UL Global warmly welcomed over 1600 new international students in glorious weather to campus last week. Our 7-day Orientation programme commenced with the arrival of excited students into Shannon Airport where they were met by our Global Guides and continued with a host of information sessions and engagement activities throughout the week. The aim of the UL Global Orientation programme is “to ensure International students have a smooth transition and integration into the campus community”.
Each day started with essential information and academic sessions followed by immersion and cultural sessions in the afternoon. The morning sessions were designed to prepare students for academic success and to navigate UL systems, while the interactive sessions (campus tours, shopping trips to Lidl and Parkway, Trad Music and Dance in Stables, early morning yoga and an invigorating campus run, a delicious cookery demo with the Firefighting Chef, Irish movie screenings, a high-octane Scavenger Hunt and an opportunity to try their hands at Gaelic Football) were activities to help students settle into the UL community.
The Supports and Services Fair was a hugely successful new initiative to engage students and give a warm introduction to 14 of the services/resources (and staff) that our international students will come to know and rely on throughout their time at UL. Thanks to UL Student Life, the Speed Friending event saw students networking and mingling with fun prompts such as what they would do if they won the lottery and most importantly swapping socials!
Our international student community brings so much to our campus and classrooms, “In addition to the current and future economic benefits international students bring to our region, their presence greatly adds to the cultural and ethnic diversity of Limerick, enriching us all,” noted Professor Nigel Healey, the Vice President Global and Community Engagement at the University of Limerick. We are delighted to welcome and support so many students from all over the world who have chosen UL and have gotten our semester off to such a sunny and successful start.
See below videos where students described what they were most looking forward to and a recap of the week!