Excellent work by the student buddies
The study start consists of social and academic activities. The buddy system at the Faculty is working closely with academic and administrative staff to make sure that our new students get a great start on their study programmes.
The Faculty has 400 buddies who all have been trained by their buddy coordinators at their Departments, in close collaboration with our two buddy leaders (in Norwegian only) and the Student Administration at the Faculty and at the Departments.
The preparations for the study start were already initiated in February, when the buddy coordinators at the Departments arranged a workshop. The early start on the preparation facilitates a better and closer collaboration between the Departments.
This year the buddy coordinators are for the first time holding a first aid course as part of their training in order to enhance the focus on security at study start. In addition, the Faculty has created an information site for buddies about how to handle unwanted situations.
I would like to thank all the student buddies for their great work for our new fellow students!
Welcoming day at the Departments
Our study programmes have arranged a welcoming day in order to make our new students feel welcome; help them to get to know each other and to express their expectations. This year, the Department of Mathematics has used an app in order to get information about the student’s expectations. This information has been used when planning the student events for the day in order to meet their expectations.
All of the study programmes have planned many and varied events, including "get to know each other" events, lunch with a professor who gives them information and tips about studying, a talk show by academics in relevant science fields, meeting external collaborating partners, welcoming dinners, breakfast with popular scientific entertainment, "get to know a scientist" event, and an event at IFI entirely for the ladies. We have also planned special student start events for our new international students at the Faculty.
Events at The science library (Realfagsbiblioteket)
It is important for our valuable partner Realfagsbiblioteket that the students get familiar with their library and all it has to offer both when it comes to literature and student events. This year they are introducing Morning Beat in Vilhelm Bjerknes' hus. This is a "night club" for the early birds where they can dance to electronical music while drinking freshly pressed juice and eating a vegetarian breakfast, with a following yoga session before they get on with their day.
Support courses at the Faculty
It is important that our new students get a good start. At the start of the semester the Faculty is offering a refresher course in mathematics and a pre course in informatics. Students who need more thorough repetition of their mathematical skills or did not take the mathematical R2 level in high school can participate in the electronical support course in mathematics in their first semester. I would also like to point out our excellent modular eLearning courses in HSE that is obligatory to all of our students.
Events for all UiO students
After the grand welcoming ceremony the University invites all UiO students to the Blindern Games, a small festival at Fysikkbakken where there will be concerts, a colour run, competitions, games and delicious food from food trucks. And to make sure that the students get to know Oslo, the University also holds Studentslippet. This is a festival where people are invited to explore the city, cultural events and activities. The festival is arranged in collaboration with the city of Oslo, OsloMet, BI and SiO.
Student events this fall
It is important to have a good student environment in order to flourish academically. A couple of weeks after study start the Faculty is inviting all MN students to an event with garden games. This is a way to contribute to nurture a good student environment also after the study start events have ended.
And lastly, we will of course continue to welcome all our new students to program seminars at Sundvollen in August and September, a unique offer at the Faculty that we have offered our new students several years now with great success.
I wish you all a good start of the semester!