WhatsApp group for international students at the School of Life Sciences FHNW

Anyone who has been abroad alone for a long time without speaking the language knows that it’s not always easy to make new contacts and connect with the local community. That's why we at the HLS International Office decided to start a WhatsApp group to support and provide a network for our incoming students. In addition, the group can also provide students with easy access to information about current topics (e.g. COVID-19 measures).

The launch was at a meeting by the Rhine: students from Spain, Italy, the Czech Republic and Sweden met for a drink at the Rhyschänzli open air bar and got to know each other. This got the ball rolling and, thanks to the WhatsApp group, the incoming students met later independently of the IO.

To say goodbye to our visiting students from Palermo, we had dinner together and ended the evening with a concert on the Im Fluss floating stage on the Rhine.

Student feedback is consistently positive! There will be more informal events and we at the International Office will continue to work to make sure that our international students have an unforgettable stay at the HLS and in Switzerland!