Introducing the International Student Team

Welcome to the blog where some of the secrets behind Wageningen University & Research’s events are uncovered! 🌟
Today, you’ll be introduced to the role and tasks of the International Student Team (IST), as well as the students behind it. You might have seen us at Open Days, chatted with us or seen us on Instagram, but what exactly do we do? Buckle up and let’s get straight into it!

What is the role of the International Student Team?

In the International Student Team, students assistants are among the driving forces behind many activities connected to the University. When you hear “student assistant”, you probably think of the well-known teacher assistants (aka: TAs). However, that is not the case with us – the student assistants in the IST! Our team is involved in all kinds of (promotional) activities for prospective (and sometimes current) students, making sure your journey is as memorable and smooth as possible.

Open days

You’re probably familiar with WUR holding the famous Open Days, where you get the chance to learn more about the University, student life in the city, and your programme of interest. There are two types: on campus ( Bachelor’s and Master’s) or online from the comfort of your home: Virtual Open Day. The IST student assistants help with WUR’s Open Days by presenting the student life in the University and the city, their study programmes, answering questions (live and via chat), and other organisational tasks.

Q&As and Webinars

We, as assistants, are hosting some of the webinars where various topics are discussed. There’s an upcoming one, where you’ll hear all you need to know before coming to WUR if you’re already accepted. Make sure you don’t miss it if you’re coming to Wageningen this September! 😉

IST blogs and Newsletter

The Student Blogs are fully run by the International Student Team! As you can see, I am currently one of the student assistants writing the blogs.😇 So, I guarantee you’ll find aaaall kinds of topics – from education and application to leisure and student life for both Bachelor’s and Master’s students! Make sure to check all of them out on our IST blog page.
Also, the newsletters are a quick and easy way to stay up-to-date and learn something new about WUR’s vibrant culture and life. You can either subscribe as a prospective (and hopefully future) bachelor’s or master’s student.

Instagram page

In collaboration with the Social Media Management Team, the International Student Team is behind the @uniwageningen Instagram account. Some of our members have the creative “duties” of making new engaging posts and stories such as Q&As, funny and relatable student life reels, informational videos, you name it.💡

Unibuddy and Goin’

All of us are ambassadors on the Unibuddy and Goin’ platforms, where prospective students can contact us for anything related to the University or simply when they want to chat with someone studying their future programme. Engaging with all of you, future students, the connection between you and the University is created and better integration is fostered since you now know all the tips and tricks😉!

Other tasks

There’s more! Sometimes we participate in photo and video shoots for the University, or if a new fun event idea comes up, the student assistants are there for “reinforcement”.😁

 

Meet the International Student Team Members

Now, after you are familiar with our responsibilities, let’s talk about who we are!
The International Student Team is currently divided into two teams: the Blogs team and the Social Media team. Each has its own duties corresponding to the field of work, however, we all contribute to the tasks listed above.

 

Margaréta 🧵
She’s the double agent of the Blogs and Social Media teams! 😎

• Background and Why WUR?: Margaréta is from Slovakia, and the story leading her to Wageningen is quite interesting: “I did an Erasmus exchange during my Bc studies in the Netherlands and loved it! And since WUR is the best Agricultural uni in the world, it was an easy choice :)”
• Hidden talent: “I wear it almost every day, so not so hidden, but I make most of my clothes :)” I was so surprised when I found out. How cool is that?!
• Favourite WUR tradition/event: “Lunch concerts in Impulse – Every few weeks, there is live music at Impulse that you can enjoy during your lunch break!”
• Favourite spot in Wageningen: “I love the forest, where I go for long walks and to forage herbs and wild fruit.”
• Bucket list goal: “I want to go cycling around Texel island this summer.” As someone who went last summer – GO! It was so pretty with the beach and the dunes with purple bushes (heathers). A forever favourite! (leaving some pictures below)
• Advice for new students: “Don’t be too hard on yourself and give yourself some breathing space. Research what support there is beforehand, so if you find yourself in a tough spot, you know who to contact.”

 

Blogs Team

Devi 📸

• Background and Why WUR?: Coming all the way from India, Devi is currently in her first year of a Master’s in Food Quality Management, captivated by the diversity and the acceptance of the Netherlands towards international collaboration, as well as the beauty of the country itself!
• Hidden talent: “Photography.” I do confirm this, as good as a professional! 😉
• Favourite WUR tradition/event: The BBQs outside Forum. “This is a tradition I absolutely love at Wageningen! It’s usually organised by student and study associations. As soon as the sun comes out, you’ll find groups of students gathering on the grass, grilling food, playing music, and just enjoying life together.”
• Favourite spot in Wageningen: “Near Emmapark, there’s a small valley – a perfect spot for a peaceful nature escape. And of course, the Arboretum! I would say it is the hidden beauty of Wageningen and a perfect treat for my camera.😁” I would recommend those two with two hands!
• Bucket list goal: “Positano, Italy – a perfect place to enjoy both the nature and the architecture all at once.”
• Advice for new students: “Connection is Key! Whether it’s through sports, cultural events, international groups or student initiatives, building connections is one of the most valuable parts of your time in Wageningen.” Devi is absolutely right for this one, and luckily, this goes with ease in Wageningen since there are a lot of events organised all the time, and you can freely join with friends!
  You guys are lucky because she decided to share some extra tips with you:
  “Step out of your comfort zone. Explore, participate and engage! The more you connect with people from different backgrounds and interests, the richer your experience will be both personally and professionally. So don’t hold back. Say yes to that event, that club or that spontaneous bike ride with someone new! Wageningen is what you make of it!”

