The Buddy Program

Lijst Calimero is pleased to announce to you that together with the ESN the Buddy Program has been established! Read more about it in the press release below!

ESN’s Buddy Program gives incoming international students a warm welcome to Groningen.

Through this program new students are linked to local or international students who already have

had some experience studying and living in Groningen. This way they get help knowing the city, their

faculty and the university in general. Furthermore, they are introduced to the many other exciting

aspects the city of Groningen has to offer.

In previous years ESN has promoted their Buddy Program through the individual international offices

at each faculty. This meant that the international office functioned as a middle-person between ESN

and the international students who wanted to enroll for ESN’s Buddy Program. However, this was not

the most convenient or efficient way of reaching every international student coming to Groningen.

This issue was picked up by the University Council party, Lijst Calimero. In line with their vision on

promoting internationalization within the University of Groningen, they decided to improve the

process.

For the last two years, ESN and Lijst Calimero have worked together on improving the processes

behind the program. Finally, their combined efforts have resulted in creating a more straightforward

procedure to sign up. From now on, as soon as international students enroll for a program at the

university, they are automatically given the option to sign up for the Buddy Program.

As soon as the international students get admitted to the university, they will receive a Registration

Guide containing information on how to sign up for ESN’s Buddy Program. This new procedure will

both increase awareness amongst the students and will furthermore allow them to be linked earlier

on so that they can enjoy the full benefits of the program.