Thursday 16-04-2020 - 11:05

By Lijie Dong 
“We kind of enjoyed the time we spent together at home. Rosy (my six-year-old sister) definitely enjoyed the attention. The isolation gives us an opportunity to focus on the family and how they feel.”

When I was video calling my parents in China, they told me that we need to take reasonable precautions against the virus, but not against our own happiness.  

The current Covid-19 pandemic can bring out the worst and the best in us. There are so many inspiring stories around us, and I have never felt so proud of our community. Staying in Durham with my friends has made this a lot easier for me, but not everyone is as lucky as me.  

Various student groups in Durham have been very active using alternative methods to help those that are in need. For instance, the Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) has reached out to the Chinese students in Durham and provided help in many different ways. They have created online communities for Chinese students staying in Durham, written letters to parents in China and warned the Chinese students about potential frauds.  

I interviewed the President of the CSSA, Chumeng Li, asking him about the organisation and the events that they run. Here is all that you need to know:

Tell me about the CSSA, what are its goals and visions? 

Durham Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) is a non-political, non-religious, and a non-profit organisation. We run various social and cultural activities for students and scholars in Durham such as an Asian Halloween party and the Durham Chinese New Year celebration.  

CSSA basically has two main objectives.  
Our fundamental objective: 

• To provide the Chinese students at Durham University with information and consultation. 

Our core objectives: 

•  To provide academic and career planning opportunities; 
•  To promote the competitiveness of Chinese students in the job market.  

Tell me about one of the events that you have organised. What benefits did both the student organisers and the participants gain from it? 

The best example I could think of is the Durham Chinese New Year Celebration we held in collaboration with Durham County Council, Durham Chinese School, Durham Markets, and Durham University. This year we were celebrating the year of the rat. There was a lion dance alongside performances and activities including dancing, storytelling and arts. I’m proud to say, seven of the performances were provided by the CSSA’s performance team.  

This event would not only provide Chinese students a time and place in Durham to celebrate their traditional festival, which is also the most important one in Chinese culture, but also gave other students and local residents in Durham a feel of how this festival is celebrated in China and to learn more about Chinese culture.  

What support do you offer to students in Durham?  

We focus on providing support (in terms of both study and everyday life) to Chinese students in Durham. This includes addressing all different kinds of problems that Chinese students could face in their life in Durham. 

One example I can think of is the pre-departure meetings we hold every year during the summer holiday in China. Each year, we hold three pre-departure meetings in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen to provide introduction sessions to prospective students. During the meetings, students  gain an overview of study and life in Durham. Volunteers from the CSSA also answer any questions from the prospective students and their parents.  

The CSSA also works closely with the University, including the International Office, Student and Wellbeing Office and the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Manchester. We act as a communications channel between students and the University or consulate when students don’t know how to find an effective way to express their option or don’t know how to seek help efficiently.

What is the one thing that makes you most proud about CSSA? 

I am so proud of all the CSSA’s members. It is their hard work and effort that makes all the CSSA’s activities and events succeed with a really high standard. They are the people who make the CSSA a more consistent and a better student group. We have them to thank for winning the title of “best student group (highly recommended)” in last year’s student group awards.  

How well do you think the CSSA situates itself within the broader university context? 

One thing I want to say is that Chinese students were born and raised in a totally different cultural and political environment compared to students from western countries. As a result, a lot of Chinese students don’t know how to adapt to and express themselves within this Western context. Under these circumstances, the CSSA not only shares our experience, but also acts as the student group representing the will and voice of the Chinese students. The CSSA helps students deliver their opinion to the University, university colleges or other student groups. 

Other than that, we collaborate with a variety of different student groups in Durham to hold events and promote the sharing of cultures among university students. So I would say the CSSA, have greatly contributed to the international and diverse cultural atmosphere. 

In this challenging time, it is especially valuable to look back and reflect on the wonderful things that student groups have done for the community, and how they continue to support us in innovative ways. Remember, we are all in this together.