Guangxi University will take measures to ensure that the ASEAN students do not miss classes, and that students graduate as scheduled, according to its headmaster.

More than 20 colleges in Guangxi have enrolled nearly 10,000 students from ASEAN countries as Guangxi is geographically close to ASEAN nations, which makes it one of the provinces and regions with the largest enrollment of students from Southeast Asian countries in China.

In recent years, Guangxi University has encouraged its institutes to establish stable cooperative relations with universities or research institutions in ASEAN countries, and to open up for international students to study at the university. Currently, there are more than 600 students from the ASEAN countries studying for bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees.

Students in China resumed studies on April 24 in an orderly manner, but it would be some time before the ASEAN students can return to the university. In order to push forward the teaching process, the university holds online classes to allow international students to continue their studies. The university has also made plans for recent graduates.

A teacher of Guangxi University uses an app to hold classes for the ASEAN students.

Li Jing, a lecturer of the Institute of International Studies in Guangxi University, held an online Chinese course for her senior year students through online software. A total of 12 students from Vietnam, Thailand and other countries attended the class. After playing a recording of a Chinese text, Li and the students exchanged the text content through online video.

Guangxi University for Nationalities has been recruiting students from Southeast Asian countries since 1964, and has trained more than 20,000 high-level talents in political, economic, cultural and other fields for ASEAN countries. Currently, there are more than 1,400 students from the ASEAN countries studying at the university. During the COVID-19 epidemic, the students actively donated money and goods to fight the epidemic together with China. 

A Vietnamese student at Guangxi University conducts an experiment in the laboratory.

To solve the problem of overseas students of science and engineering requiring labs for experiments, the university, on the one hand, allows them to carry out experiments in their own country relying on local universities; on the other hand, they are also allowed to return to the university to do experiments after the epidemic, said Guangxi University headmaster.

Universities in Guangxi have conducted online thesis guidance, thesis defense and job recommendation for the ASEAN students. The university's graduation requirements for ASEAN students are consistent with those of Chinese students. Online instruction from teachers and one-on-one instruction for the ASEAN students pursuing master's and doctoral degrees has also been strengthened. The online thesis defense of postgraduate students is also being carried out in succession, and they will not be affected by the epidemic to obtain the final degree.