At the ready
Philippe McKie has always been interested in Japan and jumped at the opportunity to study at Tokyo’s Waseda University as a Concordia exchange student. A week after the devastating earthquake, he’s one of a few people still staying in his guesthouse.
“The foreigners I know are paying attention to the news sources of their respective countries and getting much more scared than the locals, who are receiving news told in a more calm and ‘realistic’ (let us hope) fashion,” he writes. His mother, who had planned months ago to join him for a little sightseeing, is there with him, as they head south to Nara and Kyoto on their intended trip.
Overall, life in Tokyo is “back to normal”, according to McKie, who has been giving interviews internationally about his experiences during and after the quake. Lines for trains are longer than usual and the transportation system has slowed to conserve power.
Members of the university community were in touch with McKie hours after the quake. Concordia has agreements with over 100 institutions around the world, students and professors involved in research projects globally, and thousands of international students representing 150 nations, so it is easy to see how any environmental or political crisis could have repercussions for members of the university’s community.
When the earthquake struck off the coast of Japan, two Concordia students were in that country. The administration was quickly able to identify who was travelling, where they were, and contact them.
Although neither required emergency assistance, they were reassured to receive emails letting them know what resources the university could make available. One student who was in Egypt when the demonstrations began there recently can attest to those services: that student was able to leave on a flight booked by Concordia. The university’s Emergency Management team coordinates with Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, insurance providers and other resources to respond to needs as they arise.
Darren Dumoulin, Concordia’s Senior Advisor for Emergency Management, traces existing measures back to the H1N1 flu outbreak in Mexico in 2009. “We had no idea we had anyone there,” he says of the initial reaction. “We realized we didn’t know who was out there and if they were protected or not.”
The result was a policy on travel outside of Quebec (VPS-53). In short, it requires all students, faculty or staff who travel for research, conferences, academic or university-related projects to register their whereabouts through the MyConcordia Portal. This information can be used to trace any Concordia member if disaster strikes. To register, log on to the portal, and look under Other Services on the left-hand menu.
Meanwhile, the International Students Office sends emails to students whose country of origin may be in crisis. Any registered student from Japan was informed of what resources the university could make available to help students learn about loved ones back home, and about campus counselling services. “We reach out to them and help make it better,” explains Dumoulin.
Related links:
• International Students Office
• Emergency Management