Study abroad in Germany

The 20 students studying abroad in Germany this summer have been equipped to make safe food choices during the E. coli outbreak.Since its outbreak May 1, E. coli has killed 22 people, as of Sunday afternoon, and infected people in 12 countries, including 1,700 in Germany alone.Brian Harley, associate dean of international programs and director of study abroad, said students abroad have access to information about the outbreak through the host universities they are studying at.Students can also get a lot of exposure while studying in such universities and different course Biomedical Engineering,Economics and Management and Mathematical Modelling and Simulation.

They can get practical advice and recommendations,Harley said.Many of them are working directly with research professors too, so they can get their own personal advice.Initially, the outbreak was believed to be caused by cucumbers grown in Spain, but it has since been determined that the E. coli is coming from bean sprouts grown in Germany.Five hundred twenty of the 1,700 affected in Germany are suffering from haemolytic uraemic syndrome, a complication that threatens kidney failure.Harley said the University reserves the right to bring the students home but doesn’t believe the outbreak will escalate to that point.If it would escalate to where there is a travel warning then we would strongly consider bringing them home,Harley said.We have confidence in our overseas partners and that our students have a good head on their shoulders and listen to their advice and direction.