The University of Algarve began another academic year with around 800 new international students, who were welcomed by the International Relations and Mobility Office (GRIM) of the University of Algarve, «with a program full of informative, recreational and cultural activities».
In the welcome session, Saúl de Jesus, vice-rector of the UAlg, highlighted “the multiculturality that exists in this Academy, providing an extraordinary context for the learning and personal development of these students”.
Students came from countries such as Colombia, Ecuador, Israel, Morocco, Algeria, Mexico, Costa Rica, China, Vietnam, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Philippines, USA, Brazil, South Africa, Spain, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Poland , Czech Republic, Italy, Romania, Slovenia, Lithuania, among others, in a total of 50 different nationalities, where, according to UAlg, students from Brazil stand out.
In addition to logistical support, «these two weeks of welcome included welcome sessions, with several visits to the Historic Center and the Municipal Museum of Faro, boat trips along the Ria Formosa, a visit to Zoomarine, and the cities of Vila Real de Santo António, Silves and Vila do Bispo», says the University of Algarve.
Within the scope of the SIAC project: Algarve Is Our Campus – Study and Research in Algarve, co-financed by the Algarve Regional Operational Program – CRESC Algarve 2020, through the Support System for Collective Actions – Internationalization, new international students also had the opportunity to experience Algarve gastronomy, through a welcome lunch and dinner, sponsored by the aforementioned project.
UAlg also highlights «another important moment that marked these weeks of welcome» which was the inauguration of the Nucleus of Brazilian Students of the Academic Association of the University of Algarve (NEBRAUAlg), whose president is Roberto Chiodelli, a PhD student in Psychology.
This Nucleus thus comes to «strengthen the reception of new Brazilian students, who, in addition to the Portuguese, are the most represented nationality at UAlg».
In addition to UAlg volunteers, the welcoming program also had the support of the Municipal Councils of Faro, Silves, Vila do Bispo and Vila Real de Santo António, from the Algarve Tourism Region and Zoomarine.
According to the latest official data provided by the General Directorate of Education and Science Statistics (DGEEC), for the 2016/17 school year, UAlg registers the third highest percentage of students with foreign nationality, with 16,1 %. The national average is 11,9%.
In the current academic year, UAlg forecasts that more than 1600 foreign students will study at the Algarve academy, which will exceed 20% of the total number of students enrolled.
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