Coronavirus: Uni campuses poised for chaos

The head of one of Australia’s biggest student accommodation companies has warned of difficulties ahead.

From left, Vivi Han, Jane Sun and Montreal Wang feel lucky to be able to attend their Sydney University course on campus. Picture: John Feder

The head of one of Australia’s biggest student accommodation companies has warned of difficulties ahead in the international education industry, even if the coronavirus travel ban is lifted soon.

“Our students will all struggle to arrive even if the ban is lifted, as the congestion of (flight) bookings that are already very full in the second half of February could be significantly greater with the pent-up demand domestically in China and to Australia,” Scape Australia executive chairman Craig Carracher said.

If the ban is lifted there will be enormous demand for flights to Australia. Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan said on Tuesday that 106,000 Chinese students due to study this year were not in Australia at present.

Nearly all of these students are likely to be stranded in China by the ban, particularly because of the recent Lunar New Year when families celebrate together.

Universities have been told by the government that 98,000 of their enrolled Chinese students are not yet in Australia and they also fear the logistical crush that will occur if the travel ban is lifted, particularly because of lack of capacity on China-Australia air routes.

Qantas suspended its direct flights between Australia and China until March 29.

The federal government will review the travel ban — which prevents non-citizens and non-residents coming to Australia if they have been in mainland China in the previous two weeks — on February 15.

Some universities are considering the option of chartering flights to bring Chinese students to Australia if the ban is lifted.

Universities Australia chief executive Catriona Jackson said universities were planning for all contingencies and would continue to adhere meticulously to the advice of Australian health authorities.

“Obviously the longer this lasts, the more difficult it is for students, and universities will do all we can to lessen the considerable stress and disruption,” she said.

Three Chinese students at the University of Sydney told The Australian on Tuesday that, compared with their fellow students stranded overseas, they “felt lucky” to be in Australia and able to attend their course on campus without disruption.

Jane Sun, from Shandong province, said she doubted that online options planned by some universities for students stranded in China would be effective: “I doubt if any distance or online delivery will maintain the same quality of the university course.”

The trio arrived during the Christmas-New Year period and are studying an English language course in preparation for the mid-year intake.

UniLodge, another major student accommodation company, said on Tuesday that it hoped the travel ban would be lifted soon.

“I hope that with containment and supporting facts, the government will have confidence to lift the travel ban over the next 14 days,” UniLodge chief executive Tomas Johnsson said.

He said the financial impact on the company, which has 20,000 student beds, so far had been limited but he warned of significant costs if the ban were extended beyond February 14.

“Clearly we are all concerned with safety, but perhaps a reminder of global normal influenza deaths between 290,000 and 650,000 every year depending on season serves as a reference point when judging the response to the currently reported coronavirus fatalities of 427,” Mr Johnsson said.

UniLodge had “implemented flexibility in our contracts to enable delayed arrivals”, Mr Johnsson said.

Scape Australia said it was also being flexible with students, offering them free deferment and free postponement of their accommodation. Mr Carracher said the company had additional support networks for students including “WeChat entertainment and group chats as well as physical and mental health and welfare support programs”.

Student Accommodation Association president Geoff Denison said it had been easy for most student accommodation providers to isolate students who needed to be in self-quarantine as a precaution against transmission of the coronavirus because they had empty space.

“Because there is capacity in properties at the moment, in most circumstances it’s been easy to accommodate,” he said.

Additional reporting: Heidi Han