The new international “Buddy“ program ready.study.stuttgart from University of Stuttgart and the Students’ Union of Stuttgart supports international students when they start university and is thus a new building block in the welcome culture of the university. On 31 st August and 1 st September the first buddies will welcome their fellow students from all over the world in the course of the orientation week.
How do I get from the airport to my hall of residence, where can you go out in Stuttgart, how does garbage separation work in Germany, where is the secretaries’ office for students or one of the advice centres from the Students’ Union – the spectrum of questions asked by the new arrivals from all over the world is wide-ranging. The buddies are students from the University of Stuttgart and provide assistance to their fellow students from abroad regarding all questions to do with studying, residing and living in Stuttgart. For example, they will be standing at the information booths at the airport, the main railway station, the citizens’ office in Vaihingen and on the campus and will explain the way to the new arrivals’ halls, help them buying tickets or filling out forms. The volunteer students organise events and other program points for the international students. In so doing they themselves gain valuable experience in teaching in an intercultural environment, can participate in relevant further training courses and will receive a certificate for their exceptional commitment.
Tips and Tricks
The Buddy Program page on the Internet provides further tips and tricks: a survival guide upon arrival as well as apps for the Students’ Union of Stuttgart, local public transport and the City of Stuttgart, for example. After arriving the new students will then receive a welcome package from the International Centre of the University with important information for the first few days. ready.study.stuttgart replaces the Welcoming Service and the international hall of residence tutor program. All new international students will be able to participate. The program is free of charge and a registration is not necessary.
www.ia.uni-stuttgart.de/internat/studierende/services/buddyprogramm/
Further information:
Marion Echle, University of Stuttgart, International Department, Tel. 0711/685-68557, Email: echle (at) ia.uni-stuttgart.de. Birgit Vennemann, University of Stuttgart, Department of University Communication Tel. 0711/685-82122, Email: birgit.vennemann (at) hkom.uni-stuttgart.de.