A traditional taste of Belgium for 56 new Erasmus arrivals
Some are here for six months, others for a whole year, from Europe (Erasmus), Belgium (Erasmus Belgica) or other continents, and they have set their hearts on IHECS to begin their exchange programme in English or French. 56 of them took part in the Integration Week held from 31 August to 4 September. The programme includes tours, gastronomy, culture and history, all with a friendly and welcoming atmosphere.
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| Visite du Parlement |
Some fun before getting down to work...
IHECS put together a week of Belgian activities for future students in order to break the ice before the start of classes: for starters, the obligatory 'French fries' accompanied by a beer, a tour of the city of Brussels, and meal in the national colours made up of meatballs in tomato sauce and a chocolate éclair, for main course an introduction to the history of Belgium, its cultural characteristics, Europe and the Belgian media. And for dessert, a tour of the Parlamentarium, the Parliament and the Magritte museum as well as a 'Toone' show in the evening. And to finish off, the icing on the cake: a tour of the RTBF (the French-speaking state radio and television broadcaster).
The menu was a great success with these 'diners', as it allowed them to loosen their tongues and get to know each other in a relaxed setting.
A real success
The number of candidates has quite simply doubled in a year (compared with 2014 when there were 35 participants in the programme). This can mainly be explained by the positive experience shared by students from previous years when they went home, but also due to the increasing amount of courses given in English at IHECS, which made it possible to attract more students. Half of the students who enrolled this year chose this option.
In & out
While we host our guests, 141 of our students will embark upon their own adventure at one of our 73 partner institutions. All we need to do now is wish them bon voyage! Have a nice trip! Buon viaggio! ¡ Buen viaje ! 一路平安…