Source: University of Otago
International Office team members (from left) Meg Hellyer, Tamara Duncan, Louisa Samson, Danielle, Sam Mehrtens, Simone Freeman, Jason Cushen, Daniel Bond and Megan Smith at the welcome for international students.
A welcome for international students at the University of Otago marked a celebratory turning point after two tough years disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s a big celebration because so many people, not just in International but also in the divisions, have been working so hard and have stuck it out,” says Danielle Yamamoto Kerr, Manager of International Student Services.
The welcome event at the Otago Business School was a scaled-up version of the usual Semester Two Orientation to acknowledge the fact that from 1 August the borders are open again to international students.
Otago’s International Office was among the departments most acutely affected by the pandemic as borders closed in March 2020 – and its challenges continued as other parts of the campus slowly returned to a semblance of normality.
“It’ll be the start of returning to some sort of normality. There’ll be an immediate return to the international flavour on campus.”
Even as New Zealand’s borders began to reopen, the rules around which international students could return were strict and difficult to negotiate. Four cohorts of students were allowed through and each group had different conditions attached to it.
“It was really hard to manage. Our message has always been: ‘We’re as frustrated as you about the different kinds of barriers, but we all just have to go through this process and keep keeping on until options open up for all students to travel to New Zealand.”
The International Office created a project called Return to Otago to help guide enrolled current students through the maze of red tape.
One of the hardest tasks was managing expectations. With public announcements of groups of 1000 and later 5000 students being allowed to return, hopes were high among Otago’s students stuck offshore. The reality was the places had specific eligibility criteria attached and had to be shared among New Zealand education providers, which limited Otago’s numbers.
“We were acutely aware that it was just so tough for our students. We’re always in the business of helping students to achieve their academic dreams and then set them on their pathway to where they want to be in life. But it was pretty disheartening reading students’ emails and hearing the desperation of not being able to come into New Zealand to continue or commence their study.
“It had such an impact on their future life plans and where they thought they were going. And, of course, we wanted to support as many students as we could to stay studying in New Zealand. But in this area of International – which is the student-facing, student support- we were seeing, ‘This is a real person whose life has been affected by the border restrictions and the pandemic’.”
In total, just over 200 Otago international students have arrived to date as part of the four cohorts and more are expected when offshore visa processing opens on 1 August. Because this date is after the start of Semester 2 it is unknown how many students will arrive in the second half of 2022.
Director International Jason Cushen addresses students at the welcome event
But excitement is building around Semester 1 next year with new internationals finally able to commence their study on campus, including up to 300 exchange students and US Study Abroad students – groups not seen on campus since March 2020.
“That’s going to be fantastic. It’ll be the start of returning to some sort of normality. There’ll be an immediate return to the international flavour on campus.”
While the public’s focus has been on borders and returning students, the International Office has been working in collaboration with Otago International Students Association and other groups within the University to support over 1000 students who made the difficult decision to stay in New Zealand, cut off from their home and family, to continue their study during the pandemic.
Another group has been studying online from their home country and Danielle noted the support of University departments in facilitating these programmes which will allow students to transition back to in-person study when they return to this country.
“We’ve all had some really low times over the last two years which we’ve had to stick out . . . But our reward for our work is seeing the students here. And seeing them thrive and succeed.”
