Integration of foreign students should be improved

There are no hard figures, says René Verspeek, director of Student Services. We have no idea whether there are many regular foreign students roaming around Maastricht feeling lost or spending the whole weekend alone in their rooms. “What I do know is that the university library is full of foreign students on Saturday and that such students are not found at the various associations.”

Verspeek thinks that the university should do more for its foreign students, also during the weekend. Studium Generale, UM Sport and Tafelstraat 13 have already taken the initiative. A few weeks ago, Student Services organised an Annual International Student Soiree, an event for first-year students or students of another nationality to meet each other.

Recently an agreement was reached with the Bonnefanten museum: for €3.50 both foreign and Dutch students can enter freely for a whole year. Especially for foreign students, the museum will organise a tour or lecture in English every six weeks, on Sunday afternoons. Similar negotiations are taking place with other cultural institutes, such as the Vrijthof Theatre, which should eventually lead to a so-called culture card. Just like with the sports card, students would have free access after purchasing the card.

Read full article: Observant, 15 December 2005