COVID-19 restrictions on Chinese students eased in US
April 28, 2021, 8:48 am

COVID-19 restrictions on Chinese students eased in US

US President Joe Biden speaks from the White House, April 6, 2021. (File photo: Reuters)

The Biden administration on Tuesday said it was easing restrictions on Chinese and other students travelling to the United States this fall, potentially helping colleges whose enrollments declined during the coronavirus pandemic.

The US State Department said it was expanding its national interest exemptions to cover students and academics from around the world from Aug. 1. It made the change for European students in March.

Around 372,000 Chinese accounted for 35 percent of international students in the United States in the 2019-20 school year, according to the International Education Exchange (IEE), nearly twice as many as the second-highest, students from India.

Overall enrollments in tertiary education fell 2.5 percent in autumn 2020, nearly twice the decline reported in fall 2019, according to the National Student Clearinghouse.

In January 2020, then-president Donald Trump barred nearly all non-US citizens who were in China from entering the United States.

‟I'm really glad the Biden administration is restoring at least some level of normalcy after the disruption by the pandemic and the horrible policies of Trump,” said Zhang, 23.

The Beijing native said he planned to pursue postgraduate studies at the University of California, Berkeley.

The American Council on Education (ACE) had pressed the administration of President Joe Biden to act quickly, saying in a letter last month it could ‟deliver a welcoming message to current and prospective international students, which can help restore the U.S. as a destination of choice, as well as supporting an important economic activity as the US economy recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

‟This is a positive step by the United States,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters on Wednesday.

‟We hope the US can make proper arrangements for Chinese personnel going to the US and create favorable conditions for the resumption of personnel exchanges.”

It is still unclear whether US colleges or the US government will recognize vaccinations received by Chinese students that have not been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. Some US schools are requiring students to be fully vaccinated before classes resume.

Another big issue has been the requirement that first-time student visa applicants have in-person interviews at US embassies and consulates. The State Department said on Tuesday it ‟continues to seek ways to process more visa applications, in line with science-based guidance from health authorities.”

ACE cited a study saying that the economic benefit generated by international students had declined by some $2 billion during the 2019-20 academic year to around $39 billion.

In the 2019 school year, Chinese students brought an estimated benefit of $16 billion to the United States, the IEE report said.

Jessica Yuan, 20, a sophomore at the University of Southern California, said she hoped to return before mid-August.

‟I'm really looking forward to going back and meeting everyone,” said the mechanical engineering major.

‟I can't believe it's been an entire year.”

source: Reuters

Image source: Reuters

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has announced its sponsorship of the “Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition (GU - IST Solutions), hosted by Gulf University at its main campus.
This strategic sponsorship reflects BENEFIT’s active role in advancing technological innovation and fostering sustainable solutions to future challenges. It also seeks to empower Bahraini youth by enhancing their skills, capabilities, and competitiveness in innovation and solution development—contributing meaningfully to the broader goals of sustainable development across all sectors.
As part of BENEFIT’s active involvement in the competition, the company has announced that Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication, will serve on the competition’s supervisory committee. Her upcoming participation reflects BENEFIT’s forward-looking commitment to championing academic and professional excellence.
Commenting on the occasion, Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication at BENEFIT, said, “We are privileged to support this pioneering initiative, which aligns seamlessly with BENEFIT’s enduring commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing the potential of Bahrain’s youth. Our participation is rooted in a deep sense of social responsibility and a firm belief in the pivotal role of innovation in shaping a sustainable future. Through such platforms, we seek to empower the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and foresight required to develop impactful solutions that address future challenges, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
Dr. Aseel Al Ayash Dean of the College of Engineering in Gulf University commented, “We extend our sincere gratitude to BENEFIT for their generous sponsorship and support of the Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition. This contribution plays an instrumental role in helping us achieve the strategic goals of this initiative, namely, cultivating a culture of innovation and sustainability, encouraging efforts that address the imperatives of sustainable development, and enhancing the practical and professional capabilities of our students and participants.”
The event will bring together a diverse spectrum of participants, including secondary school students, university undergraduates, engineers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and subject matter experts representing a wide range of disciplines.
The competition seeks to inspire participants to develop and present innovative, sustainable technologies aimed at addressing pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It encourages the formulation of business models that integrate advanced technological solutions with core principles of sustainability. Moreover, it serves as a platform for emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, promote the ethos of responsible technology, and demonstrate its transformative potential across various sectors.
Attendees will have the opportunity to view a series of project presentations submitted by participants, covering diverse areas such as eco-friendly product design, smart and sustainable innovations, renewable energy technologies, water conservation and management, waste minimisation and recycling, green architectural solutions, and sustainable transportation systems. Outstanding projects will be formally recognised and awarded at the conclusion of the event.