Buddy programme

The buddy programme was established to assist the international students at NTNU in integrating into the Norwegian student life and complete their academical duties successfully. Any current NTNU student qualifies for being a buddy of a foreign student that arrived to Trondheim. We ask you on behalf of the International Office of NTNU, International Students' Union in Trondheim, and the Erasmus Student Network to support the Buddy programme. If you find the offer interesting, please sign up by filling the form at the ISU Buddy webpage. Don't miss this wonderful opportunity to make a friend from abroad!!!

Background and motivation

There are several student organizations for foreign students in Trondheim. However, their activities are focused on the international students, and thus the foreigners have less opportunities to get in contact, socialize, and integrate to student and academic life at NTNU. For this reason and with the support of the Erasmus Student Network and the International Office, we initiate the buddy programme. We believe it will result in a much stronger interaction of foreign and Norwegian students, to their mutual advantage. For more information about the student organizations and the International Office, please visit the www-pages:

• http://www.ntnu.no/intersek
• http://org.ntnu.no/isu/
• http://org.ntnu.no/esn/

What is a buddy programme?

A buddy is a current student of the NTNU, who provides a friendly support to a foreign student arriving to Trondheim (a guest) throughout the whole semester. If you accept to participate in the buddy programmme, we offer you a smart and friendly foreigner who needs a little bit of your help. You supply your country and personality preferences, and we will do our best to find a suitable buddy for you. You can see the overview of the available students at the buddy webpage. The amount of your interaction and support is completely dependent on the interests of both of you. However, to avoid possible misunderstandings, we set several simple rules:

• both buddy and guest agree upon and exchange an efficient contact method - telephone, e-mail, etc.
• buddy should be able, on request of the guest, to give support for at least 15 minutes per week (based on a mutual agreement of suitable time) in form of a common meeting
• during the whole semester, buddy takes the guest to at least one social event (party, visit of some culture, trip, etc.), where the majority of the students will be Norwegian students
• buddy has the advantage of participation at social programme organized (and or sponsored) by the ISU, ESN, and the International Office.

All foreign students enroling or continuing all kinds of study programmes and the current NTNU Norwegian students are cordially invited to participate in the buddy programme.

Find a friend from abroad, practice speaking foreign languages with a native speaker, learn about other cultures, get involved in the international community in Trondheim. Join the buddy programme to your advantage!

To sign up for the buddy programme, please fill and submit the proper form listed at the buddy homepage: http://www.buddy.ntnu.no/.

In the academic year 2002/2003, approximately 500 students participated in the buddy programme. We know that YOU can help us make this season even better. We are looking forward to making you enjoy our buddy programme!

ALL BUDDIES AND GUESTS ARE INVITED TO THE WELCOME PARTY !