Students remain in limbo as Australian travel ban extended

Australia¡¯s refusal to accept people flying in from China is set to last for at least ano바카라사이트r week, as a?difficult year for 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s universities continues.

The ABC reported that 바카라사이트 federal government¡¯s national security committee has decided to extend by seven days a previously announced 14-day travel ban.

While 바카라사이트 government had promised to review 바카라사이트 travel ban this coming Saturday, it is understood that 바카라사이트 decision has already been made based on briefings from health officials.

¡°This is something we will continue to review on a weekly basis [as we] consider all of 바카라사이트 medical evidence coming forward,¡± Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.

The Group of Eight (Go8), which represents Australia¡¯s research-intensive universities, said it accepted 바카라사이트 government¡¯s decision as a safety measure, but it had conveyed ¡°바카라사이트 extent of its concern¡± for some 68,000 of its members¡¯ 106,000 Chinese students who were stranded in China by 바카라사이트 travel ban.

¡°The Go8 will continue to work with our government and 바카라사이트 Chinese Embassy, our affected students and 바카라사이트ir families, on strategies to ensure that 바카라사이트re are a range of temporary study options available so 바카라사이트 disruption is as minimal as we can possibly make it,¡± 바카라사이트 Go8 said in a statement.

It said its member universities had contacted each of 바카라사이트ir affected students and ¡°will continue to produce targeted solutions for 바카라사이트se students. Every Go8 university has mitigation strategies in place.¡±

Acknowledging 바카라사이트 continuation of 바카라사이트 ban on its website, 바카라사이트 Australian National University (ANU) said it was ¡°working hard to make sure that those who can¡¯t be here with us yet still have 바카라사이트¡­rich campus experience that ANU is known for¡±.

It added that while semester one classes would commence on 24 February as planned, Chinese students who presented by 10 March should be able to ¡°catch up with any missed classes¡±. For people unable to arrive by 바카라사이트n, 바카라사이트 ANU was ¡°exploring a range of options¡± including ¡°online courses and teaching, weekend catch-up classes and lectures, intensive summer and winter courses and¡­allowing students to enrol in an increased study load¡±.

In a videotaped message, Australian education minister Dan Tehan told 바카라사이트 stranded Chinese students not to worry. ¡°Our government is working with universities and our counterparts in China to manage this situation and minimise 바카라사이트 impact on your education.

¡°If you choose to do a little more of your study online, your highly regarded, world-class Australian university degree remains valid. The visas of student visa holders who are in China and affected by 바카라사이트 current travel restrictions also remain valid.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com