Global Buddies
Welcoming New International Students to Brookes
Global Buddies gives a warm and friendly welcome to new international students at Brookes through our programme. Are you looking to make new friends from all four corners of the globe and transition into Oxford life quickly? It doesn’t matter whether you are shy or outgoing, anyone can join!
REGISTRATION
Registration for next semester (September-December 2021) will open on the following dates:
- Mentors: now open
- Buddies: opening August 2021
More information: see "How do I join?" below
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What is Global Buddies?
Global Buddies runs every semester 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 free or subsidised, and our Events team has even organised the first 6 weeks (see below), 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 Brookes and Oxford, and new international students will share their unique experiences and culture.
Following its success during the pandemic, Global Buddies was featured in Student News!
How does it work?
Once registrations are closed, we match students based on their interests - languages and hobbies. We usually have 1 or 2 Mentors (a mix of current UK students and current international students) and 3 to 5 Buddies, but this may vary depending on the number of students who register for the programme.
When the groups are formed, we will email you the contact details of your group. You are then free to start getting in touch with each other before the Initial Catch-Up. We recommend you attend three activities with your group each semester.
More about how groups are matched can be found in our FAQs.
How do I join?
To join, you need to:
- Make sure you have read all the information available on this webpage before signing up, to ensure the programme is right for you.
- Complete the Google registration form below. Please note: the forms for Buddies and Mentors are different, make sure you complete the one applicable to you. There will be a delay in processing your registration if you are completing the wrong documents.
- Read the Rules & Regulations document, sign it to confirm you agree with it. Buddies need to download this document (see below), and email the signed copy to global-buddies@brookes.ac.uk. Mentors will receive it directly via email.
- New this semester: students applying as Mentors will be invited for a brief individual catch-up with the Global Buddies Coordinators before Week 3 so we can see how you are getting on, if you need any support, or you have any questions about the programme.
Register
To apply as a Mentor, you MUST have already done at least one semester at Brookes.
Registration deadline for Semester 1: Thursday 16 September 2021, 5pm (British time)
Due to the high number of registrations we receive each semester, we are unable to send an email to each individual student to confirm we have safely received their registration form and signed Rules & Regulations document. We will however email you w/c 19 September to confirm whether you have successfully signed up for the programme. If you don’t hear from us by 21 September, please email global-buddies@brookes.ac.uk.
If you have any questions regarding the registration process and you cannot find the answer in the FAQs, please don’t hesitate to email global-buddies@brookes.ac.uk.
Buddies - New International Students
Why should you join?
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.
- A great way to make new friends from around the globe and have intercultural experiences.
- Settle into Oxford life more quickly.
- Share your unique culture with others and spread intercultural awareness.
- Make new friends from around the globe.
- Learn more about the British culture through our Mentors as well as other cultures.
Mentors - Current Students
You can become a Mentor if you are a current UK or current international student and 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. This is not a paid position. To apply as a Mentor, you MUST have already done at least one semester at Brookes.
Why become a Mentor?
- A great way to make new friends from around the globe and have intercultural experiences.
- Being part of a peer mentoring scheme looks great on your CV.
- Increases employability through transferable skills, such as team building and leadership.
- Opportunity to join an informal Mentor catch-up to share tips and experience with other Mentors.
- Develop essential work-related skills by attending free Mentor Skill Sessions.
Mentor Skills Sessions
Attendance is not compulsory and you can choose which session(s) you want attend. You will get a Certificate of Training Completion for each session attended. Below is the programme from last semester, for reference. We will update this programme in August/September 2021. Registrations will open in September 2021.
| Date/time | Session |
| Wednesday 24 February, 12.00-13.00 | Planning inclusive activities delivered by Solenn Robert |
| Friday 12 March, 14.00-15.00 | Communication & Collaboration Skills delivered by Sally Saca |
| Tuesday 23 March, 12.30-13.30 | CV & Transferable Skills delivered by Careers |
Rewards on Completion
To successfully complete the programme, you need to keep in touch with your group once a week and attend 3 activities together during the semester. More information will be shared with students who are taking part in the programme.
Students who successfully complete the programme will be entitled to:
- Receive a Certificate of Participation
- Complete BrookesEDGE STAR entries under "Communication" and "Working with Others"
- Mentors will receive a certificate for each of the Mentor Skill Sessions they attend
To be eligible to receive a Certificate of Participation, please send us a proof that you have completed the three activities with your group by sending a photo or screenshot for each activity plus a 200-word paragraph about your experience of being on the programme. Please note, you cannot apply as a group – each member needs to email individually. You must meet the deadline in order to receive the Certificate of Participation (deadline tbc closer to the date).