PUCRS opens its doors to 42 international mobility students

Participants from 11 countries joined Orientation Seminar and other activities

PUCRS is opening its doors to 42 incoming academic mobility students in the second semester of 2018. They are representing the following countries: Germany, Canada, Colombia, South Korea, Spain, USA, France, Mexico, Portugal, UK and Sweden.

They all joined the Orientation Seminar from Jul 30 – 31. The program featured welcoming activities, such as lectures on cultural and academic insights, actions of integration with the University Buddy volunteers and a tour around Campus and Porto Alegre. The event was organized by the Academic Mobility team.

Expectations for the semester

Developments in the area of Physical Education in Brazil was key for Colombian student Juan Camilo Suárez Roldan, from Universidad de San Buenaventura Medellín, to choose Brazil. During his stay at PUCRS, he will try to explore areas that are still unexplored in his country as he is intent on developing other skills.

Nathalie Eliasson, from Uppsala University (Sweden), will be doing courses in the Graduate Program in Business Administration at the School of Business. She claims that she has always wanted to do an exchange in Brazil in order to connect to the local culture. Eliasson, who was born to a Brazilian mother and Swedish father, wants to take advantage of this opportunity to brush up her Portuguese.

German student Melina Sonne, from Georg-August-University Göttingen, is very excited about the experience that has just begun. “I can’t wait to meet Brazilians, travel around Rio Grande do Sul and drink lots of chimarrão. People in Porto Alegre are so cool”, says the Sociology student.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, US student Emily Guinther came to PUCRS to study Aeronautical Sciences. She hopes to, among other things, understand the different cultures and bring her career to a higher level.

Multicultural atmosphere

The welcoming cocktail, offered by the Office for International Cooperation at the end of theOrientation Seminar, brought together the international students in an effort to integrate them to the University. During the ceremony, the Administrative Coordinator of the Office for International Cooperation, Mrs Sandra Miño, stressed the magnitude of this experience for students and its importance for the actions of internationalization of PUCRS.

Classes at PUCRS begin on Aug 1. In addition to the integration activities offered by the Academic Mobility team, the international students will have the support of the University Buddies, who will provide them with assistance in their academic, mobility and cultural issues.