COVID-19 University Campus Advisory Released For those that Matter the Most

14th March, 2020 : Pune, India

Fact sheets and do’s and don’ts are piling all over the sprawling and sometimes straggling social media to address spread of deadly and unknown COVID19. In such piles of guides and instructions Smart Campus Cloud Network (SCCN) of TERRE Policy Centre has released today the advisory specifically the Students community in the University and college campuses.

Campuses of Universities and Colleges are characterised by the most powerful communities of students and the faculties living and learning together. “No other places can be potentially more perilous in spreading Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID19) than the campus”, said Rajendra Shende Chairman of TERRE. “At the same no other spaces can be more effective in addressing the formidable challenges in accelerated way in short and long term,” he stated while releasing the advisory. 

Students from University and colleges are in unique position to master the three Ps, -Preparedness, Precaution and Prudence and at the same time abandon one P -Panic, provided they have access to authentic information. That's what this advisory is attempting to do.

Year 2020, is still young and is called as ‘Super year for nature and Biodiversity’. What is started as epidemic in the new year has now become pandemic that has spread across more than 100 countries. The nature is sadly proving to be the super-power with its prowess of diversity to cause the global upheaval. University campus is the place where students live and learn together. They represent unique place where spread of COVID19 could be dangerous due to very nature of the campus activities. At the same time the campus is also a place where short term and long-term solutions to such catastrophe can emerge.

“ Campus needs access to accurate information along with its authentic sources which  is crucial in such outbreak related to Public Health”, said Joe Thomas,. Professor of Public Health and Senior Advisor to SCCN who developed these specific guidelines for Universities.

“As there is much misinformation spreading on social media and elsewhere, we in the TERRE Policy Centre under our Smart Campus Cloud Network would encourage students to rely on guidance from trusted sources such as WHO and national and local health authorities. We have compiled such information in campus-friendly language”, added Prof Thomas who was also advisor to WHO.

The advisory is the collation of actionable information from the key UN and government resources and simple steps students can undertake in their daily life. Preventing further spread of COVID-19 is a shared responsibility for all of us, particularly, the youth in the campus.

Specifically, SCCN suggests that Core group of Smart Campus Cloud Network in the universities should constitute a ‘crisis management group’ to promote good practices described in this document and prepare for the disaster management. TERRE strongly feels that this advisory would prove to be another learning exercise in addressing the present and similar future challenges

Click on the following link to read the Full Advisory: 

http://bit.ly/2w9QV1N

Note for editors:

TERRE Policy Centre (www.terrepolicycentre.com) is a non-profit, non-partisan and independent organization dedicated to sustainable solutions to our developmental imperatives. TERRE also is the abbreviation for 'Technology, Education, Research and Rehabilitation for the Environment.' TERRE strives to reach all strata of society, particularly the young generation and people at the bottom of the pyramid with capacity building tools on energy and food security. Its motto is: "To think is good but to act is better". 

Smart Campus Cloud Network - SCCN (www.sccnhub.com), project of TERRE Policy Centre facilitates colleges and universities to mainstream the future policy-makers and policy-implementers in implementing the SDGs by promoting sharing of the information on transformative actions undertaken by students and faculties in the campus. More importantly, it encourages to deploy the digital technologies like IoT (Internet of Thing), AI (Artificial Intelligence), Cloud-networking, Machine-to-machine learning and Block chain for optimum use of energy, water in campus and catalyse effective waste management, sustainable transport, air pollution and nature conservation within the campus.

Contact details:

Rajendra Shende, Chairman TERRE Policy Centre

Phone: +91 020 2544 8650 / 2544 8488

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Prof. Dr. Joe Thomas, Professor of Sustainable Development and Public Health

Phone: +91 9717449754

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Please refer the following link for the News in Press:

https://mediaindia.eu/society/covid-19-university-campus-advisory-released/