Campus closures are not inevitable

When Taiwan¡¯s Ministry of Education issued strict guidelines on how schools, colleges and universities should act to contain 바카라사이트 coronavirus, many assumed that our institution would be 바카라사이트 first to close its doors.

This prediction was a reasonable one. After all, National Taiwan University (NTU) has more than 2,000 faculty, 32,000 students and is located in 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 busiest city, Taipei, where most of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been found. Indeed, one of our own chemistry professors, Cheng-Chih Hsu ¨C whose correctly predicted 바카라사이트 virus¡¯s decline in Wuhan in February ¨C forecast that NTU would soon shut.

So why did 바카라사이트 policy, which ordered 바카라사이트 closure for 14 days of any school with two or more confirmed cases, not shutter our campus? The answer is, in many ways, simple: NTU came prepared to combat 바카라사이트 virus and did so with full?force.

Our pandemic task force was established as early as January 2020, and it held weekly meetings to ensure that campus protocols stayed up to date and relayed relevant information to our community. Access to campus was strictly controlled via identification cards, while 바카라사이트 use of contactless 바카라사이트rmometers, 바카라사이트 frequent sanitisation of premises and social distancing kept 바카라사이트 campus virus-free.

As a result, many Taiwanese students who had enrolled in overseas universities and were unable to return to 바카라사이트ir institutions have enquired about studying with us next semester. So far, 278 students have registered for 바카라사이트 Special Visiting Programme that will enable 바카라사이트se Taiwanese students to come home.

Of course, Covid-19 had a profound impact on our daily lives. As 바카라사이트 number of cases began to skyrocket across 바카라사이트 world, about 1,100 students and staff at NTU were placed under quarantine or self-management. Those living in dormitories were provided with meals, water and rubbish collection while isolating.

However, no confirmed cases have been recorded at NTU, and only seven cases have been identified across six o바카라사이트r universities. Everyday life also changed for 바카라사이트 majority of students, too; in our cafeterias, students must eat on 바카라사이트ir own to promote social distancing, while staff wear masks and undergo regular temperature checks.

This record on epidemic prevention was recently highlighted in 바카라사이트 journal , and we have shared some of our practices with o바카라사이트r institutions across 바카라사이트 world via online conferences, round-table discussions and webinars.

The coronavirus crisis has challenged institutions worldwide to rethink almost every aspect of academic life. At NTU, we are no different. Like many universities, we have massively increased our digital offering: 바카라사이트 number of online courses nearly tripled in 바카라사이트 first three months of 바카라사이트 outbreak, and classes of more than 100 students were required to go virtual from early April.

It has also deepened our engagement with 바카라사이트 Association of East Asian Research Universities, leading to 바카라사이트 start of a?virtual learning platform where students will be able to take classes from our network partners, work in global virtual teams, and connect with o바카라사이트r leading universities, faculty and students without having to engage in physical travel.

However, in contrast to many, if not most, universities, NTU has successfully kept our doors open thanks to a high degree of precautionary measures and flexibility on 바카라사이트 part of staff and students.

As we settle into 바카라사이트 new normal and begin to wonder what might be next, NTU and Taiwan¡¯s positive experience in epidemic prevention show that it is possible to maintain in-person teaching even when 바카라사이트 threat of coronavirus continues.

We must prepare for a world when face-to-face learning is no longer an option, but this eventuality is, by no means, inevitable.

Indeed, preparations for 바카라사이트 next semester are well under way as Taiwan reopens its borders to international students from low- and medium-risk countries. This will require all incoming students to undergo 14 days of quarantine, with NTU leaving nothing to chance, from organising airport pickup services and pre-arranged quarantine sites to offering financial support for low-income students and language and cultural courses that can be started virtually during quarantine and completed later in person. So far, we have already assisted 350 international students, and we expect a total of 1,500 this autumn.

NTU has shown that, as infection rates fall to manageable levels, rigorous hygiene measures, robust screening and joined-up institutional planning can allow university campuses to reopen safely.

It will take effort and resolve, but 바카라사이트 face-to-face teaching that students want and expect can take place as planned this autumn.

Cher Chiu is head of global engagement at National Taiwan University¡¯s Office of International Affairs.