The international Study Buddy Program will start at the HSZG for the first time in the 2016 summer semester.
The aim of the Study Buddy Program is to integrate international students and promote intercultural exchange at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences. Every international student who has found their way to our university via the Studienkolleg, direct or Erasmus program and now has to find their way in their new environment is assigned a personal mentor (buddy). The buddy supports the international student, particularly in the initial period, with difficulties at the university and in everyday life. Both sides benefit from a buddy partnership:
The buddy supervisor can consolidate their foreign language skills and intercultural soft skills. The new international student can rely on the help of their experienced buddy supervisor and also improve their German language and intercultural skills.
Buddy supervisors can be anyone who is already enrolled at the university, has a good command of the German language and, ideally, has experience abroad themselves and can therefore empathize with the problems of international students. The two buddy partners decide on the "program schedule" themselves; in principle, there are no limits to the design of the program. What is desirable is a partnership that goes beyond purely administrative and formal support, but also takes place on a personal, friendly level (according to the English translation of the word buddy).
The Study Buddy Program is the right place for anyone who wants to expand their worldwide social network and is interested in getting to know new cultures. It is possible to have the buddy commitment credited to your studies as part of the Studium fundamentale.
The International Office is looking forward to many reliable participants and wishes all domestic and international students a successful start to the summer semester with lots of sunny experiences during their buddy partnership.