Welcoming international students to Oxford Brookes University!
Announcement Registrations for Mentors and Buddies for January 2026 are now open. Register below.
Global Buddies matches existing home and international students (Mentors) and new international students (Buddies) in a programme of joint fun activities designed to create a warm and friendly welcome to Oxford Brookes University. It doesn't matter whether you are shy or outgoing, anyone can join as a mentor or as a buddy.
Global Buddies runs in the autumn and spring semesters and brings together our current UK and current international students, who we call Mentors, with newly arrived international students, called Buddies, through organised events and activities. Many of these events are subsidised, and our events team has even organised the first few weeks, so bring your enthusiasm along and eagerness with you to make new friends. Groups are also free to organise their own activities!
Mentors can share their experiences and provide tips about how to settle into life at Oxford Brookes and Oxford, and new international students will share their unique experiences and culture.
After registrations close, the Global Buddies Coordinators will match one Mentor with a small group of Buddies based on common interests. You will then meet up with your Mentor for the first time at the Welcome Event in week 2. Each group, led by a Mentor, will attend activities and events together throughout the semester which may be events organised by the Global Buddies Coordinators and/or your own activities.
Starting at university can be a challenging time, especially if you are also travelling to a new country and adjusting to a new culture. Being part of Global Buddies helps make this experience a positive and rewarding one.
You can become a buddy if you are a new international student. Please read the information above before completing the registration form below.
You can become a Mentor if you are a current UK or current nternational student. You will be responsible for leading a group of new international students to help them integrate into UK life and encourage them to make new friends.
Before completing the registration form, please read the above information.
More details will be provided after joining the programme.
| Week / Date and time | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|
Week 0 Tuesday 20 January, 15.15 - 16.15 | Mentor Training (in person compulsory training) During this compulsory session, we will share tools and information to help you succeed as a Mentor. We will share details closer to the date. | Headington Campus |
| Week 2 Tuesday 3 February, 18.00 – 19.30 | Compulsory Welcome Event It’s time to meet your group! | Headington Campus |
Week 3 (week commencing 9 February) | Board game event Have fun playing games and getting to know other Buddies and Mentors! Refreshments provided. This is a FREE event however booking is recommended as there are limited spaces available. We will let you know when bookings open. You are welcome to turn up at the event without a booking, however priority will be given to those who have booked a place. Any available spaces after this, will be offered on a first come, first served basis. | Headington Campus |
Week 5 (week commencing 23 February) | Sports activity More information to come! | |
| Week 7 (week commencing 9 March) | Junkyard Golf or Ice-Skating Junkyard Golf Join us for a crazy golf experience that will take you on a twisted journey around a 9-hole golf course. Ice-skating Get your skates on and join us for some fun on the ice at Oxford Ice Rink! This is a subsidised event. Bookings will be open 2 weeks before the event. | Oxford City Centre |
| Week 8 (only for Mentors) | Mentor Skills Session - How to Sell YOU and Your Skills to Employers with a Winning CV The Mentor Skills Session is a 1 hour in person session, facilitated by Careers and provides Mentors with important knowledge and skills for employability and how you can make the most of your mentor experience. | Headington Campus |
Week 8 (week commencing 23 March) | Awards Dinner Join us at COSMO's all you can eat world buffet for dinner and an evening of celebration as the Global Buddies programme begins to come to a close. We will celebrate your participation in the programme with awards for the 'Most engaged group' and 'Best mentor' as nominated for by the buddies! Price: £10 discounted ticket, booking essential. We will let you know when bookings open. | COSMO Oxford |
“This semester being a global buddy has been amazing. I have attended the junkyard golf event, and the board games event. Moreover, I have seen my buddies during other events around university too and going for meals too. It was nice to meet people that were so nice, friendly and kind to communicate with, and I feel doing global buddies therefore has made my university experience very rewarding, enjoyable, and memorable.”
“I have enjoyed Global buddies a lot this semester. I have had meet people from different parts of the world and made a lot of new friends. I have enjoyed the activities that were planned for us and also the activities that we did as a group on our own such as going to the pub to watch football matches.”