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Regarding the disaster caused by the 9-maginitude earthquake and tsunami in Japan on 11 March 2011, the University of Macau (UM) wishes to express its deepest sympathy and condolences.
It has been confirmed that there are a total of 20 UM students, including 19 students who are on an exchange programme and one on the scholarship funding programme, are in Japan. Most of them study in Tokyo, while the rest study in Akita, Kagoshima, Kyoto, Okinawa and Nagoya. Except for the two students who have returned to Macao for vacation before the earthquake, UM has promptly used all means, such as skype and email, to try to get in touch with the students and our partner institutions in Japan. UM confirmed within six hours of the earthquake that UM students in Japan were all safe and sound.
In response to the disaster, UM has promptly urged the partner institutions in Japan to provide all necessary assistance to UM students, such as informing them of relevant emergency contact numbers in Japan and Macao and updating them of the latest situation. In addition to providing the emergency contacts in Japan, UM also provided contact numbers in Macao and the Chinese embassy and consulates in Japan to the students in case of emergency. After communicating with the partner institutions in Japan, it has been confirmed that the daily living, housing and safety of the students who remain in Japan have not been affected by the earthquake. Among the three students who are studying at the University of Tsukuba in the Ibaraki prefecture, two of them have moved to Meijo University in Nagoya on 15 March and will stay with the other exchange students until the new semester commences in April; one of them returned to Macao on 18 March.
Apart from keeping contact with the students, UM has also reminded them to report safety to their families, pay attention to the aftershocks and ensure the adequacy of water and food. If they have any problem or concern such as the radiation leakage, they should promptly report to their local university and UM. UM will continue to pay close attention to the radiation level in Japan and will provide all support possible for the exchange students. Students who wish to put their studies there on hold and return to Macao earlier should contact UM. Their cases will be treated as special cases.
UM has contacted the UM students in Japan to make sure of their safety, check whether their daily life and lodgings were affected, and offer all kinds of help. In the meantime, the university will keep close contact with the Consulate-General of Japan in Hong Kong and cooperate with it in any arrangements for the Japanese exchange students studying in UM.
Since the situation in Japan remains critical and the full impact is still unknown, UM advises all students and staff to suspend academic and exchange activities in Japan.
The task force for emergency preparedness:
General inquiry: Tel: +853-8397 4306 email：gao.enquiry@um.edu.mo
24-hour hotline (please contact the university during the office hour, the hotline is mainly for students who are in emergency):
Tel:+853-6285 9231
Hotline for exchange students: Tel: 853-8397 8230 (Ms Chan) email: conniec@um.edu.mo
Contact for psychological consultancy： Tel：+853-8397 4681 email：sas.counsellors@um.edu.mo
News about the earthquake in Japan from the government:
Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau http://www.smg.gov.mo
Social Welfare Bureau: http://www.ias.gov.mo
Health Bureau: http://www.ssm.gov.mo
