Coronavirus: Hong Kong University of Science and Technology cancels student exchange programmes, citing uncertainty overseas even by September
- It says it is unable to rule out if university campuses will still be plagued by Covid-19 in six months
- Five other local universities say they are still monitoring the situation while two have not replied to inquiries
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has cancelled its student exchange programmes in the first half of the next academic year with the world in the grip of the coronavirus.
In an email to students on Monday, the university said it had made the “difficult decision” to suspend all undergraduate exchange programmes for the semester between September and December, as students who were previously granted offers would have had these withdrawn.
“Universities and students around the world are facing exceptional challenges with the running of student exchange programmes,” the university’s Office of Global Learning said.
The university, located in Clear Water Bay with about 230 exchange partners in 36 countries, said many students who went on exchange programmes during the current spring term had been scrambling to return to Hong Kong after their programmes were cut short.
“Cities are locked down, students recalled due to travel advisories, or inability to travel due to suddenly imposed restrictions. In addition to students’ disappointment, their academic progression was severely impacted,” the email read.
We cannot rule out that Covid-19 will still be lingering and affecting university campuses in six months’ time