All first-years and sophomores are required to return to China. Exceptions are permitted for juniors who have not had the opportunity to spend a semester at Duke, along with seniors currently in Durham who plan to study at Duke in the spring.
Nearly all students previously authorized to return to China have received formal approval by the Suzhou Entry and Exit Bureau, according to a Tuesday email obtained by The Chronicle sent from Marcia France, associate vice chancellor for undergraduate studies at DKU, to authorized students.
Students must decide by June 10 to accept the offer to return to China due to the time constraints of the authorization. If students choose to return to China, they will have to withdraw from an existing study abroad plan in Durham or Barcelona for the fall.
Now retired, Brodhead will address DKU’s Class of 2022 Commencement on May 20, in a hybrid ceremony held at Duke and DKU.
With Duke Kunshan University’s inaugural commencement ceremony approaching, seniors from DKU’s first-ever graduating class looked back on their four years attending Duke’s joint venture program.
Rising sophomores and the incoming class of first-years will instead be provided with in-person academic opportunities via customized DKU Global Sites for fall 2022.
Duman, a global health and biology major, plans to pursue graduate study in medical anthropology.
The starkly different outcomes for DKU’s international students have been exacerbated by border closures, visa logistics and the challenge of paying for college amidst the pandemic.
Citing a recent rise in COVID-19 cases across China, Duke Kunshan University has asked domestic students not currently on campus to “postpone their arrival for two to four weeks."
“I didn’t really have another option,” first-year Liam Powell wrote.
