The International Office
News
International Office Induction Events 2007
Yet another busy and exciting international induction week is over for this year in the International Office. We had two induction programmes this year, the First Steps Programme and the Big Bath Welcome. Our new First Steps programme was a two day programme on the 20th and 21th September for students outside the European Union who were new to the UK and who are studying at the university for at least a year. The Big Bath Welcome programme started on the Monday of fresher's week and included our popular International Student Meeting Point amongst other introductory events and sessions.
A Successful First Steps Programme
The course was set up to introduce students to study methods and university life in the UK and to soften the impact of making a change from home life to Bath life. In two days we covered a range of subjects, from an educational talk on medical treatment in the UK given by the Medical Centre to an interesting talk on safety, given by the Security Office, amongst others. Our international student helpers joined the students on a campus tour and a Bath walking tour and we also had a successful welcome dinner and quiz in the Claverton Rooms.
25 students attended this year, and the programme was a success from start to finish. We received top feedback from all the students, and are pleased to say that the First Steps programme will be back again next year. We wish to say thanks to all the students who attended the First Steps and we hope that you will find the programme useful, not only right now, but for the rest of your time here at the University of Bath.
Big Bath Welcome
On Monday 24 September over a thousand international students were finding their way around campus and quite a few of them found their way to our International Student Meeting Point. With coffee, tea, biscuits and other snacks, the students were welcomed by us in the International Office and our friendly and hardworking international student helpers. Any question was answered, whether it had to with University of Bath or just general information.
We also had several sessions covering essential information from us in the International Office, English Language Centre and HOST, amongst others. Even the police came up for a three hour police registration visit, and many students took the opportunity to get this done at this session. We also arranged campus tours, supermarket tours and Bath walking tours, and the meeting point was at some points in the week flowing over by anxious and excited students enjoying their first week in Bath. We also had a great undergraduate welcome party on Tuesday evening in the Claverton rooms with a welcoming speech from the Vice-Chancellor, delicious food and a disco. Fun was had by all, and over 300 international students attended the event.
So the international student induction programmes are over for yet another year. Thank you all for attending and making it an enjoyable and successful week. We wish you all a great experience here at the University of Bath and hope that our sessions and events helped you to make friends, feel at home and also eased the transition from your home life to life here at the university. We hope to see you all around on campus again soon.