Currently, more than 2000 students from 56 countries are obtaining their education at SUSU. These students represent countries of the near abroad, China, African and Arab countries, and some – Europe and America. The SUSU Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Andrey Radionov explained how the educational process will be organized for these students starting from September 1st.
– Some of the international students did not leave Russia and stayed in Chelyabinsk. So, they will begin their studies on September 1st as usual, along with other students.
Senior-year students, who left for their home countries, cannot come back to Chelyabinsk to resume their studies for the time being due to the closed borders. That is why they will be returning once the epidemiological situation permits that, and when flights to Russia become available. These students will stay home for now, and their academic year will begin in a distance-learning format.
Those international students, who will manage to come to study at SUSU, will have to self-isolate for two weeks, in compliance with the recommendations of Rospotrebnadzor (Russian Agency for Health and Consumer Rights) and the Ministry of Education and Science. For that purpose, SUSU has currently organized an observation facility, which is capable to accommodate 128 people and which provides access to the Internet, what will allow international students to begin their academic year in a remote mode. On day 10 to 12, students will be tested for coronavirus, and if the test results are negative, then the students will be able to move to dormitories and join their study groups once the two weeks of self-isolation are over.
We allow for a possibility that the number of students may exceed 128 people. That is why SUSU is preparing a second observation facility capable to accommodate 288 people, which will start functioning by the end of September.