Both the department of Architecture, Building and Planning and of Technological Management have an International Office. Besides, the Student Service Center incorporates a central International Relations Office. At the other departments coordinators have a role in Internationalization next to their other work.

Bea van de Ven, of the International Office of TM: ‘We support the students from the application process in advance throughout their leave. The introduction and mentor program of Interactie adds a social function to our support.’

TU/e Tour
On 31 January the freshly arrived exchange students explored the main TU/e buildings and Eindhoven City with some active members of Interactie. Thi Mai Trong from Vietnam, who is very much interested in sports, asked Ali Ehsary, an active member of Interactie and one the guides, where he could buy tickets for PSV. Ali, who is a soccer fan too, directed him to the PSV website. Ali: ‘This is my first time as a guide. I just tell them the things I remember from my introduction, like the reproshop, the library and the auditorium.’

After a short city tour the students went to Laser Doom. Which is quite fun, according to Lars Backaker from Sweden and Henri Riihimaki from Finland. Henri was welcomed by some Finnish students who stayed in Eindhoven last semester. ‘I could stay in their house, until my room was free. And they left me part of their furniture and cooking materials.’ Almost all exchange students got a room via the International Office.

Drink
The introduction is concluded by a Carnival drink at the VillaBDK, the social room of Interactie and Industria, and a dinner. Salih Kilic, chairman and organizer of the mentor program of Interactie: ‘We invite the International students to our monthly drinks and to our other activities and they can always ask for help if they need it.’

Most International students have a lot of contacts with others during their stay. Oguz Ali Acar from Istanbul Technical University: ‘Thanks to my over-crowded house in Dommelhoefstraat, I have the opportunity to meet many other foreign Master students and other Dutch students.’

But not all students live in a large student house and the contacts they have are mostly with other exchange students. Katrine Aanes Johansen, from the NTNU in Trondheim: ‘I like it very much here. Most Dutch people are friendly and welcome to me. It is nevertheless easier to stay with other exchange students because most Dutch people already have a lot of activities to fill their agenda.’

Carl Johnsson, who studies Industrial Economy in Linkoping, Sweden, and started here as an exchange student in TM, would like to learn some Dutch. He already inquired about a beginner’s course but he found out it was fully booked. He thinks the Dutch people he has met so far are very nice and speak good English.

CHEOPS
CHEOPS, the student association of Architecture, Building and Planning, intended to bring exchange students in contact with Dutch students by starting a buddy or mentor program for exchange students of Architecture, Building and Planning. They asked Dutch students to meet with International students (see other article on this page.). ‘We had a good start,’ says Huug Bischoff, a board member of CHEOPS who worked out this initiative with Wouter van Niel. ‘Now we have to see how relations between international and Dutch students will develop.’ CHEOPS will meet with Interactie to exchange experiences on the buddy system. /.