COVID and Chinese and East Asian University Students in the UK: Safety, Security, and Communication

There was a marked increase (21%) in hate crimes against East Asian communities, particularly Chinese people, in the UK in the first months of the COVID outbreak. This study is concerned with the experiences and well-being of Chinese (and those perceived to be Chinese) students. There are over 120,000 Chinese students in the UK in the current academic year. Although racist incidents are known to have taken place, our initial research finds that students are not using official channels to inform their universities. Our study aims to investigate the experiences of Chinese and East Asian students and the ways in which they communicated about racist incidents during the crisis. We will explore with whom they shared this information and how. Our findings will enable university staff and local communities to improve the strategies and practices of safety and well-being of these students.