Buddy system starts in February 2011
At the end of this month the Arnhem Business School will be starting a Buddy System pilot called Get In Touch With The Dutch. The goal is to have every exchange student studying in Arnhem or Nijmegen, linked to a Dutch student.
We only know us
The Dutch student will show the international student around and inform him or her on various subjects, such as school and the city they live in. Erna Helsen, director International Relations at the Arnhem Business School, explains: ‘We chose this system because international students complained that they only meet other international students, which is great, but they also came to The Netherlands to get to know Dutch students. With the Buddy System Helsen hopes to have found a solution to this situation.
Half a year abroad
‘Many of the students and employees at HAN University don’t realize that the Arnhem Business School alone has about 150 exchange students every year who come to study for half a year. Moreover there is a constant group of give or take 600 international students who study at HAN University for four years, sometimes longer,' Helsen says.
Wanna be my buddy?
Right before the start of the midterm, at the end of January, the Buddy System will have a lift off. During the International Fair, in early November, Dutch students could enlist for the role of International Buddy. ‘Since then we have gathered fifteen buddies’, Helsen says. ‘We could use five more.’ If you are Dutch and want to help international students find their way, just email Ingrid.Lecoultre@han.nl. You will have to be a buddy for a minimum of six to eight weeks.
