Mamo Dereje Alemu: My Study at Tsinghua

Mamo Dereje Alemu, a Master's student in the School of Medicine, shared with us his experience studying at Tsinghua, both before and during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The history textbook in secondary school has a saying of Confucius “What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others"; that was the time I know more about China. Since then I was eager to study in China.

I did my BSc in public health in Jimma University in Ethiopia. Then I started working in Ministry of Health, Ethiopia, as a staff of Health System Strengthening Special Support Directorate. I believe further studying public health will enable me to be a more productive and successful public health expert. My long term dream to get the chance to study public health in a global context comes true, I joined Tsinghua University in international Master of Public Health program for 2019/2020 academic year.

My Tsinghua Life before the Epidemic

It is a great asset for me learning with competitive international students across the world in this prestigious University. Tsinghua is rich in methodologically sounded teaching process and with highly esteemed professors. Students from different countries present their experience in class for discussion; attending seminars and workshops; we critically evaluate and appraise scientific papers, and we were having practical attachment in different settings (like China CDC, SINOVAC, Traditional Medicine store & sites, health facilities & organizations).

Time of Epidemic

Over fifty thousand Tsinghua students, faculty, staff members, and alumni representatives used their laptops and smartphones to attend the first class of the 2020 Spring Semester held in the Rain Classroom on February 3rd. It was an amazing and effective live event that many people participated in for the first time in the history of the world.

The coordination between everyone in Tsinghua Universities’ community as a whole (professors, TAs, department coordinators) during the online learning is so wonderful. The epidemics by itself was scary. No one will achieve this even in normal conditions. From now onwards, I think we have had online platforms for different programs, besides the traditional form of lecturing. It is a good lesson. For me I was feeling as I am in traditional classroom when I join for online class.

I am Proud of China, I respect China and Chinese people. Hope other countries will scale up your success stories to control COVID -19 pandemics.

Writer: Mamo Dereje Alemu
Source: China-Africa Leadership Development Institute, with edits