Visitors

⚠ Please note that all visitors who will be involved in research-related activities must comply with

#1

Visiting Faculty

Faculty and researchers holding academic positions at other colleges or universities, whether in the United States or in foreign countries, or researchers or professionals from industry, museums, or other entities, whether located in the United States or abroad,  whom a school, department, institute, or center wants to invite to Columbia to teach a course or courses for either a semester (including a “block week” or “mini-semester”)  or an academic year, must be given an appointment as a “visiting” officer of instruction (“visiting faculty appointment”).

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Appointment Rank

When extending invitations to potential visiting faculty members, it is crucial to provide them with an appropriate rank comparable to the title they hold at their home institution or appropriate to their standing in their institution or field of specialization. Invitations to faculty who are on sabbatical leave from other institutions should only be extended after receiving confirmation that their home institution allows faculty to teach elsewhere while on sabbatical leave.

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Duration of Stay

Visiting Faculty are expected to spend no more than one year at the University, but their stay may be extended for up to one additional year under certain special circumstances with appropriate justification and with prior approvals from designated administrators.

✮ ✮ Under no circumstances can such visitors remain at the University for more than two years with this visiting appointment.

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Additional Information

See the section on Officer of Instruction Titles in the Faculty Handbook for detailed information.  

#2

Visiting Officers of Research 

Faculty and researchers holding academic appointments at other academic institutions, whether in the United States or in foreign countries, or researchers or professionals from industry, museums, or other entities, whether located in the United States or abroad, whom a school, department, institute, or center wants to invite to Columbia to do collaborative research with a Columbia faculty member or officer of research, must be given an appointment as a “visiting” officer of research.

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Appointment Rank

When extending invitations to potential visiting officer of research, it is crucial to provide them with an appropriate rank comparable to the title they hold at their home institution or appropriate to their standing in their institution or field of specialization.

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Duration of Stay

Visiting Officers of Research are expected to spend no more than one year at the University, but their stay may be extended for up to one additional year under certain special circumstances with appropriate justification and with prior approvals from designated administrators. 

✮✮ Under no circumstances can such visitors remain at the University for more than two years with this visiting appointment.

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Additional Information

See the section on Officer of Research Titles in the Faculty Handbook for detailed information.   

#3

Visiting Scholars/Visiting Scientists

Faculty and researchers from other academic institutions or researchers or professionals from industry, museums, or other entities who want to use University facilities to pursue their own independent research with no collaboration with or mentorship from Columbia faculty or officers of research should be designated a visiting scholar/visiting scientist, depending on their field.  

In exceptional circumstances graduate students enrolled in a degree-granting program in the Humanities, Social Sciences, or certain professional fields at another academic institution who want to use University facilities to pursue their own independent research for their Master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation without any collaboration, training, or mentorship from Columbia faculty or officers of research may be designated a visiting scholar/visiting scientist, depending on their field.

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Duration of Stay

Visiting Scholars/Visiting Scientists are expected to spend no more than one year at the University, but their stay may be extended for up to one additional year under certain special circumstances with appropriate justification and with prior approvals from designated administrators. 

✮✮ Under no circumstances can such visitors remain at the University for more than two years.

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Additional Information

See the section on Visiting Scholars/Scientist in the Faculty Handbook for detailed information.

#4

Visiting Student Interns (VSIs)

Undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in a degree-granting program at another academic institution who want to conduct research training and/or engage in collaborative activities connected to their prospective degree with a Columbia faculty member or officer of research should be designated a visiting student intern (VSI) once the sponsoring faculty member or officer of research has obtained the necessary approvals.

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Duration of Stay

Visiting students cannot hold the visiting student intern designation for more than one year.

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Additional Information

See the Visiting Student Intern Policy Announcement for more information. This document provides comprehensive insights into the program's guidelines and procedures.

#5

Short-Term Visitors

Visitors who are not eligible for an appointment, designation, or formal affiliation but who need to come to the University for not more than three months to receive research training, observe research activities, or to train or observe within the Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) clinical programs should be designated a short-term visitor. High school students, post-baccalaureates, people who need to observe, not practice, research or clinical techniques or processes, or people who need to receive training (“trainees”) in research or clinical techniques or processes, including practice with appropriate supervision are examples of those who could be considered short-term visitors.

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Duration of Stay

Short-term visitors cannot remain at the University for longer than three months unless their activities going forward allow them to either be appointed as an officer of research or designated as a visiting scholar/visiting scientist.  

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Additional Information

Last Updated: 10/13/2023