On May 22nd, 2021, international teachers and students of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) were vaccinated against COVID-19 at the Junlian Sub-centre of the Zhuanqiao Community Service Center. 100-odd international teachers and students from Germany, France, South Korea, Pakistan, and other countries received the first dose of the vaccine, based on the principle of voluntary application, informed consent, and risks to be undertaken by oneself.

With a high value placed on the health and safety of international teachers and students, SJTU has been careful in their management and service. By the end of April, the International Affairs Division (IAD) was informed of the difficulty in making COVID-19 vaccine reservations for foreigners as a result of the limited number of vaccines despite Shanghai's policy  to allow such reservations. As required by the SJTU leadership, the IAD reached out to international teachers and students for vaccination requests, coordinated competent authorities, including the Shanghai Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, for centralized vaccination, and made vaccination arrangements in collaboration with SJTU COVID-19 Prevention and Control Office, Hospital, Student Affairs Office, and each school. To make it easier for the teachers and students to get vaccinated, the IAD also provided buses for the transfer and designated staff members for follow-up and on-site coordination.

To ensure an efficient and orderly vaccination process and a good vaccination experience, the Junlian Sub-center provided bilingual letters of informed consent. The whole process, including reservation, registration, identification review, fee payment, vaccination, and a short stay for observation, was well organized to ensure convenient, efficient, and safe vaccination.

Vaccination is important not only for one’s own health but the society as a whole. International teachers and students expressed their confidence in China’s COVID-19 prevention and control as well as vaccination program, and will be given the second dose of the vaccine in due course.

International teachers and students at SJTU may be a small group in number, but anything that concerns their immediate interests is what the IAD is most concerned about. This event is also one of the activities that the IAD has conducted as part of its “We Are Here for You” campaign. Going forward, the IAD will continue to work with a sense of responsibility, warm services, and good management and provide better management and services to international teachers and students.