Welcome Celebration for International Students

On the sunny 5th September, the International Relations and Study Centre (IRSC) team greeted the first-year-students of 2021-2022. In the invitation, three words were mentioned: MEET. TASTE. EXPLORE, which suggested the three parts of the event. 
During the celebratory meeting, the Dean of IRSC Prof. Ingrida Janulevičienė congratulated the students for having joined a large international student community. This year, the already large LSMU international student family was expanded further with 348 first-year-students from 48 countries. Also 85 ERASMUS exchange programme students have arrived at the LSMU from 12 countries, they have chosen to study at LSMU for either one or two semesters. With music playing, the students could MEET the staff of the IRSC team, other students, mentors and ask their many pressing questions.

At the inner court of LSMU decorated with the flags of the firs-year-students’ countries’ flags, the students were introduced to the Lithuanian food: cold beet soup, cepelinai (potato dumplings), šakotis (a cake cooked on a rotating spit) and kvass. This is how the second part of the event – TASTE was delivered. First-year-students bravely tried the Lithuanian dishes and rejoiced in having discovered new flavours.

In the third part of the event – EXPLORE, the students were invited to take part in orienteering activities, where they had to find famous objects and places in Kaunas, this way getting to know the city where their academic journey begins. The three teams who completed the tasks the fastest and most precisely received LSMU souvenirs.

By organising events each year, we increasingly feel their value and see just how significant is the student integration, as well as how satisfaction with the university increases academic achievements. By getting involved in shared activities, students feel as members of the community, willingly take on voluntary activities – contribute to mentor, ambassador and other group initiatives, this way joining into the life of the University and the city even more. At the end of the event, Prof. Ingrida Janulevičienė wished everyone to be creative and active members of the LSMU community, to join as many extra-curricular activities, sports clubs, so that their study period would be fully-fledged and exciting.