THE National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Singapore Management University (SMU) will not stop their students and staff from travelling to areas that have been affected by the Influenza A (H1N1) virus.

However, the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has suspended all its trips to Mexico indefinitely. It has no restrictions on other affected areas.

Since the global flu outbreak last month, the universities here have followed the guidelines issued by the Health and Education ministries. Even before the alert was raised to orange on May 1, NUS had imposed travel restrictions on official school trips. At the same time, NTU recalled six of its undergraduates who were on an exchange programme in Mexico.

For now, while the flu alert level in Singapore remains at yellow, the three universities are still advising their students and staff to postpone all 'non-essential' trips to H1N1-affected areas.

NTU explained that that this included personal holidays and non-time critical meetings. But if these trips cannot be avoided, the universities are making sure that they keep close tabs on travellers.

NUS has students on exchange programmes in the United States, but did not state how many, while NTU has 183 students in the US and Canada and 21 staff and graduate students on official trips to the US for conferences and to present papers.

SMU is in contact with more than 800 of its students who are overseas, mostly on personal trips. Its spokesman said staff and students can also opt out of official university trips to H1N1 areas.

THE National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Singapore Management University (SMU) will not stop their students and staff from travelling to areas that have been affected by the Influenza A (H1N1) virus.

However, the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has suspended all its trips to Mexico indefinitely. It has no restrictions on other affected areas.

Since the global flu outbreak last month, the universities here have followed the guidelines issued by the Health and Education ministries. Even before the alert was raised to orange on May 1, NUS had imposed travel restrictions on official school trips. At the same time, NTU recalled six of its undergraduates who were on an exchange programme in Mexico.

For now, while the flu alert level in Singapore remains at yellow, the three universities are still advising their students and staff to postpone all 'non-essential' trips to H1N1-affected areas.

NTU explained that that this included personal holidays and non-time critical meetings. But if these trips cannot be avoided, the universities are making sure that they keep close tabs on travellers.

NUS has students on exchange programmes in the United States, but did not state how many, while NTU has 183 students in the US and Canada and 21 staff and graduate students on official trips to the US for conferences and to present papers.

SMU is in contact with more than 800 of its students who are overseas, mostly on personal trips. Its spokesman said staff and students can also opt out of official university trips to H1N1 areas.

CAROLYN QUEK, KIMBERLY SPYKERMAN

This article was first published in The Straits Times.