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 sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”