RISE – Reflecting on the International Student Experience
Foyer International invites all international students to join RISE (Reflecting the International Student Experience) which takes place four times per semester. Each RISE session is carefully structured, covers different aspects of student life, and helps students overcome the challenges of being an international student in Göttingen. For those students who are looking for resiliency, information, support and engagement, RISE meetings offer the chance to talk about ups and downs of student life in a cosy atmosphere, help reflect on them and share it with peers.
In the last winter semester of 2020/2021, the RISE sessions were adapted to an online format, as it has been the case in many areas over the past year. While “virtual-meeting fatigue” was identified as a common theme amongst attendees, nevertheless, the RISE group persevered on, with varying attendance during the semester. Each session had a unique theme that was directly related to student life and each student could get an individual learning point. In the sessions, we talked about the academic, social and cultural pressures while living abroad, our to-do lists and progresses, student work-life balance and transition when the studies are completed. Attendees were able to share their experiences with the session topics and offer insightful suggestions to peers regarding how to overcome related challenges.
During these sessions, students also had the chance to reflect problems and challenges they faced as an international student in Göttingen. They exchanged ideas and feelings about adapting to a new course and academic structure and focused on the struggle of finding ways to meet other students. Not being able to visit family due to pandemic and the uncertainty of job market after the degree were also some of the valuable topics discussed in RISE sessions.
The overall impression at the end of the semester was one of greater connection and optimism. The hope is that the attendance rates will continue to rise with increased awareness of the group.
Foyer International is happy to share that RISE will be with us again in the summer semester! It is completely free of charge and all international students are very welcome to join without any prior registration!
Contact:
Foyer Team
Email: foyer.international@zvw.uni-goettingen.de
https://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/2554.html