As the university plans for in-person studies in September, Queen’s University International Centre (QUIC) has introduced the iCent app for international students’ return to campus in July.
iCent is a travel app that includes resources and information on pre- and post-arrival procedures, health insurance, local transportation, and events and activities to help international students acclimate to their new environment.
“We know that being an international student can be overwhelming—especially when moving to a different country,” QUIC stated in a Facebook post.
“There is so much to do and so much to know about, but we’re here to help you.”
International students at Queen’s currently make up seven per cent of the student population.
The Journal spoke with Annabel Zhu, Artsci ’22, a Chinese international student who has been attending Queen’s since 2017, to discuss QUIC resources.
“I think the biggest struggle for me going to an international university was the transition to a different country and the different language barriers as well,” Zhu said.
“When I first came to Kingston, I don’t think that QUIC was very helpful in of the resources they had clearly available. They weren’t that easy to access for me.”
iCent aims to streamline the process of getting information directly to students in the most accessible way—including maps, airport arrival information, quarantine , and public health expectations.
“With this app, I think the information will be easy to access and read. Having one place to direct to will be really helpful for students,” Zhu said.
While the app provides easy access to information, Zhu questioned the impacts of differing COVID-19 restrictions around the world.
“I am concerned about how the app will adapt to all the different international students coming in from all over the world, especially during COVID-19.”
The app also includes “COVID-19 updates” to give students information regarding Canada’s current COVID-19 restrictions.
Beyond the app, QUIC is also providing a series of orientations and live online sessions for international students.
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