Creating connection at a time of separation

In March 2020, as the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic became clear, Australia closed its borders to international visitors. Although it was an important public health measure, it brought about a period of heightened isolation and uncertainty for Australia’s many international students.

Some were trapped in their home countries, unable to make it to campus for the rare in-person classes that lockdown allowed. Others found themselves confined to their accommodation in an unfamiliar city, with little opportunity to meet people or make new friends. In response, academics from Monash University’s Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (FPPS) began an engagement program with the aim of creating a more inclusive community for those affected.

The program was based on research that suggests international students are typically less likely than their "domestic" peers to seek help for mental ill health or to utilise support services offered by universities. Specific activities within the program have been informed by the findings of a 2020 report released by youth mental health organisation Orygen.

It recommended regular academic-led meet ups with students, newsletters and wellbeing days, all of which are part of the program.

Yan Wang is in the third year of a degree in Pharmaceutical Science. She remembers hearing about the pandemic while home in Shanghai during the end-of-year holidays and said that although there was a country-wide lockdown during Chinese New Year, she never expected that she wouldn’t be able to return to Melbourne.

It is hard for me to keep connecting with my friends in Melbourne. As an international student, I do not have many friends in my hometown. I was feeling isolated and my motivation in doing online classes was decreasing.”

The international student support program made a significant difference though, Yan said. She discovered it via an email inviting students to a virtual afternoon tea.

“I was hoping to talk to someone due to my isolated state [and an] afternoon tea via Zoom sounded fun. It was indeed fun and relaxing. It felt like the organisers cared about offshore students very much.

“We had cooking sessions several times. There were networking events where we could talk to students in different universities in different countries. Sometimes there were trivia games and origami making. I have participated in most of them.”

Annie Fang is a first-year Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science Advanced (Honours) student who came to Australia as a Year 10 student. She’s spent the last year of secondary school and the first year of university under COVID-19 conditions.

“I heard about the pandemic when I came back to Australia, having spent the first half of my Year 11 summer holiday with my family in my hometown. Soon afterwards the Australian border was closed, so I was lucky to be back in time.”

Annie, too, came across the program after receiving an email and quickly became an enthusiastic participant.

“The program is a good place to discuss studying strategies, to have a guilt-free break and to connect with fellow international and exchange students. It is truly relaxing, fun and supportive.

I have been to many events, in particular the baking sessions where we had made fortune cookies, peanut butter cookies and  dumplings. The exam preparation webinar was also helpful. Moreover, when I have questions about anything related to how university works, Nel, Betty and Suzanne are my trusted source  of information.”

Nel is Dr Nilushi Karunaratne, a lecturer at the FPPS. She co-founded the program with her faculty colleagues, Dr Betty Exintaris and Dr Suzanne Caliph.

Dr Karunaratne said it’s pleasing to see that the idea has been well-received by those who’ve participated.

“We’ve received a lot of really positive feedback from international students who have attended the regular Zoom events we’ve put on to help them feel supported and connected. The program has been a big success for the FPPS.”

It’s been so successful, in fact, that it received an Inter-Faculty Transformation Grant of $49,000, which will allow it to be extended for two years, and expanded across the university. The grant will specifically support international students across the Faculty of  Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, the Faculty of Arts, the Faculty of Science, the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Engineering,  the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (Monash Malaysia) and the School of Medicine and Health Sciences (Monash Malaysia).

Yan said that based on her own experience, she highly recommends the program to others who get the opportunity to take part.

“I enjoy the conversations we have each meeting. I could never build such good relationships with anyone in my degree and my lecturers via Zoom classes, but it can be achieved in the program.

I am more motivated in both my study and my social life after being involved.”