To help inform, support and coordinate the often complex planning involved with hosting these visitors, Brown faculty, student groups and staff should contact the Office of Global Engagement (OGE) prior to accepting or extending an invitation to a high-profile foreign dignitary for an official campus visit so that the appropriate protocols and procedures can be engaged. In this capacity, OGE serves as the central point of contact for high-profile foreign dignitaries and is the coordinating office for planning and scheduling, itinerary preparations, and briefings. 

A high-profile foreign dignitary may include but is not limited to an incumbent head of state or government, high-ranking government representative, royalty, or house-hold name celebrity. Visits by former heads of state/government, a partner/spouse of an incumbent head of state/government or royalty, and their immediate families may also be covered by these protocols.

The Office of Global Engagement (OGE) can also support campus visits by high-level international delegations not related to governments of foreign countries (such as university leaders) to Brown University. To ensure productive visits, OGE can help facilitate meetings and organize opportunities for high-level international delegations to engage with key Brown University faculty and administrators around common areas of interest. Brown University encourages these visits, especially when they arise from faculty interest. 

A high-level international delegation may include but is not limited to senior leadership from international universities and non-governmental organizations or delegates with conferred institutional authority.   

Academic and administrative units, faculty, and student groups may organize and host visiting delegations. We encourage prospective hosts to review these guidelines and to consult with OGE in advance of inviting delegations to help coordinate efforts as appropriate.

If you are interested in scheduling a visit from an international delegation and dignitary to Brown University, please complete the International Delegation and Dignitary Visit Request Form at least 6 weeks prior to the proposed visit date. A member from the Office of Global Engagement (OGE) will respond to your form submission within 10 business days. Please note that we may not be able to accommodate all requests received and OGE does not make travel and accommodation arrangements for visitors. 

• Align visits with the University’s Academic Calendar to best ensure the availability of faculty and staff.
• Consult the University’s Events Calendar to avoid major scheduling conflicts.
• Visitors must comply with all University COVID-19 policies and protocols in place at the time of their visit.
• Visitors attending a scheduled University event should contact the event organizers or the Event Strategy and Management team with questions.

Students or families visiting from outside the United States for the purpose of exploring admission to one of Brown’s academic programs do not need to complete the visit request form even if they or a member of their party is an international dignitary or government representative.

For admission-related visits, please contact the:

• Office of College Admission
• Graduate School
• School of Professional Studies
• or the Warren Alpert Medical School

If you are a Brown University administrator or faculty member completing the visit request form a form ON BEHALF of a prospective visiting high-level international delegation or high-profile foreign dignitary, please consult with the Office of Global Engagement before proceeding so that we can determine the level of support.

Guidance for Visits by High-Level International Delegations and High-Profile Foreign Dignitaries

The Office of Global Engagement serves as the central point of contact for visits from high-level international delegations and high-profile foreign dignitaries, and is the coordinating office for planning and scheduling, itinerary preparations and briefings. Brown faculty, staff, and student groups should contact OGE prior to accepting or extending an invitation to a high-level international delegation or high-profile foreign dignitary for an official campus visit. 

Individual Meetings and Collaboration

While the Office of Global Engagement is always willing to provide guidance related to other international visitors, individual faculty who wish to initiate faculty-to-faculty research collaborations and educational engagements abroad can work directly with the respective international partner without OGE involvement.

When in doubt, please contact OGE at globalbrown@brown.edu. While these guidelines are specific to in-person visits and events, individuals, units and student groups seeking to host virtual events with high-level international delegations and high-profile foreign dignitaries are encouraged to consult these protocols when planning virtual events.