Buddies for international students

Main idea

This project helps international students in their first year to learn about AUAS, its operations and student life from experienced students (buddies). It also focuses on helping the buddies make international contacts and grow personally.

Outline

In mid-September AUAS welcomes foreign (Erasmus) students. They study journalism, communication, media and design at AUAS’ international partners. They will follow courses of the English-language programs International Graphic & Digital Media (IGM), International Communication Management (ICM) and International Journalism (IJO).

From 13 to 15 September, AUAS organizes Welcome Days for these international students. The students follow all kinds of information sessions, guided tours, introductory and team building activities. 

During these Welcome Days, students at AUAS will be the international students’ buddies. They will:

• be a buddy to 5 international students together with one other student;
• answer their questions about AUAS, their campus, student life in the city…;
• hang out informally (e.g., grab a drink, go bowling…) if everyone is up for it;
• give their buddies a tour around a couple of campuses;
• help out during a quiz, a potluck and a city game.

 

Goals

• The main goal is for exchange students to feel at home and to be able to turn to the buddies with all their problems and questions.
• Buddies make sure the exchange students receive a warm welcome, they help them to find their way and support them in addressing feelings of homesickness through community and friendship.
• Some students from distant places may require assistance in navigating unfamiliar EU customs.
• The buddies experience personal grow and extracurricular social and organisational skills.
• The buddies can make international contact within their field of study.

Target group

Students experiencing obstacles based on ethnic-cultural differences

Obstacles targetted:

• Cultural differences
• Social obstacles

Students involvement

Students are not involved in the design of the initiative but are active in the delivery. They voluntary sign up as “buddy” and organize activities throughout the year.

Inspiration and evidence

• ICOMs (international and intercultural competences)
  Buddies sharpen their international and intercultural competencies. This includes language proficiency, social skills, engagement, recognizing cultural differences and learning to deal with them.
• Global citizenship

Success criteria

• The buddy project is great for students who are interested in international contacts but don’t have the opportunity to go on Erasmus (e.g., financially not feasible, working students) or are unable to do an international internship for certain reasons.
• Students develop extracurricular social and organizational skills.
• AUAS shows their international partner institutions that the exchange students are being welcomed with open arms, supported and guided.

Points of attention

• Being buddy is on a voluntary basis. The students can not earn money or credits. The welcome days are also in a period where the buddies are still on summer break. No one can be compelled to organize certain activities or to stay in contact with international students because there are no consequences attached. To ensure continuity, this project is now being integrated into the curriculum (optional subject) or excellence projects. After this excellence project, the buddy receives a certificate of excellence, and this is imbedded in the diploma supplement.
• The project used to have a budget of 15 euros per exchange student, but now there is no budget available anymore. However, this encourages them to think creatively.

Do you feel you can effectively provide the support that students require?

We do agree.

Would you recommend this to other institutions?

strongly agree

Evaluation

The buddies and the international students are surveyed about their experiences during the welcome days and the buddy system.

Results

• The international students felt that there were too many information sessions. Now the buddy system works with information markets. There are different stands where students can ask questions.
• There was demand for more active activities during the welcome days, so students of physical education and recreational movements made sporty team-building activities and boat tours around the city were organized.
• Due to a budget cut they could not organise these activities any longer. This necessitated them to get creative. Now they organise a city game, which is a more active way to explore the city.

Communication

The invitations for second and third-year students to become a buddy are disseminated through communication platforms of various courses and Instagram pages.

Timing

It is most important in the beginning of the semesters (Welcome Days), but there are activities and community building throughout the academic year.

Resources

A coach is appointed to give workshops on how to be a buddy and to evaluate and give feedback to the buddies.

Transferability

We think it is easily transferable to other contexts or groups.

It is easy to start up, especially when it is on voluntary basis. You only have to provide information, set expectations and brief students.

Universal design

• The invitation can be used in all study programs and calls upon all students from different backgrounds. However, buddies are expected to be competent in English and possess certain social skills. These skills can also be something they want to work on, making the buddy project an opportunity for personal growth.
• Different networks work together during the Welcome Days. The project supports all exchange students at AUAS. There is a central support from the Office of Internationalization.