Friend Programme

Locals and international degree and exchange students signed up for the Friend Programme. We matched the friends into pairs based on their interests. There were local students, international students, and local families involved, and some of them have been a part of the programme for a long time as we do this every semester. Mostly the pairs would consist of one international student and one local student/couple/family.

We organized the first meeting where they got to know each other and we explained what the programme is about, and gave suggestions for what the pairs could do together. During the fall the friends met up based on their own schedules and did things they enjoyed: sauna nights, cooking together, having dinners, doing sports, every day life etc. Just what the normal friends would do. The participants learnt about new cultures and languages and got to know new people. This programme helped the international students to integrate in Finnish culture and community. At the end of the semester we planned to have a get-together, but decided not to due to Covid-19.