Taiyuan University of Technology (TYUT)’ s overseas cooperative universities, including the University of Western Australia (UWA), The University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Campus, and University of Wollongong (UOW), have sent letters in succession to President Huang Qingxue, expressing their solicitude to TYUT’s staff and students on the COVID-19 outbreak, and looking forward to a further development in the cooperative and win-win partnership. Huang expressed his appreciation in his reply on behalf of the University.
Tayyeb Shah, UWA Deputy Vice-Chancellor, said in his letter that “as a valued partner of the University, we will work with you to minimize any impact on students and our partnership activities. We have already been in contact with all students enrolled at UWA and as the situation continues to develop, we will work to provide students – including incoming students from our partner universities – with the assistance they need. UWA has response teams in place who are meeting daily. The work of these teams includes carefully designed plans to support the health and wellbeing of our students and staff, both locally and overseas, and to ensure the health and safety of campus residents and visitors. We understand that travel restrictions are having a significant impact on our University community, particularly for those students whom we have been looking forward to welcoming as they commence or continue their UWA journey. Due to these travel restrictions, some students may have concerns about missing orientation or the start of classes. We’re planning for this and will support all students to make a smooth transition to study at UWA. We also understand this disruption may impact on students’ graduation dates. We are currently investigating all options, including online course delivery, to minimize disruptions to study plans. It is in difficult times, however, that the spirit of the UWA community has been at its most resilient. We have a proud tradition of valuing inclusivity and diversity for all. Once again, we will unite as a community and respond with kindness and understanding for our friends, colleagues and students impacted by this global incident”.
Dale Webber, the UWI Mona Campus Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Principal, said in the letter that “on behalf of the students and staff at The University of the West Indies as well as on my own behalf, I write to express deepest sympathies but support to you as it relates to the deadly Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. We are sure that the medical experts in China have the ability to control this epidemic in the very near future. The UWI Mona Campus is following the development and stands ready to assist if at all possible. The members of the TYUT team currently at the UWI are all safe and in good spirits and we continue to extend the usual courtesies. We pray that the continuous fight against this widespread outbreak will come to an end soon”.
Paul Wellings, UOW Vice Chancellor and Principal said that “as a global university, I would like to extend sincere thoughts and best wishes on behalf of all of us here at the University of Wollongong to all of our partners worldwide, whether directly or indirectly affected by COVID-19 (Coronavirus). Our thoughts are with the people of China. UOW’s highest priority is the safety and wellbeing of our students, staff and the communities in which we operate. We stand with you in our quest to develop solutions and ensure the transformative impact of international education despite our current challenges. For UOW students whose plans have been affected by travel restrictions, we are putting in place multiple solutions to keep their study plans on track as much as possible. These students will not be disadvantaged overall by these circumstances, and we very much look forward to welcoming them back as soon as possible. During this period, I encourage the use of alternative means of collaboration to continue the momentum of our projects. We thank you for your ongoing support of the University of Wollongong and look forward to continuing our mutually successful partnership”.
Huang pointed out in his reply that under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, effective measures have been taken to contain the epidemic, and a positive trend has merged nationwide. There are no any confirmed or suspected cases among TYUT’s staff and students. We are confident that we will soon win the fight against the epidemic. He said that at this special time, TYUT shall be continuing to further deepen partnerships with overseas colleges and universities of goodwill, sincerely work together to advance cooperation, actively promote academic exchanges, and firmly safeguard the vigorous development of international cooperation.
The overseas figures of goodwill who are concerned for and support TYUT’s development, as well as TYUT’s staff and students on overseas study or visiting tours, also expressed their concern and solicitude for the University via phone, email, video, etc.
In-depth and pragmatic cooperation of various forms including high-level visits, joint scientific research, application of joint education programs, exchange of visits between staff and students, and joint cultivation of graduate students, in the fields of mechanical engineering mining, materials science and engineering, chemical engineering, and mining, have been witnessed following the establishment of cooperative partnership with UWA and UOW in July 2018.
TYUT has been undertaking the construction work of the Confucius Institute at UWI Mona Campus since February 2009. Over the past 10-plus years, with the Confucius Institute as the platform of collaboration, the two universities have seen frequent high-level visits, close exchanges between staff and students, continuously- expanded areas of cooperation, which have greatly promoted cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and Jamaica.
