Stellenbosch University (SU) recently welcomed 232 exchange students for the new semester. This group forms part of more than 800 incoming exchange students for the year, which is the largest number of incoming exchange students since 2020.
This is according to Bantubonke Louw, programme manager of semester mobility at SU International.
The increase can be attributed to relaxed Covid-19 restrictions, increased internationalisation activities, and “a continued focus on creating a transformative student experience”, said Louw via email correspondence with MatieMedia.
“The team at Stellenbosch University (SU) International continues to explore new and innovative ways of enlarging SU’s global footprint through our comprehensive internationalisation activities,” said Bantubonke Louw, programme manager of semester mobility at SU International. PHOTO: Connor Cogill
From the tarmac to Stellies streets
Locals have been “open, enthusiastic, and welcoming”, said Anna Petram, an exchange student from the Netherlands who arrived on 9 July.
“I’m really looking forward to having more of a local experience,” said Petram. “We’ve been with other international students, which is really fun, but I really want to know something more about the local cultures as well.”
Gina Hobbs, an exchange student from the United Kingdom, said she is most excited to travel and see the country, and to learn politics from a South African perspective.
“It’s really interesting to learn politics in South Africa compared to the UK,” said Hobbs. “I am excited for my course and, also, to watch the rugby.”
“I saw [SU] has an exchange programme, and I was Googling it – the sun, the sea, the mountain and everything. And I was like, ‘This sounds perfect. This looks really fun’,” said Gina Hobbs, an exchange student from the United Kingdom. Pictured are her fellow exchange students, Anna Petram and Ties Küpers from the Netherlands. PHOTO: Connor Cogill
Internationalising education
The student mobility programme at SU plays a key role in internationalising the university, according to Martin Viljoen, SU spokesperson.
However, the number of outgoing exchange students from SU is not proportional to the number of incoming exchange students, said Louw. There are a number of reasons for this, such as limited funding opportunities and “specific curriculum requirements”, he explained.
“To cater for these [SU] students, we have other internationalisation opportunities, such as outgoing summer or winter school programmes, short programmes, the SU International annual winter school, and other internationalisation@home options,” said Louw.
Internationalisation@home offers opportunities such as the Global Citizen short course and an international summer school programme hosted in Stellenbosch, according to the SU International website.
Some of the countries Stellenbosch University (SU) welcomes exchange students from include Austria, Belgium, Benin, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. This is according to Bantubonke Louw, programme manager of semester mobility at SU International. PHOTO: Connor Cogill
Banking on mobility
The resumption of full face-to-face learning and teaching with all SU students, including exchange students, provides for “a vibrant campus community that contributes to a transformative student experience”, said Viljoen.
“We anticipate that [international] student numbers will gradually increase over time,” Louw added. “It is also our continued goal to be able to provide outgoing study abroad opportunities to more SU students.”