Wales welcomes international students

International students were welcomed to Wales by a succesion of events as part of international welcome week at universities throughout Wales.

The University of Glamorgan held a very successful 6th Annual International Welcome Week (IWW) this year with more than 200 new students taking advantage of the opportunity to come early to the campus to settle in and make new friends.

The majority of the students arrived in September and were lucky enough to be the very first students to access the new £6 million Students’ Union building.  This fantastic new space enabled the whole event to be managed from a single place and students could do everything from
register to party under one roof!

Through the IWW programme students could access a whole range of information sessions to cover issues that they were likely to encounter during their stay in the UK. These included: Immigration; Understanding your accommodation contract; Study Skills; Academic Expectations;
Faculty Advice Shops; Living and Learning in the UK; Working in the UK during your studies; Information about Financial Support for EU students and Driving in the UK.

There were also opportunities to take part in trips to Rhondda Heritage Park, Caerphilly Castle and to take a boat trip around Cardiff Bay. For evening entertainment there was a formal 3 course Welcome Meal (attended by members of staff and the local community), a quiz, a trip to the cinema/bowling and the fantastic ‘Welsh Night’ hosted by traditional twmpath band Calennig.

Although primarily organised by the International Student Support Service, staff from across the University and Students’ Union were involved in the delivery of IWW. This cohesive approach gives students the opportunity to meet staff from a good cross section of University departments and helps to show the new international students that they are both very welcome and supported at the University of Glamorgan.

THE University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (UWIC) recently held the ultimate welcome event for their thousands of new students. Around 2,000 students filled the National Indoor Athletics Centre (NIAC) at UWIC’s Cyncoed campus for the spectacular event to introduce them to student life.
As well as an official welcome from UWIC’s Vice Chancellor and the Student Union President and her team, there were scores of stands for students to browse from various clubs and organisations at the Freshers’ Fayre. Claire Rafferty, Student Union president, said: “Last year was a brilliant event which gave the students a great welcome to UWIC and the City of Cardiff. This year with more information on academic life, more exhibitors and more activities taking place on the campus, it’s even bigger and better.”

UWIC has established a reputation in overseas markets for the level of support that it offers international students. This goes some way towards explaining the excellent success rates and retention rates amongst international students studying at the University. In line with UWIC’s commitment to ensuring that international students have an opportunity to make the very most out of their studies and the time they spend in Cardiff, the International Office has also been very busy arranging a series of activities to help the students settle down in the city and get used to studying in the United Kingdom. Members of International Office staff welcomed new students at Heathrow airport and a courtesy bus service brought them to Cardiff. As well as the International Induction Day and welcome lunch, a coach tour of Cardiff was organised to help the students make friends and familiarise themselves with the city. A number of day trips were organised including visits to London and local attractions such as the beautiful Gower peninsular. A welcome party with traditional folk dancing was held giving students an opportunity to learn a little about Welsh culture. All of the events have been well attended and enjoyed by the students, all of whom have settled down very well in Cardiff.

More than 500 new international students from 60 countries received a warm welcome to Swansea University over the arrivals weekend. 

A series of orientation and social events were organised to help students settle into life at Swansea this year including information talks; campus tours and bus trips to popular local tourist destinations.  The weekend culminated in an International Welcome Reception in Fulton House jointly hosted by Professor Richard B. Davies, Vice-Chancellor of Swansea University and The Right Worshipful The Lord Mayor of the City and County of Swansea, Councillor Richard Lewis.

The students, many of whom wore their national dress had the chance to sample Wales’ music and culture with traditional food and folk dancing.  Entertainment was provided by local folk dancers, Dawnswyr Tawerin.  

Professor Davies said: “Swansea University is delighted to give such a warm, friendly welcome to Swansea to this enthusiastic and diverse group of students from all over the world.  These students will all be ambassadors for the city when they complete their studies and return home and it is important that they come to appreciate not just the University but the whole city.  Together they have created a marvellous atmosphere over the weekend and we very much look forward to that continuing through the year to come.”

At a special Welcome Programme held for new international students at Swansea Metropolitan University, Professor David Warner welcomed them to Wales and stressed the importance of their contribution.

He said: “International students are a very important part of our University. Our Welsh, and indeed UK, students will learn from them as they bring the world to Swansea and, with it, different cultures and different ways of life. Many of our international students will be studying in their second or even third language which is very difficult and for that we salute them.”

Students from across the world have enrolled on a wide range of programmes and come from as far away as Scandinavia, China, the Middle East and India. 

They were greeted with a full programme of events and learned about living in Swansea and the studying differences between here and abroad. After a buffet lunch, the students were shown around some of Swansea’s highlights such as Mumbles, Caswell, Langland and Rhossili. 

Head of Swansea Met’s International Centre, Brian Griffiths said: “The students enjoyed a series of talks and events during the day, including a trip to the Gower. They also received a lot of helpful information from the Police, local banks, and media companies, as well as representatives from our Student Services.”

Masters of Business Administration (MBA) student and Swansea Met International Student Ambassador, Ghulam Khwaja from Bangalore in India, said: “Many people in India advised me that Swansea Met is a good place to study and that the courses were of a very high quality. Swansea is a beautiful city and somewhere I feel at home.”