignment of their goals with your suggested meetings.

 

Key Planning Step Snapshot

PittGlobal Resource Snapshot

  • Review objectives more deeply and plan meetings with key collaborators accordingly
  • Obtain additional visitor details including dietary restrictions, pronouns, visit accommodations required, etc.
  • Conduct RPS Screenings for any additional individuals
  • And more
  • Visitor detail questionnaire
  • PittGlobal and Global Engagement consultation available upon request

Download the COMPLETE standard operating procedure and associated resources and templates here.

Now that the goals have been identified, suggested meetings outlined, and a planning meeting with the partner has been done, it is time to begin securing times and meetings for the visitor(s)/delegation. This phase will take dedicated time and planning to ensure a successful and well-built out schedule. 

 

Key Planning Step Snapshot

PittGlobal Resource Snapshot

  • Draft objectives and visitor overviews
  • Reach out to offices for meeting requests
  • Obtain bios and begin to create itineraries for various audiences
  • Reserve meeting spaces, meals, etc.
  • Consider marketing needs
  • Draft invitation letter
  • Review Global Business Guidelines
  • Consider gifts and contents of welcome packet
  • And more
  • Delegation Visitor Itinerary template
  • Guidelines and template language for meeting requests
  • Logistical guidelines for shuttles, hotels, local restaurants, etc.
  • Global Business Guidelines
  • Chancellor/Provost Speaker Request form (when applicable)
  • Gift guidelines and standard welcoming material guidelines and templates
  • PittGlobal branded gifts for UCIS faculty and staff hosting visiting
    delegations and for distribution to UCIS partners and hosts
    when traveling abroad. 

Download the COMPLETE standard operating procedure and associated resources and templates here.

Before the visitors arrive, it is advised that a final pre-visit meeting between the Pitt colleagues and the visitor(s)/delegation be held to confirm last-minute details for the visit. It is advised that a representative from Pitt drop off the visitor packet( and gift, if applicable) at the hotel so the visitor is prepared. A digital copy of the itinerary should be provided ahead of travel for planning and as a potential resource for Immigration.

 

Key Planning Step Snapshot

PittGlobal Resource Snapshot

  • Finalize meetings, itineraries, etc.
  • Finalize welcome packets, signage
  • Alert relevant colleagues of upcoming visits
  • Share critical questions/objectives and MoveOn questions prior to meetings
  • And more
  • MoveOn Question Planning document
  • Templates and resources for welcoming guests
  • Tips and tricks on ensuring smooth travel, meeting transition, and event planning
  • Sample messaging to colleagues and visitors
  • Additional consultation upon request

Download the COMPLETE standard operating procedure and associated resources and templates here.

Once the visit concludes, close out steps advised by PittGlobal include thank you messaging, expense reconciliation, and logging of meeting and event details to both maintain records and ensure that next steps and continued objectives are clear.

 

Key Planning Step Snapshot

PittGlobal Resource Snapshot

  • Send thank you messaging to all internal and external participants
  • Reconcile expenses
  • Log details in to MoveOn
  • Share relevant internal and external news coverage
  • Provide photographs
  • And more
  • Standard thank you messaging template
  • Global Resource Survey for Pitt hosting unit to complete

Download the COMPLETE standard operating procedure and associated resources and templates here.