International students in the UK are considering packing their bags and going home amid anger over how universities have handled the coronavirus crisis.
A huge rise in cases has left university cities such as Sheffield, Leeds and Oxford on the brink of local lockdown.
Manchester Metropolitan University, which is popular with international students, is among the worst affected, with 1700 students asked to isolate themselves.
Mohammed Eissa, who is studying material sciences and engineering at the University of Sheffield, told The National the sharp rise in coronavirus cases has left many international students considering an early return home.
A total of 474 students and five members of staff tested positive for coronavirus at the University of Sheffield yesterday.
“The increasing number of cases among staff and students is indeed alarming and, as students, we’re constantly monitoring those numbers coming officially from the university website, which is updated very frequently," Mr Eissa said.
“Now we’re aware the cause of those infections is definitely not just the university but as of now, we are convinced our attendance would only take place if it’s an absolute must, which is not until semester two.
“Some students who are currently in Sheffield are even considering a possibility of return.”
On Sunday, authorities revealed an IT error led to almost 16,000 cases being accidentally left off the country’s official tally, causing several parts of the UK to be put on the coronavirus “watch list” and at risk of tighter restrictions.
Thousands of students across the UK had already been locked inside their dorms as the epidemic surged in halls of residence, putting universities under huge pressure to refund student fees.
International students often pay considerably more than the maximum local fee of £9,250 ($11,910) a year.
A petition demanding that universities refund tuition fees has so far gathered more than 200,000 signatures.
Iraqi Mohammed Fakhri, president of Glasgow University’s Middle Eastern and North African Society, said international students were also facing pressures such as the increasing difficulty of finding somewhere to live.
Glasgow is among 45 universities across the UK to be affected by coronavirus outbreaks.
Mr Fakhri said some students were holed up in hotels for long periods as they tried to find permanent accommodation.
“Even when there is no pandemic the logistics of moving to a new place is really hard. It’s now a whole lot harder,” he said.
“A lot of students are in hotels. Others are staying in their current residence even if they don’t like it.
“It's a really difficult time but we’re trying to salvage as much as we can.”
Appearing on BBC's Radio 4 Today programme today, Universities UK president Prof Julia Buckingham was challenged over whether enough was being done to promote student welfare.
Students had previously complained about a lack of information, support and even food.
“Individual universities have very clear procedures that they are following to report their return to universities," Prof Buckingham said.
“Many universities are providing far more mental health support than they do normally.”
UK Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announced last week that classes could finish early so students had enough time to isolate before returning home for Christmas.
But most international students to whom The National spoke felt that was not a viable option.
'I won't see my family for a long time'
Mohammed Al Bastaki, an aeronautical engineering student at the University of Sheffield, said it would not be worth going home to the UAE given the need for quarantine.
“I hope we don't have to go into lockdown again, but it's starting to become more and more likely,” Mr Al Bastaki said.
“I'm not planning to go home in the winter break because it is only a month long and most of that would be spent in quarantine.
"But if we're locked down next summer, that'll be a big blow for me. I won't be able to see my family for the longest time.”
Mr Al Bastaki said it felt like the “UK was a lot more relaxed than the UAE” when it came to controlling Covid-19.
“The UAE's system seems to be a lot more thorough and comprehensive," he said. "We have temperature checks everywhere.
“Getting a test is a lot more accessible and easier for many people.
In the UK not many people wear masks, I've noticed, unless they are required to do so in like a store or a coffee shop.
"But walking on the street, even in the city centre, even if it's really crowded, people seem to neglect wearing masks.
"And social distancing isn't followed as strictly as it is in the UAE, or so I've seen.”
Fatima Al Qannati, who is studying material science and engineering at Sheffield, said: “In the UAE, wherever you go there are regular temperature checks.
"That might not be the case in the UK.”
And engineering student Hood Al Noamani, who is studying at the University of Strathclyde, also in Glasgow, said the shift to online learning was difficult.
“Normally we’d be in labs,” Mr Al Noamani said. “You’d be working with other people and you’d have the opportunity to ask a lot of questions. It’s much better than doing it virtually.”
The second-year student is now preparing for the pandemic to last for the rest of his degree but remains determined not to let it deter him from completing the course.
“Even if it stays like this I need to finish,” Mr Al Noamani said. “If I didn’t have this degree I wouldn’t have anything to do.”
The UK’s Universities Minister Michelle Donelan warned educational institutions that they should be upfront about what students were getting for their money.
“We’ve sent a very clear message out that they need to be transparent about what students could expect," Ms Donelan told MPs.
“Students are in fact customers … institutions need to be transparent about what they can offer in terms of student experience.”
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Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
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Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
THE BIO
Ms Davison came to Dubai from Kerala after her marriage in 1996 when she was 21-years-old
Since 2001, Ms Davison has worked at many affordable schools such as Our Own English High School in Sharjah, and The Apple International School and Amled School in Dubai
Favourite Book: The Alchemist
Favourite quote: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail
Favourite place to Travel to: Vienna
Favourite cuisine: Italian food
Favourite Movie : Scent of a Woman
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
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Stars: Awkwafina, Zhao Shuzhen, Diana Lin, Tzi Ma
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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What is hepatitis?
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, which can lead to fibrosis (scarring), cirrhosis or liver cancer.
There are 5 main hepatitis viruses, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E.
Hepatitis C is mostly transmitted through exposure to infective blood. This can occur through blood transfusions, contaminated injections during medical procedures, and through injecting drugs. Sexual transmission is also possible, but is much less common.
People infected with hepatitis C experience few or no symptoms, meaning they can live with the virus for years without being diagnosed. This delay in treatment can increase the risk of significant liver damage.
There are an estimated 170 million carriers of Hepatitis C around the world.
The virus causes approximately 399,000 fatalities each year worldwide, according to WHO.
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MATCH INFO
New Zealand 176-8 (20 ovs)
England 155 (19.5 ovs)
New Zealand win by 21 runs
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Lexus LX700h specs
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Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
Directed by: Craig Gillespie
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4/5
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MWTC
Tickets start from Dh100 for adults and are now on sale at www.ticketmaster.ae and Virgin Megastores across the UAE. Three-day and travel packages are also available at 20 per cent discount.
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