St Andrews won’t be calling students back from Hong Kong
They have said they will ‘monitor the situation’
St Andrews University has announced it will not be following five other universities to pull study abroad students immediately out of Hong Kong.
At least five other British universities, including Aberdeen and the University of Edinburgh, have called for their students working and studying in Hong Kong to immediately return to the UK. This has come after months of escalating political violence throughout Hong Kong.
St Andrews is not following the lead of a number of other Scottish universities who have called students back, citing concerns about their wellfare abroad. Edinburgh has asked that students return "immediately" in order to "priortise safety and wellbeing" of students, The Tab Edinburgh reports.
If the university were to take action, this would affect up to eight students. According the Study Abroad Office website, the university offers four semester for IR students and four semester places for the St Andrews Abroad programme at Hong Kong University.
St Andrews is however following the lead of Exeter University, whose Press Office announcd today that they are 'not currently calling exchange students back from Hong Kong" and, like St Andrews, are "staying in close contact with" students.
St Andrews Press Office did confirm that the university is in contact with those abroad. A spokesperson for the University of St Andrews said: "We are in contact with our students and staff in Hong Kong and will continue to monitor the situation."