FHNW Welcome Days

For two days, all the new international exchange students met to learn about Switzerland and the FHNW, to get to know each other and to have fun.

On 14 September, around 70 students from over 20 nations attended the 2-day FHNW Welcome Days. This was the first time for this format, which replaced the International Welcome Week.

An attractive and varied programme included presentations by Prof. Dr. Ruedi Nützi (Head of China Centre FHNW), Dr. Andrea Bauer (FHNW Coordinator Diversity & Sustainability) and Ariane Curdy (Ctrl Cultural Relations). It gave the students an insight into the cultural, economic, political and social structures of Switzerland and the FHNW. Workshops, lectures, trips and events provided the chance to get to know and understand Switzerland better.

New arrivals who enjoy an active lifestyle were certainly catered for. The hike up to the Sälischlössli in Olten, with its great panoramic view, was one of the highlights.

One of the main goals of the FHNW Welcome Days is to bring students together and give them enough time to exchange ideas and get to know each other. This lets them expand their networks and helps reduce nervousness before the first day at a foreign university. Awareness of intercultural differences was thus not only strengthened in the workshop with Ariane Curdy, but also by direct contact with each other.

The joint final dinner in the Markthalle Basel, where delicious food from different nations is on offer, was a very pleasant way to round off the 2-day get-together for the international group.

Thanks to the commitment of Sarah Lehmann, HLS International Office, as a member of the 3-member organising committee, the HLS has taken on a central role in the organisation and implementation of the FHNW Welcome Days.

We wish all international students an unforgettable and successful stay at the FHNW!