SGGW Student elected the Vice President of the ESN Poland Board
When and how did you join ESN?
During my first year at university, I participated in the Mentor Programme organized by ESN SGGW. Every term, the incoming students can register for the programme and ESN ‘allocates’ SGGW students to help with organizational issues before and during their arrival and to be their support at the beginning of the term, in particular. In my second year, I took part in a one-year mobility programme myself and upon my return I decided to join ESN.
What is your role in the ESN SGGW?
Initially, I helped to organize events, such as Orientation Week, Eurodinner, and trips to Zakopane or Krakow, as well as many other cities. A few months later, in June 2021, I was elected President of ESN SGGW. Then, my duties also included staying in touch with the International Relations Office, WePoint and the University authorities, collaborating with other ESNs in Warsaw (currently, in Warsaw itself, ESN operates at eight universities), coordinating the work of the entire Board and promoting mobility among SGGW students. As Chair of the Board, I was also given numerous occasions to participate in national and international conventions and conferences, e.g. in Budapest and Maribor, where I represented ESN SGGW and ESN Poland.
What opportunities does international student cooperation offer?
First of all, it provides an opportunity to meet amazing people from all over the world, and thus discover the cultures of different countries, make friends or improve your language skills. I am currently on my second university exchange, this time in Croatia, and it is my best study experience.
You have been elected Vice President of the ESN Board – what are the major challenges you will face?
As Vice President of the ESN Poland Board, I will be involved in the support and development of local Sections within our Network, such as ESN SGGW. Currently, there are 29 ESN Sections nationwide, whose members do their best to support foreign students and promote international cooperation. Furthermore, my responsibilities also include administration, as well as taking care of the volunteers’ development, including organizing training courses and national conferences.
How do you intend to involve students in international projects and encourage them to participate in mobility programmes?
All the activities that ESN Poland members undertake are aimed at promoting exchange programmes. We run a group called “Student Mobility with Erasmus+”, which gathers both people who have already taken part in an exchange programme and those interested in mobility, making it an excellent platform to find answers to all sorts of questions and to compare experiences. We are also interested in promoting other types of mobilities, hence the group has introduced the ‘Internship Database’ or Webinars where Erasmus+ participants share their experiences. Furthermore, we organize campaigns to promote exchange programmes on social media. Also at our university, ESN focuses on promoting international projects. Every year, we organize events addressed to SGGW students, whom we want to encourage to participate in mobility and inform them about the various opportunities.
What challenges can you see regarding international cooperation in the light of cultural and linguistic diversity among students?
Certainly, linguistic differences may be an obstacle when applying to take part in mobility programmes or attending events for international students, but I see this diversity as an opportunity for development, and I would like to inspire others to do the same.
Which initiatives will you adopt to promote international cooperation among students who do not participate in exchange programmes?
Such initiatives are already in progress and I would like them to be continued. Each year, there are #ErasmusDays – a European Commission initiative to promote mobility. As the ESN we have always supported this initiative and for several days events and campaigns related to the promotion of mobility have been organized at universities all over Poland. At SGGW, we hosted events such as the Erasmus Café, during which former exchange participants talked about their experiences. Together with the International Relations Office, we also organize meetings for those interested in going on a mobility trip, and we also run a Facebook group ‘Erasmus+ at SGGW’, which operates similarly to the ‘Student Mobility with Erasmus+’ group I have already mentioned before.
How do you see the role of the ESN in shaping the attitudes of the SGGW academic community concerning international students?
Our events are open to everyone and are often attended by people from outside ESN, which gives a chance to integrate SGGW students with international students. Also, the Mentor Programme, which I have previously mentioned, is open to the entire SGGW community and provides an excellent chance to get to know our organization and the students who visit us.
Have you got any ideas for the use of social media to promote international projects and communicate with the international student community?
Social media is a very important tool used by the local sections and ESN Poland. They allow us to promote our events, show what we do daily and contact foreign students even before they come to Poland.
Finally, I would like to thank you for giving me a chance to introduce the ESN and the opportunities offered by SGGW as part of international cooperation!
Natalia Stasiowska, Zootechnics, second degree studies.