As one of the most internationalized universities in China, ECNU receives more than 6,000 international students studying on capmus every year. At present, there are nearly 200 students staying on campus. They assist the university in the fight against the virus by doing what the university advises them to.
Though their lives have somewhat been changed by the epidemic, they are optimistic and confident that China will eventually win the battle against the virus.
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Confidence in China’s victory over the virus
Elizabeth Miller Holly,a postgraduate student from the Department of Politics, has to stay in the dormitory due to the virus. “Life is quite different from before. But we understand the university’s measures. It is important to take precautions like staying away from sources of the virus and maintaining good hygiene.” said Elizabeth.
Elizabeth keeps a close eye on the latest information about the epidemic. She is worried that over the next few weeks the virus will continue to spread due to the influx of people returning to work from their hometowns.
“Some great news is that more people have recovered from the novel coronavirus. No matter how hard it is now, I am confident that China and its people are able to conquer this virus. My parents back home in the United States are concerned about the epidemic, and they are also confident in China’s handling of the virus.”
——Elizabeth Miller Holly, an American student from the Department of Politics
“Shanghai is one of the biggest mega-cities in the world, and the way it handles the disease is truly remarkable, especially when we consider how the city has mobilized its intellectual and technological resources,” said Dhritiraj Sengupta, a PhD student in the School of Geographical Sciences. The young Indian man also expressed his concerns about people’s psychology and the social effects the epidemic might cause.
“I think it is important for everyone to read reliable sources of information, and not let this outbreak disturb our social balance.”
——Dhritiraj Sengupta, an Indian student from thethe School of Geographical Sciences
“I'm confident that China can overcome this situation and will win this battle. China will definitely put the flag of victory on this so-called Coronavirus,” said Eshbaev Almaz from Kyrgyz Republic. She tries to diversify her indoors life by doing health exercises.
“China is taking the situation very seriously. I love China and I know it can overcome this obstacle. Jiayou, Wuhan! Jiayou, China! Jiayou, ECNU!” said Mitchell Hibbert, a language student from Canada.
A staff member checks an international student's body temperature at the entrance of a dormitory.
A staff member delivers daily necessities to an international student.
Gratitude for the university’s efforts
In addition, the international students also expressed their gratitude for the concerted efforts ECNU had made.
“I am absolutely delighted by the reaction of ECNU. From providing masks, delivering food at our doorstep, to offering extra electricity for our dormitories, they are doing everything they can to make sure we are safe and secure. I must express my gratitude to everyone who have helped us.
——Dhritiraj Sengupta, an Indian student from the the School of Geographical Sciences
“I think the university has reacted very well to the situation. The staff have put in place very strict, but necessary, measures on campus.” said Hibbert. “Thank you very much, all the staff members, for keeping us safe! Especially those who were still available during the Chinese New Year’s holiday.”
“ECNU has handled the coronavirus situation extremely well. I think that the university and the Global Education Center (GEC) are doing a great job with implementing new rules during this hard time. The teachers fromGECgenuinely care about the international students staying on campus and are doing everything they can to help us. Their support and caring make me feel blessed and happy. I’m really glad to know that they are supporting us during such a time of crisis.”
——Miller Holly Elizabeth, an American student from the Department of Politics
International students are also advised to stay at home or in dormitory as much as possible and to wear masks when going outdoors. The university and the GECare reaching out to inform them about measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus in the form of handbooks and notices written in English.
To reduce the chances to get infected, theGEChas also worked with the supermarkets on campus to provide the students with daily necessities and regular “take-home” food every week starting from February 11. In addition, the GEChas updated its WeChat accounts to get the students informed about information with the university, Shanghai and China on a daily basis.
Written by Xu Xincheng Proofread by Philip Roger Nash Edited by Linlan Zhang
