Welcome buddies/guides for international PhD students and academics

This is a form of personal assistance that helps international PhD students and academics with the adaptation process in the new environment handling not only practical issues but also help them with social and cultural integration. While the basic services such as airport/train transport assistance or arrival to the hosting university/faculty can be provided by local undergraduate students (Erasmus+ buddies), international PhD students and academics, especially in terms of social and cultural integration, need a more sophisticated approach and the commitment of his/her new colleagues.

Goals

Better communication and cooperation Improved quality of service Support mental health and wellbeing

Basic information

Practice setup

The welcome buddy/guide assisting international PhD students, academics and researchers from abroad can be a registered doctoral student at hosting HEI. The assistance can be provided for example in the following ways: 

• correspondence via email prior to arrival in the host city/HEI seat


• pick up the new international doctoral student or academic from the airport/train station on his/her arrival


• help her/him find his/her ways around hosting university city (city tour) and hosting HEI Campus, etc.)


• support her/him with the necessary administrative paperwork (e.g. registering at the Registration Office, signing a rental contract, opening a bank account)


• help her/him settle in hosting HEI city (e.g. shopping facilities, getting around with the local public transport, etc.),


• enables intercultural exchange via exploring  hosting city surroundings with excursions, museum visits, or bar evenings

When setting up this practice, consider the following:

• appointment of a responsible department for implementation of the task (typically IRO in collaboration with Study Department or HR department) or Erasmus Student Network (ESN).


• central collection of mobility flow data (total number of international PhDs and academics, their annual increase/decrease, the number of international newcomers within the academic year, their geographical composition, their distribution by faculties / professional orientation).


• designing a questionnaire/interview to obtain basic information directly from international PhD students and academics and from the heads of their hosting workplaces on what type of assistance they typically need


• setting the house rules on what the welcome buddies-guides are expected to do (see above) and what not in order to manage expectations (for instance Welcome buddies/guides should not find accommodation for their incoming buddy, support the visa application process, provide information on applications for funding or matriculation processes at the hosting university, or give information on researches). It is also possible to set a time period for which buddies should be connected to newcomers, of course, they will be free to stay in touch even after the end of the programme period.


• appointment a responsible person(s) the welcome buddies can turn to if encountering problems/conflicts with their incoming buddy, or just feel overstrained.


• designing a catalog of activities that can be carried out within the Buddy programme. IRO/Welcome centre should organise social events where buddy couples can take part in. HEIs could ideally support the service with cafe and sports vouchers.


• development of the registration form for prospective welcome buddies (local and international PhD students or staff should be welcome and encouraged to sign up for the programme)


• development of a registration form for incoming buddies/international PhDs and academics where they can register ahead if desiring the buddy service. The form should enable them to express apart their position, length of stay, professional orientation, hosting faculty/department also their expectations or their interests.


• promotion of the welcome buddy assistance and benefits for those who register and carry out this voluntary assistance  


• promotion of the welcome buddy service among international PhD students who have already settled in the hosting country/city.

Motivational factors for serving as a welcome buddy:

There are several benefits for those who decide to serve as welcome buddies:

• academic networking leading to joint publication,


• improved a specific foreign language competence (typically English)


• improved intercultural competence

One of the more formal/institutionalised benefits of serving as a welcome buddy can be an approval of the Buddy programme as one part of more comprehensive Intercultural Competence Programme. Welcome buddies will receive an individual certificate for extracurricular activities or voluntary work. This can be used for their application for a comprehensive Intercultural Competence Programme which can have great value for their future job, or winning scholarship/fellowship application.

It is important to promote the benefits of serving as welcome buddies and also provide support whenever necessary. Also, other types of benefits or material awards could be considered (e.g., a book voucher, sports voucher, etc.).   

Cost of practice setup
Time required for practice setup
Personnel effort required for practice setup
Actors involved in practice setup	IRO/welcome centre Study department Students association HR Department Doctoral school IT support department
Partners involved in practice setup	EURAXESS centre Other HEI/research organisation in city/region Tourist information centre/board Municipality Museum
Indicators for evaluating progress/quality of practice setup	Number of buddies recruited Number of collaboration agreements with external partners

External collaborations

@ all - it can be worth sharing contacts to other providers of social activities for international PhDs and international academics, such as other HEIs in the city/region, EURAXESS centres, municipality, expat centres, museums, botanical gardens, etc.

All other local organisations can be invited to co-host the events.

@ Municipality - it can be involved in social networking events, and provide the city/region promotion-related materials in English (e.g, brochures, city (discount) card, a website with various cultural events held in the city/region). City council representatives (ideally, the mayor) could have a welcome speech at the Welcome event. The City council can also promote various events for families (Christmas markets, cultural programme, summer cultural events, voluntary activities for better social integration of spouses, cultural events where internationals from different countries can present their culture, sports activities (runs), etc). 

Practice delivery

When delivering the service the most important is to:

• match well welcome buddies and newcomers (based on mutual professional orientation, interests, country of origin)


• support welcome buddies in case they feel overstrained or encounter any communication problems/conflicts with their incoming buddy.


• clearly defined rules for welcome buddies' responsibilities (as well as what they are not expected to do/what are not their responsibilities) should be available to all registered welcome buddies


• hosting HEI (even in cooperation with other faculties or other HEIs in the region) should organise social events where buddy pairs can take part in. HEIs could ideally support the service with cafe and sports vouchers.


• promote benefits/awards for being a welcome buddy

Cost of practice delivery
Time required for practice delivery
Personnel effort required for practice delivery
Actors involved in practice delivery	IRO/welcome centre Study department
Partners involved in practice delivery	Language centre EURAXESS centre Other HEI/research organisation in city/region Municipality Tourist information centre/board Museum
Indicators for evaluating progress/quality of practice delivery	Number of researchers assisted annually Number of buddies recruited Average satisfaction rate Number of events organized annually

External collaborations

@ all - it can be worth sharing contacts to other providers of social activities for international PhDs and international academics, such as other HEIs in the city/region, EURAXESS centres, municipality, expat centres, museums, botanical gardens, etc.

All other local organisations can be invited to co-host the events.

@ Municipality - it can be involved in social networking events, and provide the city/region promotion-related materials in English (e.g, brochures, city (discount) card, a website with various cultural events held in the city/region). City council representatives (ideally, the mayor) could have a welcome speech at the Welcome event. The City council can also promote various events for families (Christmas markets, cultural programme, summer cultural events, voluntary activities for better social integration of spouses, cultural events where internationals from different countries can present their culture, sports activities (runs), etc).