Stability for exchange and international students during the pandemic

During the last months we have learned that Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) forces us as a society to take some hard choices. When the R number has gone up Norway and University of Oslo (UiO) with it have chosen strict safety precautions which have had a huge impact on, among other things, students’ mental health.

 

This spring UiO chose to cancel ordinary exchange at UiO for the fall semester 2020, which also stopped many students who are currently studying abroad from going to their exchange-country. The international students who were to come to UiO this autumn had to postpone their arrival till January 2021, with the new housing guarantees starting from January 2021 accordingly. Moreover, the non-EU students have received their residence permits on the grounds of such guarantees.

 

However, it has come to our attention that the housing guarantees that were given to the international students are being revoked by UiO only 2 months prior to the arrival of these students, putting them in highly stressful and unfair conditions, with their living situation in the midst of a pandemic (and a mandatory 10-day quarantine upon arrival) being unstable and uncertain.

 

Since UiO poses itself as an internationally oriented university, and in the light of the support held by the Student Parliament towards international students, it is important to take appropriate measures to resolve these issues as soon as possible. The move to deprive the new international students of housing security in these incredibly trying times has to be addressed by the Student Parliament with firmness and resolve. 

 

https://universitas.no/nyheter/67054/uio-avlyser-ordinar-utveksling-til-hosten/

https://universitas.no/kultur/67368/internationals-face-complications-upon-arrival/

The Student Parliament:

  • Will show extra support for the international students especially now during COVID-19 in order to uphold the values of inclusion at UiO.
  • Supports exchange for students who want to go abroad for 5 months (one semester) or longer, as long as they follow the respective country’s COVID-19 rules.
  • Urges the University of Oslo to prioritize sending and welcoming students who are taking a degree to their respective institute (if the student wants to).
  • D emands that the international students arriving this spring be granted the housing security they were guaranteed by SiO and UiO.

                                                                                 Vedtatt av Studentparlamentet 19.11.20

Publisert 15. des. 2020 14:19 - Sist endret 15. des. 2020 14:19
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