SALSA'M buddies, 2023-2024 academic year
Application form.
Introduction
The Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), through the Office of the Vice-Rector for University Policy and the Office of the Vice-Rector for Teaching Policy, has issued a call for students who wish to participate in the SALSA'M buddy programme, which provides academic, linguistic and sociocultural support for mobility students, during the 2022-2023 academic year.
The programme, which assists in the reception of international students, is coordinated by the Language and Terminology Service (SLT) and a team of coordinators. It is organised in collaboration with the International and Corporate Relations Bureau (GRIE), the EEABB, the EEBE, the EETAC, the ESEIAAT, the ETSAB, the ETSECCPB, the ETSETB, the FIB, the FOOT and the ETSAV.
Aim
The aim of the SALSA'M programme is to offer international students who come to the UPC personal support by local students who, in acting as buddies or mentors, help them to integrate academically, establish relationships with local students, get to know their way around and practise languages.
Prospective applicants
The call is aimed at bachelor's degree students at the EEABB, the EEBE, the EETAC, the ESEIAAT, the ETSAB, the ETSECCPB, the ETSETB, the FIB, the FOOT and the ETSAV who are interested in student mobility and who want to interact with students from other parts of the world, learn about other cultures, practise languages, acquire intercultural skills and have an enriching experience that is recognised by the UPC with ECTS credits and as a merit in mobility calls.
If master's degree students are interested in participating in the programme, their applications will be accepted and reviewed.
Requisites
Students who wish to participate in the SALSA'M programme must fulfil the following requisites:
- They must be enrolled in a bachelor's degree at the EEABB, the EEBE, the EETAC, the ESEIAAT, the ETSAB, the ETSECCPB, the ETSETB, the FIB, the FOOT and the ETSAV, when they apply AND while they are participating in the programme.
- They must have passed the initial stage.
No documents need to be submitted proving the above, as the information will be checked internally in the student’s academic record.
Academic recognition
Bachelor's degree students who participate in the SALSA’M programme may apply to have 3 ECTS credits recognised within the culture, sports, solidarity, cooperation and student representation pathway if the assessment is favourable.
Participation in the programme also counts as a merit in a mobility application, if the school is in agreement.
Duration
The mentoring period lasts one semester, although most of the activities take place during the first few weeks.
Work load and tasks
The buddy programme is coordinated by the SLT and a team of coordinators that is in charge of overseeing the work of mentors, training them and supporting them in everything they need.
Mentors have a work load of 50 on-site hours and 25 hours of training and self-directed work, which are spread out over approximately 10 weeks.
Each mentor is assigned a maximum of two international students, depending on the school's needs. Mentors will be expected to carry out the following tasks in collaboration with the team of coordinators:
- They must attend the training session that will take place during the last two weeks in June or the first two weeks in July, depending on the school.
- They must contact the students assigned to them by e-mail before they arrive at the UPC and respond to any concerns they may have.
- They must receive the students when they arrive.
- They must help them with any issues relating to accommodation.
- They must introduce them to the school's facilities and help them to access general services (reception, photocopying, libraries, computer rooms, etc.).
- They must help them to become familiar with the way the school works academically (assessment system, academic calendar, exams, e-Secretaria, Atenea, etc.).
- They must provide guidance on life in the city (neighbourhoods, transport, prices, opening hours, opening a bank account, dealing with mobile network operators, etc.).
- They must assist them with administrative and academic issues (group changes, problems with timetables, queries, lecture notes, reading lists, etc.).
- They must participate in the programme's social and cultural exchange activities (speedfriending, city tours, sports activities, a dinner featuring dishes from around the world, etc.).
- They must participate in the programme's language practice activities (Catalan practice, Spanish practice, language exchange, etc.).
- They must submit a final report on their mentoring experience.
Participating schools
In this first semester, the participating schools are the EEABB, the EEBE, the EETAC, the ESEIAAT, the ETSAB, the ETSECCPB, the ETSETB, the FIB, the FOOT and the ETSAV. Mentors will be assigned international students from their school.
Assessment and certification
Assessment is based on attendance at the programme's activities, follow-up questionnaires on Atenea and a final report.
The SLT awards a certificate to students whose assessment is satisfactory and processes the recognition of credits so that they can be added to the student's academic record. However, students must submit an application for credit recognition at the office of the school's academic secretary.
Submission of applications
Students must apply to participate in the SALSA'M programme by filling in this form.
Deadline
The period for submitting applications begins the day after this notice is published and ends July.
Resolution
The SLT and the team of coordinators will review the applications once the period for submitting them has ended. The resolution will be published on the website and the programme's mentors will be notified by e-mail.
Training session
Students chosen as mentors must attend a compulsory training session to be held at the UPC in September, depending on the school.
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