BuddySystem

This is a retrospective proposal to Erasmus+ Key Action 2 led by a French organisation in which UH is a partner. The proposal was not set up on RIS at the time of submission.

BuddySystem will allow universities and student associations acting in the field of welcoming international students to organize a massive and qualitative buddy system on a European scale.
European partners of the project:
Erasmus Student Network France
Erasmus Student Network International
European University Foundation
University of Eastern Finland
University of Hertfordshire
University of Vienna

A number of international stakeholders are also involved in the project :
Uniplaces, UNICA, DSW, CROUS, CPU, CF, ESN countries (Austria, Germany, Finland, Italy, UK)

The project achievements:
In order to reach the global objectives of the project, the consortium will develop a number of tools and activities :
•An intuitive, complete and secure BuddySystem webplatform providing the matching of buddies
•A European study on the best practices regarding the welcoming of international students and especially towards buddy systems. The results will be published in the autumn 2018
•The integration to the Erasmus+ App designed by EUF with the support of the European Commission
•Training, communication and facilitation tools in order to give the opportunity to the local coordinators of the platform and volunteers (mentors) to make the BuddySystem increasingly qualitative

The BuddySystem dissemination:
At the end of the European program, the BuddySystem will be effective in about 30 European countries and around 300.000 students are expected to subscribe on the platform. Thus, the project will reach a large number of students while favoring a quality welcome since it allows international students to receive an unique guidance: personalised and customised to their needs.

Among international mobility projects and tools, this platform will remain an essential tool, since the layout of the BuddySystem will result from the cooperative work of universities and associations welcoming international students. Awaited by several structures welcoming international students, that project will shortly be spread in Europe. To do so, ESN France can count on its network which includes close to 550 pan-European associations and thanks to its partners with their 700 universities network.