February 2, 2020
The Group of Eight (Go8) which represents Australia’s leading research-intensive universities, and with seven of its members in the world’s top 100 universities, is home to 63 per cent of the Chinese university students who we are pleased have chosen to study in Australia.
The Go8 must follow all directions provided to its universities by Australia’s Government and its health agencies.
In order to halt the further spread of coronavirus, the Australian Government on 1 February issued new restrictions with immediate effect:
- Other than Australian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate family, people travelling from mainland China, or transiting through mainland China, will not be permitted entry to Australia.
The Government’s decision to protect the Australian community by closing access to our country for students who have not yet arrived from China to commence their study year in Australia, has clearly not been taken lightly.
The Go8 understands and is sorry for the effect this will have on our community. We also regret the effect this virus outbreak is having on one of the world’s leading university systems.
Meanwhile all Go8 universities have been following Government and health authority advice and have put in place every possible measure to minimise the disruption to students’ study plans. This is for every student at a Go8 university; domestic and international.
Examples include options to defer, some on-line study where appropriate, and the opportunity to negotiate a study plan on a one-on-one basis.
Our universities are absolutely committed to our students from China completing their studies with minimal disruption and as soon as possible, while maintaining necessary safety precautions, and those students have been advised of this. Those affected students have 24/7 contact with our universities. They are each able to access comprehensive information relevant to their situation.
Go8 universities look forward to being able to welcome our Chinese students currently unable to join us as planned and we are working to achieve this with the Australian Government.