Student - January 27, 2011

Intro week for foreign students

Wageningen now has its first Freshers’ Week especially for foreign students. In February, sixty-five new Master's students will be starting their studies in Wageningen. They will have the opportunity to get to know the town and student life from 30 January to 6 February.

A group of foreign students during the existing AID
The Winter AID, as the Freshers' Week is called, is not just for new M.Sc. students. Exchange students are also welcome. Until now, these students were more or less left to their own devices. 'But even students who don't start in September need a proper introduction to get to know Wageningen and the University', says Liesbeth van der Linden at Education & Research. She is organising the week, but the student societies ISOW and IxESN are in charge of the evening programme.

IxESN is organising typically Dutch activities: a tandem excursion including a course in mending bike tyres and a dinner featuring typical Dutch dishes. They are also taking the newcomers around on a Wageningen city tour. ISOW (international student organisation Wageningen), on the other hand, is emphasising the cultural side to student life: salsa workshops, a high-speed language course and a film evening.

Just as in the normal AID in August, there are mentors looking after groups of newcomers. And just as in the normal AID, there are not enough applicants. 'But fortunately there are enough for one mentor per group', says Van der Linden. Mentors can still apply and the task is certainly less arduous than the normal AID.
Most of the activities are closed to outsiders, but if you want to see the newcomers with your own eyes then come to the closing party on 5 February in the International Club.