Office for International Students and Scholars

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Office for International Students and Scholars

• VESTA INITIATIVES Welcome and
  Intercultural activities

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VESTA? Quid?

• Vesta refers to the Roman Goddess of the hearth
  fire. In the Roman Vesta-Temple, the Vestal
  Virgins had to maintain the eternal fire.
• VESTA at K.U.Leuven stands for welcoming
  international guests and make them feel at home
  the fire of hospitality.

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Vesta Committee

• The Vesta-Initiatives are taken by a Committee,
  composed of colleagues of the Social Services
  for international students (housing, social
  service), some International Programme
  Co-ordinators, the person responsible for of the
  international students associations and for
  Pangaea (our international meeting centre).
• For, myself, Im the co-ordinator of VESTA

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Vesta Initiatives

• 1. Orientation Days for new International
  Students Scholars (Sep Feb)
• 2. Buddy Programme
• 3. Follow-up Activities during the Academic Year
  for students information intercultural
  sessions
• 4. Intercultural Training Programme for
  K.U.Leuven staff

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1. Orientation Days

• Welcome Day welcome speech, information fair,
  guided tours, lecture on the history of
  K.U.Leuven Belgium
• Practical Day sessions on Living in Leuven,
  Traffic Rules, Computer Facilities, Student
  Employment, Health Insurance, Dutch Survival
  Kit etc.
• Intercultural Day sessions on our culture,
  intercultural games, sports activities
• Weekend Trips to Bruges

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2. Buddy Programme

• Sometimes called tandem-programme
  International Students can ask for a Flemish
  buddy in order
• to be helped during their first weeks and months
• to bring the Flemish and the International
  Community closer in contact
• to learn about each others culture

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3. Orientation Days Follow-up

• Session on Culture Shock
• Session on Examination Regulations
• .
• (activities (trips, St-Nicholas or Christmas
  Parties ) organised by Pangaea, International
  Contact Club and by the associations)

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4. Intercultural Training Programme for Personnel
K.U.Leuven

• Sessions on Intercultural Awareness for
  international officers
• Workshops on intercultural diversity for
  residence-employees (technical and maintenance
  staff)
• Information Sessions presentation of the several
  services and their staff working with and for
  international guests a session on the English
  Language Tests (Toefl, IELTS)
• China Day etc.