Orientation week for winter intake students

The traditional RSU Orientation week for newly-enrolled international students was held from 6 to 11 February. There are 248 foreign students from 23 countries joining RSU this semester – the majority of them from Germany, followed by Sweden, Finland, Italy, Norway and numerous other countries. The furthest journey was taken by students from New Zealand and South Africa. All in all, the International Department received 524 student applications for the winter intake.

The Orientation week is an exciting six-day long series of diverse compulsory events and leisure activities designated to help freshers to find out about the university and make new friends. The event, filled with activities, among other things, contains a local culture presentation held by the Latvian Institute, a day trip to Rundale Palace, a guided Central Market tour and national food tasting. The information fair, where the newly-arrived students can get information on practical issues and join RSU student organisations, is gaining in popularity, whereas the evening hours have been left for leisure activities organised by the RSU International Student Association: movie night, Old Town PubCrawl and welcome party. The jam-packed week will be closed by a sports day which is this year’s novelty.

In her welcome speech, the head of the International Department Baiba Petersone underlined the importance of internationalisation in the development of RSU and highlighted the role of international students in strengthening it, emphasising that foreign students enrich RSU and create a multicultural, dynamic and creative academic environment.

In her welcome address to the newly-arrived international students, RSU Vice-Rector for Education, Professor Tatjana Koķe highlighted three fundamental aspects characterising RSU – first of all, RSU is a student-centred university where the responsibility and involvement of students in the study process is equally important as that of the lecturers. Secondly, RSU has set quality as its priority and thirdly, to strengthen the affiliation and expand communication possibilities, she encouraged students to learn our language and acquaint themselves with local culture and traditions. Prof. Koķe further noted that studies at RSU are rather intense and it is important to plan your time to keep up with your studies.

The Dean of the International Student Department Smuidra Žermanos devoted her address to important practical issues – where and how to obtain information on how to reach RSU buildings, whom to approach in case you have missed a class or a seminar, stressing the importance of effective time management for students to successfully integrate in the study process.

Vivien Zumbansen, a medical student from Germany was excited about the opportunity to meet students from different countries, “Orientation week is an excellent opportunity to make new acquaintances and build a team spirit within the new study groups”. Her fellow student Linda Hiekkaranta from Finland shared a similar opinion, noting that, “The team building game made us familiar with the university and was a useful experience. RSU staff are friendly and supportive. The activities offered are useful, though intense – a lot of new information to be dealt with and memorised!”

Although the classes for the newly-admitted students will start only next week, a number of them have arrived earlier. Another medical student from Israel, Ilana Grach, shared with us her impressions, “I arrived in Riga a couple of days before the Orientation Week to have the option to see the city. I appreciate the initiative of the university to hold an Orientation Week which is a good chance to meet my groupmates. I am eagerly waiting for the lectures to start”.

In addition to newly-arrived international full-time students, Orientation Week is also attended by 37 incoming Erasmus+ students from RSU European partner universities. Erasmus Institutional Coordinator Lana Amosova noted that the increasing number of incoming Erasmus+ students proves the fact that RSU is an internationally-recognised and reliable cooperation partner. Outgoing RSU students and incoming foreign students are messengers of sorts, representing their country and university and they come with the mission of promoting mobility throughout the Europe”.

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