URI students may once again be allowed to study abroad next semester. Photos from uri.edu.
While many students look forward to studying abroad in college, COVID-19 has made it almost impossible for students to do so over the past year.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, all study abroad programs have been canceled. Although nothing is set in stone, according to the Vice Provost for Global Initiatives at the University of Rhode Island Gifty Ako-Adounvo, a decision should be made as to whether or not fall study abroad programs will be running by May 1, 2021.
“In order to make the best decision, we consult with URI faculty and program directors,” Ako-Adounvo said. “Since health and safety is our top priority, we also monitor information from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) [and] the United States Department of State.”
Summer study abroad programs have already been canceled, as well as programs to New Zealand and Australia that had a July 2021 start date. Advisors are still helping students plan for the fall semester, but making sure they have a solid backup plan in place if study abroad plans fall through.
“We’re certainly moving forward with advising students for fall, but with the caveat that they need to know that it’s tentative at this point and we won’t know more until May 1,” said Michelle Carrara, an international education advisor at URI.
Some students have decided to take part in alternative study abroad programs that are being offered by the University. One of these programs is a virtual study option that allows students to study with international students, without even leaving their homes during the pandemic.
“These programs allow students to take courses at overseas universities with an overseas cohort, still interacting with an international population, but from home,” Carrara said.
Studying abroad is an important experience for many students at URI. It is especially important for students in the International Studies and Diplomacy Program, who are required to study abroad for two semesters before they graduate from the University. It is especially difficult for this major, since it is so new at URI, as not having these study abroad options available has made the program adjust many times.
Other political science majors are not required to study abroad, but many of them choose to anyway. Since study abroad hasn’t been available, many students have had to rearrange their schedules and push their study abroad plans back.
“We’ve had to move things around from the normal course people take that study abroad,” Marc Hutchison, a professor and the chair of the political science department, said. “Normally, we would like to send them their junior year, and we’ve pushed a lot of those back,”
According to Hutchison, many of these students now are planning on studying abroad during their senior year, instead of their junior year. He is hopeful that the University will have some study abroad opportunities available to students in the fall.
Many of the study abroad opportunities for next semester are still up in the air as of now. These decisions are dependent on what risks host universities and international partners are willing to take.
“It depends on what our partners are willing to take, but we are planning to do as much as we can for fall study abroad,” Hutchison said.