Harvard, University of Toronto make contingency plan to allow foreign students to study if barred from US

Harvard University and the University of Toronto have revealed a contingency plan that would allow select international Harvard graduate students to continue their learning in Canada if the Trump administration's plan to impose U S visa restrictions and prevent them from re-entering the U S is upheld by the courts The U S Department of Homeland Safety moved last month to terminate Harvard's ability to enroll international students after the university allegedly failed to provide extensive behavioral records of apprentice visa holders the agency had requested including footage of protest activity involving learner visa holders even if it's not criminal and the disciplinary records of all candidate visa holders in the past five years A federal judge has since blocked the government's effort to end the university's visa undertaking HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOL ANNOUNCES LAYOFFS AFTER TRUMP CUT BILLIONS IN FUNDINGBecause of foreseen U S visa challenges students at Harvard University's John F Kennedy School of Cabinet who may be unable to return to the U S will be given the option to continue their studies through a visiting scholar venture at the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs and Community Strategy The scheme would combine courses taught by Kennedy and Munk faculty members according to the deans of both institutions The contingency plans were published to ease attendee uncertainty but will only be used if there is enough demand from students unable to enter the U S over foreseen visa or entry restrictions the deans explained in a message With these contingency plans in place HKS will be able to continue to provide a world-class residents procedures mentoring to all of our students even if they cannot make it to our campus this year Harvard Kennedy School Dean Jeremy Weinstein announced The initiative will be available to international students who have already completed one year at the U S campus The Trump administration has moved to cut billions of dollars in federal research funding for Harvard in part over its handling of alleged antisemitism and violence on campus amid anti-Israel protests sparked by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza Weinstein informed staff layoffs at Kennedy in a latest email to faculty and staff citing unprecedented new headwinds creating important financial challenges including a substantial proposed increase in the endowment tax and massive cuts to federal funding of research HARVARD WEIGHS HOW TO STRIKE DEAL WITH TRUMP ADMIN WITHOUT LOOKING LIKE IT CAVED REPORTOver the past five years more than of Kennedy students have come from outside the U S the school's media office announced A total of students from countries in programs aimed at growing leadership in constituents agenda and authorities are enrolled at the school according to the Harvard International Office website Reuters contributed to this overview