ESN INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS DINNER HELD AT UNS

The Erasmus Students Network (ESN) of the University of Novi Sad organized an international dinner for the exchange students on February 26, 2019.

The Erasmus Students Network (ESN) of the University of Novi Sad organized an international dinner for the exchange students on February 26, 2019, in the Central University Building. The event was part of the Welcome Week programme organized by ESN with the aim to introduce Novi Sad, Serbian culture and tradition, as well as student life in the city. to foreign exchange students.

The International Dinner was organized with the idea to present to domestic and foreign students typical Serbian meals and specialties from other parts of Europe and the world. The guests had the opportunity to taste a variety of dishes prepared by the students coming from Spain, Italy, China, France, Germany and Portugal, as well as some traditional Serbian dishes, such as cheese pie (gibanica), a type of the smoked sausage (kulen), traditional cookies (vanilice) and other.

The event was also supported by the student organization EESTEC that contributed to the variety of the Serbian specialties offered to guests and visitors.

Erasmus Student Network

The Erasmus Student Network is the largest student organization in Europe. It was established in October 1989 and today the network encompasses over 900 higher education institutions in 40 countries. The Network is constantly growing and developing. Currently it involves over 40,000 young people that help and support international students every year. It strives towards creating a more mobile and flexible educational environment, developing student exchanges on different levels as well as providing an intercultural experience to student who are unable to go abroad to study. The organization works to improve societal and cultural integration of foreign students and promote a multicultural understanding and respect towards a wide cultural diversity. Erasmus Student Network creates an environment for personal development based on the principle of “students helping students” through promotion and motivation of students for mobility, preparing them for their mobility and studies abroad, and helping reintegrate local students back into the community upon their return. Besides promoting studies abroad and helping incoming students in Novi Sad, the organization also promotes volunteering activities, sports, and health and well-being among international and local students.

The main focus of ESN is on current exchange students that often face a variety of difficulties in their new environments. It offers help in academic, social and practical process of their integration. The support is carried out through the activities of the local sections that include the organization of cultural and social events, such as excursions, film nights, language projects and other. Furthermore, a Buddy System has been developed at the University of Novi Sad, as a form of the mentoring system that includes help and support by the domestic students to foreign students in their academic and practical integration.

The Erasmus Student Network also provides relevant information and encourages prospective exchange students to gain international experience and personal insight into different cultures.