The International Relations Office (IRO) held its first Study Abroad Mixer in the Claverton Rooms on Tuesday 16th April 2024.
Lilith Ding and Tabitha Bradley from the International Mobility team organised the event as an opportunity for overseas exchange students currently studying at Bath to meet and connect with Bath students planning to study abroad in the next academic year.
Almost 40 students attended the event, representing countries around the world including Canada, France, Germany, Italy and New Zealand. Their home institutions included: University of Canterbury, INSA Lyon, FU Berlin, Grenoble INP and Simon Fraser University. Bath students who attended the event came mostly from the Science and Humanities and Social Sciences faculties.
The Claverton Rooms were brightly decorated for the occasion with bunting, international flags and a large map of the world and they were warmly welcomed by the International Mobility Team. Members of University of Bath staff involved in student mobility also came along to lend their support and to answer questions the students had.
During the mixer Lilith and Tabitha encouraged our exchange students to share their experiences and tips about their home institutions and countries giving them all the opportunity to win prizes. Dr Steve Wharton, Departmental Exchanges and Assistantships Director in the Department of Politics, Languages & International Studies, also spoke about the support given to outgoing Bath students and the importance of looking after their mental health.
Pizza, drinks and cakes were provided, although the students were so engrossed in in chatting to each other that they had to be reminded to eat up the pizzas before they got cold! Some students even had to be gently encouraged to leave at the end of the event, as they were so much enjoying the opportunity to mingle, share experiences and tips with each other.
The event was a great success and the IRO team plan to organise further Mixer events in the future, in the hope that mobility students from other faculties will also be able to participate in and benefit from the shared, enjoyable experience of connecting with students from across the University and with those visiting from overseas.
Written by Lesa Cross
International Mobility Coordinator (Partnerships)
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