Important to establish relations

Head of International Office at the university college, Maija Heinilä, underlines the need to make sure our foreign students are integrated in the Norwegian system as quickly as possible

- That is the reason why we organize a fairly comprehensive Orientation Day at the start of each semester. Here we try to familiarize the students with as many aspects of life in Norway as possible, from how to establish a bank account to what Norwegians eat. The international students are then integrated to the Norwegian student body for the remainder of the first week with fun activities for the freshmen students.

Maija is also happy that a number of Norwegian fellow students are so willing to work as student buddies for our international students. 

- We are depended on our student buddies as far as organizing non-curricular activities for the international students, she says.

- The International office sponsors the Norwegian buddies with funds to finance such activities such as a cabin trip, trips to Oslo, game nights, bowling etc. 

Before Christmas the student priest, Sjur Askjer, invited foreign students to a cultural event where they shared food, stories and traditions concerning celebrations and other parts of life. Hopefully, this will be an annual event in December.