Covid-19: Pilot programme launched for students stuck in China due to travel bans

Caryn Wilkinson Reporter from Community News

Chinese resident Jiayi ​Tang​’s plans to study in New Zealand were quashed last year when the country barred travellers from China and Iran as the Covid-19 pandemic raged.

But the Massey University student is persevering with her spatial design course thanks to a new pilot programme launched by the university with a varsity in China.

A learning centre has opened this year at Nanjing​ University of Finance and Economics where students can join classmates for online classes delivered by Massey University, backed by local learning support advisors.

“At first, I was like a fish out of water,” said Tang, a third year student in the College of Creative Arts.

“I felt stress on my study work without the chance of face-to-face with a teacher on campus,” the 20-year-old said.

“[Being] without a tutor in front of me is the biggest challenge and difficult for me.”

But the online course had turned out to be the best solution for Tang and her three classmates, she said.

Massey Business School student Jingyan​ Zhang​’s plans to study at the Auckland campus were also thwarted last year.

Zhang said he had been looking forward to seeing New Zealand’s beautiful views.

But the 24-year-old had spent a lot of time away from home before the pandemic hit.

“Now I have more time with my family and my friends, so I think it is not a bad thing for me.”

While learning online was more difficult than lessons with a tutor, the course was good, he said.

In his final semester, Zhang is part of a class of nearly 80 business students.

“I have got a lot of good friends here,” he said.

Zhang said he did a lot of meaningful things at the Nanjing campus, including forming the student union.

“... We go on trips together, go fishing, play a game of basketball and study.”

The online classes are being rolled out to 100 current students from Massey Business School and the College of Creative Arts, with potential to expand the programme into other disciplines during the second semester.

The Massey learners share access to the library, gyms, sports facilities and student canteen at the Nanjing college.

“We are committed to providing an excellent learning experience for our international students, which includes supporting them in developing these types of communities, ... to study together with peers in a welcoming environment with other students at NUFE...” said Massey deputy vice-chancellor of students and global engagement Tere​ McGonagle-Daly.​

Massey University has campuses in Albany, Auckland, Wellington and Palmerston North.

It is working with the New Zealand government on options to welcome international students back to campus when it is deemed safe, a Massey University spokesperson said.