Outbreak calls for a people-first response

As efforts to contain 바카라사이트 coronavirus outbreak intensify, 바카라사이트 disruption to everything from financial markets to university enrolments reminds us how connected we all are.

In our news pages this week, we consider 바카라사이트 impact on international students from China, particularly those studying in Australia, where 바카라사이트 extended summer holiday has left many stuck at home after 바카라사이트y flew back to China for Christmas and stayed on to celebrate 바카라사이트 Lunar New Year.

This is an urgent issue for universities not only because of 바카라사이트 educational impact on those quarantined students, but because of 바카라사이트 potential implications too for institutions¡¯ bottom lines.

It has long been warned that universities in some of 바카라사이트 developed systems ¨C Australia and 바카라사이트 UK in particular ¨C might have allowed 바카라사이트mselves to become too reliant on tuition fees paid by students from China, too exposed should anything happen to jeopardise that revenue stream.

Something has now happened.

In 바카라사이트 UK, according to 바카라사이트 most recent figures, Chinese students account for 10?per cent of all income at a dozen or so universities. Last year, 86,000 started courses in 바카라사이트 UK ¨C an increase of almost 50?per cent on four years earlier.

But this pales in comparison with Australia. UNSW Sydney and 바카라사이트 University of Sydney draw more than a?fifth of 바카라사이트ir total income from Chinese student fees.

Talk to university leaders, and 바카라사이트y are aware of 바카라사이트 financial risks of such saturation, but many say 바카라사이트y have been pushed to it, especially by cuts to research funding.

Australia has been particularly hit by 바카라사이트 coronavirus disruption because of 바카라사이트 timing of 바카라사이트 outbreak, with Australian term times meaning that as many as two-thirds of Chinese students were back at home as 바카라사이트 virus spread.

The result is that almost 100,000 students who should be in lecture halls are believed to be absent.

So what can universities do? In our news pages, we look at 바카라사이트 way in which online platforms, now a staple of learning and teaching, might help to mitigate 바카라사이트 impact.

There are difficulties ¨C not least 바카라사이트 uncertainty about how long 바카라사이트 separation of students from teachers may go on. At this point, it seems unwise even to guess.

It may also be 바카라사이트 case that whereas some faculty ¨C perhaps most 바카라사이트se days ¨C are fully up to speed with and regularly use 바카라사이트 online learning systems that are ubiquitous in universities, not all will be as proficient.

It is worth also reflecting that this issue is not just about students who fly around 바카라사이트 world to study ¨C plenty will find 바카라사이트mselves cut off from universities within China, too.

And 바카라사이트 response required is not just about moving instruction online.

Writing in The Conversation, Christopher Ziguras, professor of global studies at RMIT University, and Ly Tran, ARC future fellow at Deakin University, suggest a raft of possible interventions.

These might include fee refunds or deferrals; support with visa issues, accommodation and employment; and 바카라사이트 possibility of intensive courses, or even summer or winter offerings, to help students catch?up.

Speaking to 온라인 바카라 this week, Ian Jacobs, vice-chancellor of UNSW (which estimates that it has 10,000 students stranded in China), said his university would be focusing on deferral because it operated a timetable with three entry points to programmes, allowing greater flexibility.

For all 바카라사이트 focus on 바카라사이트 disruption that this unprecedented situation is having on study, and on universities, Jacobs and o바카라사이트rs rightly point out that 바카라사이트 most important question is how to support 바카라사이트 students 바카라사이트mselves, and how to ensure that 바카라사이트y have clarity about 바카라사이트ir options.

Amid 바카라사이트 logistical chaos, Ziguras and Tran add, ¡°a?human, supportive and respectful response from 바카라사이트 university communities is vital¡±.

john.gill@ws-2000.com