UBC has contacted students with citizenship in Myanmar following the military coup in the country on Monday.
Myanmar’s military ousted civilian government leader Aung San Suu Kyi, her ministers and other pro-democracy supporters in a coup early Monday morning. The internet and other telecommunications systems have faced interruptions since Monday afternoon.
According to the data from UBC’s Planning and Institutional Research website, 21 students attending UBC Vancouver or UBC Okanagan hold citizenship in Myanmar.
“The coup in Myanmar has only just occurred and we are watching the situation unfold. Our focus right now is on ensuring that our students in Myanmar have the support they require,” said Dr. Murali Chandrashekaran, vice-provost international, in an emailed statement.
Michelle Suderman, director of UBC international student development, said that the university has contacted all 21 students to inform them of the resources UBC has available for international students on the International Student Advising website. A small number of students have replied in acknowledgement of the email, according to Suderman.
“Whether you are at home or far away, such news is deeply impactful. Our thoughts are with you, your family and communities at this time,” Suderman wrote in the email to students. “We are here to support you — you are not alone.”
However, UBC does not know the number of students currently in Myanmar due to remote learning conditions.
“We’re aware of the types of challenges that students from Myanmar might be facing at this time and we have reached out to them and their academic programs to ensure that they can access the support and the consideration that they need,” Suderman said.
AMS President Cole Evans encouraged students in distress to seek assistance from friends, family, support networks and resources such as AMS Peer Support, the Sexual Assault Support Centre and UBC’s Student Assistance Program.
“The AMS has a long history of supporting democracy, freedom, and human rights, and we are troubled by the ongoing situation in Myanmar,” he said in a statement. “We recognize this may be distressing for students and are here to support our UBC community.”
For students with concerns about technology outages and their ability to view online course material, Suderman added that existing technology supports remain available but there are no academic concessions specifically for students affected by the coup.
UBC has encouraged students to contact their enrolment services advisor in the past for tech-related bursaries.
“Our hope is that, as always, that they’ll be able to thrive in their studies and in their personal lives during their time at UBC,” Suderman said.