At present, the COVID-19 epidemic has swept over more than 200 countries and regions around the world, which has greatly affected the world economy and international educational exchanges, and the cross-border student flow has encountered multiple difficulties. At this stage, most international flights are suspended, schools are closed, some laboratories are closed, most students are grounded at home, and international students either drop out of school, or switch to online study and online defense. Both those who are studying abroad and those who are going to study abroad this year are affected to varying degrees.
Challenges faced by studying abroad under the epidemic situation
More than 98% of Chinese students studying abroad are located in more than 20 major destination countries, all of which are countries with serious epidemic situation and highly restricted cross-border mobility. International students and visiting scholars in China have been greatly influenced. Almost all master students and undergraduates have completed their courses and defenses online, and most doctoral students are still engaged in scientific research in various ways.
Affected by the epidemic, the number of international students preparing to go abroad decreased significantly in the first half of this year. This year, the application for the national public doctoral program and the joint doctoral program has been postponed 1 to 2 months. In late June, the results of expert evaluation and admission to doctoral programs will be announced, and it is planned to announce the results of expert evaluation and admission to joint doctoral programs in mid-August. However, whether the trip was smooth at that time was a common problem faced by national public schools, unit public schools and self-funded international students.
Whether to study abroad in the autumn of 2020 is related to the end of the epidemic in the destination country, the end of the global epidemic, the resumption of cross-border mobility, the normal visa application in the main destination countries and the opening of schools. A series of uncertain factors have brought great challenges to studying abroad.
Opportunities for international students under the epidemic situation
Why do you want to study abroad? What do these international students have in common? This is a topic that society and families have been paying attention to. In my opinion, the goal of studying abroad is mainly reflected in four aspects: first, broaden your horizons and cultivate a global vision; The second is to enhance global competence and become an international talent who can study, work and integrate under global multiculturalism; The third is to master the world's cutting-edge scientific and technological methods; Fourth, cultivate the quality of respecting diversity, understand the national cultures of different countries, understand and respect across cultures, eliminate misunderstandings and oppose prejudice and discrimination.
For those who are studying abroad or preparing to study abroad, what opportunities are there besides challenges in the face of the continuous spread of the COVID-19 epidemic?
Opportunity in the epidemic 1: a rare opportunity to cultivate a global perspective
When there was an epidemic in China, what was the reaction of all countries in the world? Countries with strong international cross-border mobility and special gathering space have an epidemic situation. How do countries around the world react? The overall epidemic situation in developed countries in Europe and America is serious. How do countries around the world react? The epidemic situation in underdeveloped countries is serious. How do countries around the world react? In the past few months, there have been staged hot spots with the epidemic. Keeping attention and thinking deeply is an opportunity to learn about many countries and nationalities, which can expand your global cognition and international vision. So this is a rare opportunity to cultivate a global vision.
Opportunity 2 in an epidemic: a rare opportunity to cultivate respect for diversity
In a lot of information about the epidemic for several months or even longer, we can understand the regional differences and cultural differences of different countries in the world. In the atmosphere of empathy for the epidemic, there is a rare opportunity to cultivate respect for diversity, and there can be a practical lesson to discover and resist accusations, attacks, ridicule, discrimination and other words and deeds against other countries and nations.
Opportunity 3 in the epidemic: a rare opportunity to improve foreign language listening and reading ability.
For several months, the main politicians, experts and media in the destination countries have been talking about the topic of epidemic prevention and control. If you can continue to pay attention to and learn, it is a rare opportunity to improve your foreign language listening and reading ability.
Opportunity 4 in the epidemic: a rare opportunity to cultivate scientific spiritual literacy
From Zhong Nanshan, Li Lanjuan and Zhang Wenhong in China to Anthony Fauci, an infectious disease expert in the United States, Richard Horton, editor-in-chief of The Lancet magazine in the United Kingdom, as well as Tan Desai, director-general of the World Health Organization, Michael Ryan, executive director of WHO's health emergency planning, and Bruce Aylward, foreign leader of the China-WHO joint inspection team in COVID-19, they all showed common characteristics: integrity, professionalism and dedication. At present, scientists in many laboratories around the world are tackling key problems day and night to fight against COVID-19, which provides a rare opportunity for international students to improve their scientific spirit.
To sum up, the COVID-19 epidemic has brought a serious crisis to international educational exchanges and cross-border student flows. Both international students and overseas students should face the challenges brought by the epidemic, turn the crisis into an opportunity, and actively seek opportunities while adapting to the impact. (The writer is Deputy Secretary-General of the National Scholarship Fund Committee. This paper is organized by the author's speech at the "International Education Seminar under Epidemic Situation" of the Overseas Study Service Branch of China Education Association for International Exchange. )