While border restrictions caused by the pandemic have prevented most international students from returning to China, CUHK-Shenzhen is again reaching out to those stranded students. On the evening of April 21, the International Scholar and Student Services Office (ISSSO) hosted another Zoom meeting for CUHK-Shenzhen’s international students. Vice President Professor Zhu Shiping and Associate Vice President Professor Gu Yang participated in the event. They discussed the recent development of the university and answered questions and concerns raised by the students. In answering these questions, the senior managers were joined by the directors and staff members from the Registry Office (RO), the IT Services Office (ITSO), the Career Planning and Development Office (CPDO), ISSSO, and student representatives. The Zoom meeting attracted nearly 200 students and their parents to participate.

A sudden outbreak of Covid-19 in early 2020 changed our lives. This global pandemic is still affecting our international students in many ways including their study and lifestyle. Among the international undergraduate students of our university, only 13 are taking classes on campus and enjoying a normal campus life; the majority of them have been stranded overseas and freshmen have now been studying online for eight months to well over a year.  The university management have been concerned with the wellbeing of those students, and Prof. Zhu has organized meetings with student support and services offices to address students’ concerns and resolve their problems. This Zoom meeting was another example of those efforts.

Prof. Zhu and Prof. Gu opened the session with news about campus development for the students and their parents. Prof. Zhu introduced the university’s Phase II campus construction, and he went on to add, “Internationalization is an important brand of our university. We attach great importance to the learning and cultural experience of our international students. Although the COVID-19 epidemic has been under effective control in Shenzhen and in China as a whole, and the campus life has been almost restored to normal, without the return of international students and your direct participation in campus activities, our campus life is incomplete. Once the entry restrictions are relaxed, we will help you return to campus as soon as possible! "

The professors’ presentations were keenly followed by the opportunity for students to raise their questions and concerns. The questions they raised included those regarding border entry, compulsory quarantine, vaccine policy, lab courses during online learning, mixed mode teaching, clearance procedures for graduating students, opportunities for research and internship, and employment and further education prospects for international graduates. All of the questions were discussed at length and follow-up actions were proposed.  Prof. Zhu emphasized that the university would continue offering support during students’ quarantine when they returned, and would make arrangements for graduating students’ campus clearance and their online participation in the upcoming graduating ceremony.  The student representatives, Richard Cornelius (Sophomore, SDS) and Isra Ahmed (Senior, SME), shared their experiences of working as a research assistant and doing internship in Shenzhen respectively with their fellow students, and encouraged them to be proactive.

The Zoom session lasted over two hours with valuable lessons learned on both sides. While the students received useful advice about the actions and decisions of the university, the university representatives also developed a better understanding of the difficulties being experienced in households around the world where students look forward to returning/coming to our beautiful campus in Shenzhen.

What Our Students Say

Nathania Josephine Tjung

Freshman, SME

I'm very grateful for the directors and university administrators who have invested their time in answering international students’ questions and concerns. As a freshman who never had the chance to go to campus, this meeting gives me assurance and comfort knowing that the university is trying their best to provide us with a better education despite the circumstances.

Richard Cornelius

Sophomore, SDS

I would like to thank Prof. Zhu, Prof. Gu, and the other university directors for arranging this important meeting. Not only that our questions and concerns were answered, this meeting also brought a lot of good news regarding the progress that the university has made. It has not been easy for all of us, yet this meeting has shown that the university has been giving their best to help us during these uncertain times.

Ong Grace Amazia Budiono

Junior, SME

It's nice to have a support system from the university. It has been a hard time coping up through online learning, but I'm super glad that the university is very open to our concerns, and has been very supportive in resolving our issues. This proves that even when international students are in a minority group, we are still well taken care of.

Isra Ahmed

Senior, SME

I really appreciate the university's efforts to stay connected with international students who are having to study online. I am glad to have had a chance to share my internship experience in Shenzhen during the Zoom meeting and to guide my juniors in finding their own internship opportunities. It was a bittersweet moment to see my friends that I miss deeply at the meeting.