 

Samir 🏞️

• Background and Why WUR?: Samir is an Azerbaijani and is studying a Master’s in Urban Environmental Management. His story is similar to that of Margaréta’s: “I did my exchange during my Bachelor’s and realised that this is where I want to study and live.”
• Hidden talent: “Not sure if it’s a talent but I can do a plank for more than 4 mins (worked hard on it hahah).” That’s a talent for sure if you ask me..crazy impressive!
• Favourite WUR tradition/event: “Volleyball during lunch break – almost every day when we had lunch breaks, we would eat first and play near the campus together.”🏐
• Favourite spot in Wageningen: “The park near Rijnveste is one of my favourite spots to take a walk, unwind, play games or simply exist!”
• Bucket list goal: “I wanted to hike somewhere beautiful! Since it was on my bucket list, I acted upon it: going to Slovenia for a proper nature exploration.” Sounds exciting, I love hiking too!
• Advice for new students: “Explore as much as you can! The good thing about being in Wageningen is that nobody will criticise nor judge your interests and they will instead support you whenever you need it. If you feel curious about something, just do it!”

Zlatoslava 🥗

• Background and Why WUR?: Heyy, I’m the one writing this blog! I’m from Bulgaria and always loved travelling and exploring. But only doing so wasn’t enough for me, so I decided I wanted to experience what living abroad is. WUR’s Food Technology programme and reputation caught my interest, so I gave it a shot! Until now, I don’t regret a single bit of it!
• Hidden talent: I consider myself a really crafty person, so with enough time, I can make things like jewellery from scrap materials
• Favourite WUR tradition/event: Honestly, I couldn’t agree more with Ilaria (see below in “Social Media Team”) about the Summervibes festival! I went with friends and had soo much fun, even lost my voice near the end hahah.
• Favourite spot in Wageningen: The Rhine!! It is very therapeutic and a nice escape spot where you can go with friends, have snacks and watch the sunset. 🌅
• Bucket list goal: I’m going on exchange to Japan this September, and one of my biggest wishes is to travel around the whole of Japan as much as possible (aaand possibly the neighbouring countries)!
• Advice for new students: It will be okay, don’t stress! It took me quite a lot of time to adjust fully, and I think that was the reason I couldn’t enjoy every moment to the max. Now..I’m not saying this will be the case with everyone. However, try to relax, ask for help when needed, meet people and make friends, with whom you can go out, travel and explore.

Social Media Team

George 🪴

• Background and Why WUR?: He’s a fellow Slavic from Belarus! George chose to do his Master’s in Biobased Sciences at Wageningen University since it is the best place to study Biotechnology and Agrotechnology.🧪
• Hidden talent: “Gardening, haha! My hands are very green, I can save almost any plant from dying!” Ah, good to knoww. Next time I need help with my plants, I’ll hit you up!😆
• Favourite WUR tradition/event: “Cosy Friday nights in the dormitory, we are having drinks, playing board games, and just chilling!” He’s right! Sometimes, those are the best types of nights.
• Favourite spot in Wageningen: “Right south of Wageningen, between city and Rhine! There are a lot of nature paths, blackberry bushes and cows. I have even befriended some of them xdd”
• Bucket list goal: “Exploring the north of the Netherlands, especially the seaside.”
• Advice for new students: “Always ask if something is not clear or confusing. We are here to help you! Listen to your body and limits, working hard is important, and resting well is crucial too.
  Don’t panic if you fail an exam, everyone does it, you are not alone. Prepare for your classes beforehand: read literature, watch videos, and do some exercises. And don’t forget to have fun in the meantime: your studies are important, but you are young now and it is probably the best time of your life!”
  Make sure you read that twice!😉

Ilaria 🌿

• Background and Why WUR?: She’s from Italy (where I’m currently writing this blog from hehe) and she’s doing her Master’s in Urban Environmental Management, due to her passion for environmental well-being and strong desire to dive deep into the research world.
• Hidden talent: “Doing ceramics.” I love that one, so cool and creative!
• Favourite WUR tradition: The “Summervibes” festival, which is organised near the end of each academic year to bring students together and celebrate. “It was a unique experience I hadn’t had on a university campus before, there was even a carousel!” – she shares.
• Favourite spot in Wageningen: “Droevendaal, where I live, is pretty amazing. Although I really like the windmill in the city, it has to be a favourite spot of mine!”
• Bucket list goal: doing a multi-day bike backpacking trip
• Advice for new students: “Don’t be afraid to ask! The community in and outside of the University is always ready to help in any way :)”
  From my side, I completely agree with Ilaria! Ask, ask, ask! You will have a lot of questions, especially in the first weeks and months, which is completely normal and expected. So, don’t wander alone, let us give you a hand! ☺️

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Aand it’s a wrap! I hope you got new insights into the International Student Team and satisfied your curiosity getting to know the Team.😄

Lastly, don’t forget – International Student Team: always at your service!🙌

See you around,
Zlatoslava