Netherlands
participants
The Integration Night aims to foster integration of international students into Dutch student culture in Groningen by offering a pub quiz, dinner, and cantus in three remarkable student association buildings in Groningen throughout one evening.
The main intention of the event is to bring Dutch and international students from different associations together and give them an insight into Dutch student culture, thereby fostering integration and intercultural exchange. Unfortunately, despite the huge number of international students in Groningen and the active student life in the city, it appears to be a common experience that both, Dutch and international students, often live and study quite separately from each other, with little to no contact between one another. The Integration Night aims to decrease this gap between Dutch and international students firstly by creating a better understanding of Dutch student life among international students, thereby facilitating integration into Dutch student culture. Secondly, the event brings both international and Dutch students together through shared and interactive activities. This provides the opportunity to break stereotypes on both sides, eliminate stigmas, create an understanding for each other and foster integration between both groups. Overall this will contribute to a more open, inclusive and welcoming atmosphere for students in Groningen. Finally, bringing together students from different associations does not only promote intercultural exchange, but it is also a great way for the organising associations to show that they are open towards everyone and that many of them welcome both international and Dutch members. We thereby hope to increase the number of international members in some associations and the number of Dutch members in others.
