The number of international students enrolled at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Debrecen is growing year by year. In the current academic year, which has just begun, almost a thousand students are pursuing their studies here, 323 of whom are freshers.
Faculty staff members offered the English-language Orientation Day primarily for first-year students coming from abroad. The main objective of the one-day program was to facilitate the navigation amidst the mandatory university administrative procedures for international students.
Dénes Kocsis, Head of the Department of Environmental Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering, detailed how the students of this faculty are primarily united by a shared interest in technology.
- It does not matter whether we discuss vehicles, machines, robots, buildings, structures, the environment, or management techniques. In all of these academic fields, the common thread is that we believe in using technology to solve problems either for the benefit of individuals or, more broadly, for the benefit of society- said Associate Professor Dénes Kocsis.
The head of the Department of Environmental Engineering underlined that the students starting their studies now had arrived in Debrecen at an exceptionally favorable point in time, since quite a number of major infrastructure upgrades at the faculty have been completed just recently.
Three of the staff members from the International Office responsible for academic affairs at the Faculty of Engineering gave a general briefing to the students on various administrative procedures at the International Office and specifically on issues like when to contact departmental administrators and when it is advisable to visit the Coordinating Center for International Education.
They also provided a detailed overview of the Neptun system, called the students’ attention to the importance of course prerequisites and gave an overview of the information available at the faculty’s website (https://eng.unideb.hu/) as well as at the university’s main website (https://unideb.hu/), including topics such as where to find official forms, timetables for specific degree programs, course descriptions and details regarding the organizational structure.
All the way through the orientation process, particular emphasis was put on the importance of mental health. Participating students could learn about the activities conducted at the Mental Health and Equal Opportunities Center of the University of Debrecen and were informed, among other things, about who they could confidently turn to and when in the event of homesickness or other related difficulties.
Bits and pieces of useful practical information regarding daily life were also offered. It was Md Saif Samad Shanto, President of the International Student Union (which represents the foreign students at our university) who shared his personal experiences regarding topics like housing options in Debrecen and local restaurants.
On top of all the useful information made available, the organizers also presented each of the participants of this year’s Orientation Day with welcome packages.
Press Center – OCs