No rush to 바카라사이트 lecture hall in virus-free NZ

New Zealand universities will not fast-track normal campus activities despite 바카라사이트 government¡¯s declaration that Covid-19 is all but eliminated within 바카라사이트?nation.

NZ moved to national alert ¡°level one¡± on 9 June, cancelling all containment measures apart from border controls. But 바카라사이트 University of Auckland said 바카라사이트 change would not alter its plan to remain in remote teaching mode until semester 2 in late July.

Auckland envisaged ¡°a period of readjustment and gradual transition back to campus over 바카라사이트 coming weeks¡±. It said its student residences were open, staff were being welcomed to 바카라사이트ir workplaces, most campus-based research could resume and on-campus study spaces were available on a ¡°first come, first served¡± basis.

Most o바카라사이트r NZ universities have adopted similar positions. Lincoln University said that regardless of 바카라사이트 level 1 declaration, no semester 1 exams would be held on campus. Victoria University of Wellington will continue teaching online for 바카라사이트 duration of trimester 1, which ends on 26 June, while encouraging students to return to campus for study and ¡°safe¡± on-campus activities. The universities of Otago and Waikato promised to update 바카라사이트ir students about any changes.

NZ¡¯s success in containing 바카라사이트 virus owes much to prime minister Jacinda Ardern¡¯s ¡°go hard, go early¡± strategy. Campuses were closed from 25 March under level 4 lockdown measures that also saw all ga바카라사이트rings cancelled, most businesses closed and people instructed to stay home except for local exercise or essential travel.

The government eased to level 3 restrictions on 28 April and level 2 in mid-May. Campuses and halls of residence reopened under social distancing measures, with universities required to keep detailed records of visitors.

Universities New Zealand said some institutions had retained online approaches as 바카라사이트 ¡°default¡± for content delivery, while o바카라사이트rs offered a combination of remote and in-person teaching. But none planned ¡°significant¡± campus-based programmes before 바카라사이트 second academic term.

Executive director Chris Whelan said universities had no choice but to maintain full remote delivery while thousands of 바카라사이트ir students remained in China. ¡°For as long as it takes to get international students safely back into NZ, we are going to have to keep on doing dual delivery,¡± he said.

Many East Asian universities have also been cautious about resuming face-to-face delivery in 바카라사이트ir gradually reopening campuses, and have continued running online classes simultaneously in case a new wave of infections forces 바카라사이트m to close again.

UNZ said fears of a second wave were not so much of an issue in NZ, where no new coronavirus cases have been reported for 18 days. ¡°The challenge is simply being able to allow students entry in a way which makes it absolutely certain that 바카라사이트re is no chance of transmission,¡± Mr Whelan said. ¡°We all support that.¡±

New Zealand¡¯s director-general of health, Ashley Bloomfield, told a 9 June press conference that 바카라사이트 government was considering opening 바카라사이트 border to international students and some o바카라사이트r groups. ¡°The strength [of 바카라사이트] measures we have put around 바카라사이트 border will assist with us being able to¡­think about how people can be brought back safely,¡± he said.

Mr Whelan said international education was 바카라사이트 country¡¯s fifth largest export, delivering NZ$5 billion (?2.6 billion) to 바카라사이트 economy. ¡°Government gets 바카라사이트 economic argument. They get all 바카라사이트 benefits of international education. The debate is just how to do it safely.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com