A lot of information for the new students
Being a new student at the University of Bergen, having just arrived in Bergen and Norway, must be challenging. Or is it?
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At the opening session at the Student Centre, Monday, August 16th, every new international student, whether hailing from Japan, Italy, Ghana or somewhere else, received their own personal welcome envelope, containing all necessary information.
- There is a checklist in each envelope for everything they need to do this first week, says Catrine Andersen Waage, Executive Officer at the Division of Academic Affairs. It also contains a brochure made to guide them trough everything they need to know about being a new student and studying at the University of Bergen.
At the information meeting, Catrine Andersen Waage guided everyone through all the formal necessities. The audience was as attentive as could be, and didn’t want to miss the slightest bit of information.
SiB, Buddy Bergen, and the Student Parliament rounded up the info session by briefly introducing themselves and referring to their information stands available afterwards in the stands area.
Help desk
For those struggling with all the internet formalities there was a scheduled help session in the Centre for Student Services. In addition to the student related formalities there was also a lot of paperwork concerning the stay in Norway, like tuberculosis testing, getting residence permits and visas in order, providing ID-numbers or D-numbers depending on the length of stay, opening Norwegian bank accounts and so on ...
- So much information! Yuko Shuto and Risa Ambo, both from Japan, agreed on this when we talked to them outside the Student Centre.
- But good, because in Japan information like this comes across as so serious. Here in Norway you can make jokes too, Yuko added.
They will both attend the Grieg Academy’s Master’s Programme in Applied Music Studies, and ended up in Bergen because their home university in Japan has an exchange agreement with UiB. Norwegian nature and hiking possibilities is another thing that drew Risa to Bergen.
Speaking English, they both agree, might be a challenge when studying here. But a teacher at the Grieg Academy has arranged for them to meet up with students learning Japanese so that they can practice together.
Sitting in a chair near the student card photo stand, we find Dario De Stavola trying to sort out his paperwork. He is going to study mathematics for a semester or maybe two.
- Floorball! Both his face and voice is filled with excitement when he explains why he is here.
- Do you know what? No one plays floorball in Italy. So I’m here to play and learn as much as possible and then go back to Italy and … be the best, he laughs.
His home university has an exchange agreement with UiB so this is why he ended up in Bergen.
- We got a lot of information. I had to write fast the whole time. He shakes his hand to illustrate.
- I look forward to studying, but I’m here to have fun too.
