The University of Otago and Otago Polytechnic are both offering strong pastoral support to Japanese students studying at the two Dunedin institutions after Friday's earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
Otago University international pro-vice-chancellor Prof Sarah Todd said the university had immediately sent supportive emails to all Japanese students studying at Otago University and to a smaller group of Otago students undertaking exchange studies in Japan.
The Otago students in Japan were believed to be safe and well.
Several dozen Japanese students are studying at Otago University, and they have been invited to visit the university international office, particularly if they are in need of further pastoral support.
Otago Polytechnic marketing, communications and customer relations manager Mike Waddell said 40 Japanese students involved in two academic programmes graduated from the polytechnic on Friday.
One group had already left and the other was expected to leave within the next few days, and full pastoral support would be provided.
