During the outbreak of COVID-19 in China, Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management (Tsinghua SEM) received dozens of letters from overseas universities. The letters express deep sympathy for China and Tsinghua SEM under the gloom of the epidemic, bringing strength and confidence to the faculty, students, and the whole community.

Unfortunately, the whole globe is now faced with increasing challenges of COVID-19. Considering the situation, BAI Chong-En, Dean of Tsinghua SEM, sent letters of sympathy to institutions in Italy, Spain, Germany, France, the United States and other countries that are severely affected. Upon learning that the dean of a partner school was tested positive for COVID -19, Dean BAI immediately sent out his thoughts and wish him a speedy recovery. In addition to the letter of support, the School also contacted alumni to donate masks and other medical equipment and supplies to the partner schools in the worst-affected areas, giving real care and help.

In his letter, Dean BAI points out that when COVID-19 was raging in China, Tsinghua SEM received sympathy and support from many partner schools. We truly feel for all the infected areas globally and sincerely hope that the pandemic can be contained as soon as possible.

Dean BAI also shares Tsinghua SEM’s experience and achievements during the period when we were fighting against COVID-19. The whole Tsinghua SEM community did a lot of work to ensure that the courses run by schedule, providing more than 130 undergraduate courses, 19 master's courses, 32 doctoral courses and 91 online MBA courses, serving more than 1,000 first-degree and nearly 2,000 second-degree undergraduates. In addition to ensuring the smooth running of the online courses, Tsinghua SEM also provides open courses and online teaching resources to the public. Online interviews and online information sessions were organized for about 200 students for fall 2020 exchange program, as well as online thesis defense and graduation process guidance for 55 doctoral students and 12 academic master’s students.

Dean BAI specially mentions that all the efforts were worth it when everything turned out to run smoothly. The faculty have been devoted to conducting data analysis and policy research on epidemic prevention and control, actively offering advice to fight this battle in order to promote the recovery and steady development of the national economy. The school not only focused on epidemic prevention and control, but also ensured the safety and health of all the faculty, staff and students.

Alumni of Tsinghua SEM have committed more than 2 billion RMB in donation to support the relief efforts, Dean BAI said. Tsinghua SEM is proud of its students for their responsibility and rising to the occasion. Tsinghua SEM is willing to do anything it can to support the anti-pandemic efforts of overseas institutions.

At the end of the letter, Dean BAI stresses that the friendship between Tsinghua SEM and its overseas partners is very much cherished and we firmly believe that both sides will continue to promote the exchanges and cooperation when everything gets back on track.

Meanwhile, Assistant Dean Xue Jian also wrote emails to our overseas partners to send the sincere solicitude and support from Tsinghua SEM, expressing the solidarity between both sides.

After the letters were sent out, replies from the deans of our partners flew in, showing their gratitude and their best wishes to Tsinghua SEM faculty and students. The letters also emphasize that in this most challenging time, both parties should cherish the cooperative relationship even more and look forward to deeper and long-term exchanges and cooperation in the future.

Tsinghua SEM and its overseas partners have sent letters of sympathy to each other to express support and encouragement, which shows the recognition of the long-term, stable partnership between the two sides, as well as the spirit of mutual-aid among the mankind community. The COVID-19 pandemic highlights that human society is a whole and all human being should work together to overcome difficulties. Tsinghua SEM has the determination and strength to cooperate with overseas partners and help each other to win the battle against the pandemic. We also believe that through this hard time, we will better cherish times of peace and health, and understand that unity and cooperation is the most powerful weapon.