We are a group of Italian international students at Bournemouth University and we are experiencing through our friends and families what this virus can cause.

We already know that the coronavirus is a highly contagious epidemic disease that caused over 130.000 confirmed cases and almost 5.000 deaths.
While it is arguable what role the media plays in defining how dangerous this virus actually is, the attention should be put on the stress the NHS would be able to bear:  the Italian National Healthcare Service is known to be one of the best ones in the world, and because of Covid-19 it's currently collapsing. This means that hospital are deciding who to provide cures to on a "most likely to survive" basis, consequently affecting the elder generations. Something that makes us worry even more considering BCP Council's average age is among the highest in the country.

What can Bournemouth University do? 

Major public events are already being cancelled within Europe and also within the U.K. 
Many universities in Italy have successfully adopted distance learning solutions such as online lectures, online interactive seminars and meetings through Skype or FaceTime for dissertation tutorials. 
In order to limit as much as possible the spreading of this pandemic, we are asking Bournemouth University for online teaching and meeting system that would enable us to study and carry on our duties as students from home.

So if you also want Bournemouth University to implement online lectures, seminars and meetings in order to face this pandemic, please sign this petition. 

This is within everyone's interest: students, lecturers, academic and non-academic staff, and the whole BCP Council Community.