The government has imposed a travel restriction on air travel to and from China since Feb. 3 amid the COVID-19 outbreak – a disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

“The travel ban hinders Chinese students from coming back to Unpad. Meanwhile, the university started the semester on Monday, “department head Lina Meilinawati said on Thursday as quoted by kompas.com.

She added that 72 Chinese students were enrolled in the Indonesian for Foreign Language Speakers (BIPA) degree program. The one-year program started in September last year.

During the year-end semester break, 23 students had returned to China.

Read also: Nearly 100 foreigners denied entry to Bali amid China’s coronavirus travel ban

Lina went on to say that the online lectures would facilitate students of Indonesian language and culture as well as those in the Mandarin program. 

Students can attend classes by watching the lectures and reading course material in the form of e-books. “They are also allowed to submit assignments through email,” Lina said

The online classes will run until the government lifts the travel ban. 

Unpad’s international office head, Ronny, said the university would also facilitate the return of Indonesian students in China as part of its student exchange program.

“We will facilitate their return to Indonesia after coordinating with relevant authorities,” he said. (gis)

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