Buddy programme helps international staff, long-term visitors and their partners to get settled at the University of Turku and Finland. Buddy is a volunteer who usually is a staff member, graduate student or a friend of University of Turku and is ready to help a newcomer in their free time within the first few months before and after the newcomer's arrival to Turku.
The buddy programme is designed to help international staff members, long-term visitors or their partners within the first few months when arriving to Finland. Buddies, local resource persons, can have international experiences without leaving their home town, learn from other cultures, practise their language skills and have a new international friend.
The buddy activities are informal and may include advising where to get groceries, meeting over a coffee or getting to know the campus area. It is up to the buddy and international staff member to decide how they would like to communicate.
Who can take part in the Buddy Programme?
International recruits and long-term visitors and their partners can sign up as newcomers and request to have a buddy already before the arrival. Anyone familiar with the University of Turku or Turku region and interested in other cultures can sign up as a new buddy for international newcomers.
Sign up for the Buddy Programme here. Please be careful when answering the first question concerning your role (a newcomer, a spouse or a local buddy).
For more information
Buddy programme is organized by international staff services. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to iss@utu.fi or your HR contact person.
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