Centria UAS-style Integration Services for International Degree Students

Abstract

Centria UAS Integration Services have made a positive difference in a short time in how international degree students feel coming to a new country to start their studies. Integration Services’ comprehensive services and manner of approach aim to enable smoother transition and integration to a new country and city, boost study success and wellbeing as well as offer new ways of finding your place in the world. Centria Integration Services provide service guidance and information, but also work closely the the city services and services in the society to make them more accessible and suitable to international students and talents. Highlight the individual is a key value in Centria integration services. The work is hands on meeting and getting to know people, but also making yourself relatable and easy to meet and get to know. A new international student needs a person they know they can contact with anything. Different communities and finding your own comfortable place is crucial to wellbeing and social integration. Centria Integration Services unite communities and individual, as well as support building new communities. Students are encouraged to participate and join communities – as to form their own communities to enable participation and even activism to others as well. Supporting ideas, activities and events from students and by students is a big part of Centria Integration Services. Feelings of participation and being able to create new are key elements to wellbeing, study and worklife skills as well as being an active agent in building a life in a new country. Centria Integration Services hopefully also have a significant effect to the city, different communities, worklife and the society. We strive to get the international students’ voices to be hear outside the campus as well and built a more international Finland while doing so. Every active international talent in Centria’s Integration Services hopefully has a chance to use their new skills, passions and thrive to change the city and the society, as well as bring great finding back to their culture, for example about things like peace, equality and creativity.

Key take aways

After this sessions the participant will know about a working model how to build integration services in your higher education institution - what to take into consideration, what works and why - and how to do this with limited resources participating the students themselves.

Presenters

Sofia Behluli, Centria University of Applied Sciences, Finland

Extra information

Empowering International Students_Presentation Slides (pdf)

Relevant for

Student politician, Academic adviser, Academic teaching staff, Administrative staff, Education leaders, Library staff, Research staff, Student, Student mentor/tutor.

Target group

Relevant for all students, but with a specific focus:

Students with a mental health condition
Students with caring responsibilities
Students who combine work and study
Students from non-academic backgrounds
Students experiencing obstacles based on ethnic-cultural differences
Students experiencing socioeconomic obstacles
International students
Other

Involvement

Students as volunteers, Students as participants, Students as leaders, Students as organisers/owners.

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