COVID-19: How SRM University supported international students during crisis

SRM University conducts student exchange programmes with colleges across the world including USA, UK, Germany, China, Australia.

International Students at SRM University, Sonepat (Source: Official)International Students at SRM University, Sonepat (Source: Official)

Team Careers360 | November 22, 2021 | 04:53 PM IST

NEW DELHI: Abdullahi Ibrahim Haruna, an African student hailing from Nigeria, pursuing his PhD at the Mechanical department at SRM University, Sonepat, recalls the days when he was planning to visit his hometown, and the second wave of COVID-19 outbreak hit India in April 2021. He got stuck then, and saw how the university officials supported him during those challenging times. He recollects the time when there was no one at the university, except a few other international students, according to a statement from the university.

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Extending his gratitude towards the university team for taking absolute care of the international students as it did in usual times, he shared that “all the campus facilities, even the canteen, kept running in the lockdown period. Not only that, as the students did not have the Aadhar Card (citizen identification card), the vaccination was a huge hurdle for them. But the University took all the possible measures to get him and other students vaccinated."

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Haruna is of the opinion that the university handled the situation in the best way possible, especially because domestic students and most staff had left for their native places, the university said in the statement.

Another student from Afghanistan, Quaasim, who completed his MBA in India got stuck here when there was political instability in his country. He recalled the crucial times when he felt helpless as he couldn't go back to his native place. Adding to his misery, his father suffered huge losses in business. So, he contacted the Office of International Affairs at SRM and showed his interest in studying for a PhD in Management, the statement said.

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According to him, Vikas Bajaj at the International Affairs Department was very supportive and helped him in preparing his documents. He also helped him secure a scholarship at the university. Bajaj said, “We work for the noble cause of enlightening the world; hence we support students from diverse backgrounds from multifaceted cultures and geographies.”

Manoj Madhavan Kutty, International Affairs Director stated: “India is also regarded as a communication centre and is popular among international students from all over the globe...The University has witnessed organic admissions, majorly from Africa and SAARC countries. In Indian Universities, English is a common communication language. This makes it very appealing for the global community. For an international student, the advantage of studying in India is that the cost of education is relatively low in comparison to other countries.”

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SRM University conducts student exchange programmes with colleges (both students and faculty) all across the world including institutions in the USA, UK, Germany, China, Australia etc.

Disclaimer: This content was distributed by SRM University, Haryana and has been published as part of Careers360’s marketing initiative.

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