Welcome back! Recently, through the strenuous efforts of the university and relevant government departments, GTIIT staff stranded by the COVID-19 pandemic gradually return to campus.

Foreign members at GTIIT account for more than 90% of the faculty team. The pandemic stopped many of them from returning to China after the winter vacation. They have conducted remote teaching in Israel, the USA, Canada, the UK and Greece etc. since March. Now, students and faculty can finally reunite on campus.

Up to now, 50 teachers and their families have arrived at China and 33 of them have returned to GTIIT successfully after 14-day quarantine period. Besides, other stranded teachers have received invitation letters for visa application and are applying for visa and booking air tickets to China. They will arrive later.

GTIIT has paid close attention to help foreign teachers' return since the COVID-19 outbreak, setting up a leading group to get it through and a special team for pandemic prevention and control.

The university also issued Guideline on COVID-19 Prevention and Control for Return of GTIIT Foreign Staff and the Emergency Plan for Public Health Hazards at GTIIT and made timely adjustments according to the instructions of the Pandemic Prevention and Control Command in Shantou. With guidance and support from governments at all levels, GTIIT has smoothly implemented entry permit application for stranded staff and their families on different schedules to ensure the orderly process of teaching and scientific research as well as south campus construction in the new semester. The university also prepared visa application documents, checked relatively safe airline tickets, informed the latest pandemic prevention and control policies, and registered health status and travel history for their return.

All inbound travelers must undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine and test negative twice in nucleic acid test before their return to campus. All the staff and their families will need to have another 14-day health monitoring period to ensure a safe environment at GTIIT.

As most staff gradually return to campus, we firmly believe that GTIIT will make more progress in teaching and scientific research.

Text/Photos: GTIIT News & Public Affairs