The International University of Opole
This is a groundbreaking year – since October 2017 the students will be studying in English at at least 6 programmes – apart from the philologies. Besides the accelerators of internationalization that have already been at work earlier: Europa Master, English in Public Communication and Intercultural Communication (MA in Sociology) – a few new programmes are launching this year at the university: Polish Studies (Bachelor’s programme in Philology), Sustainable Development (Master’s programme in Economics) and Palaeobiology (Master’s programme in Biology). The recruitment for the Bachelor’s programme in Economics – International Business, is still open. Naturally, English Philology is also fully taught in English: at the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree. Moreover, the Faculty of Philology runs a doctoral programme English language and literature. All the programmes are still accepting new students, as foreigners are enrolled beyond the quota.
Moreover, the English for Academic Purposes preparatory course – “the zero year” – is launching for the first time in the history of the University of Opole. It has been designed for those who need to prepare to studying in English.
Presently, 80 foreigners are registered and we are working on assembling their documents. This will also be a record-breaking year in terms of the number of nationalities of our students. Last year, mostly thanks to Intercultural Communication, the university has already been hosting an Indonesian, a Chinese, an Afghan, an Azeri and a pair of Bangladeshis. They have joined the group of Ukrainians, Belarusians, Georgians and Turks, who have been studying at the university for years. This year we are also expecting citizens of Nigeria, Uganda, Russia, Egypt or Pakistan.
Recruiting and assisting international students is also hard work.
International students require and demand a lot of attention and rapid response – they have to have enough time to go through the – often very time consuming – visa procedure. They need assistance even in issues which might seem instinctive to some, such as online registration or preparing and assembling their documents. They, moreover, expect to be advised on the choice of a study programme. The university is only beginning to implement solutions for the international students, so they still sometimes come across some technical problems, for example regarding the online university systems – relates Oksana Smolnikova of the Office for International Study Programmes – a section of the Department for Scientific Research and International Relations. The office is located in room 1 of the Niechcic Dormitory and deals with assisting and recruiting international students who (are to) study in English.
The range of programmes offered by the university is constantly widening – apart from the ones that will be opening this year, UO offers more. This year Biological Chemistry was not opened because of only a few persons interested in taking part in the programme. Moreover, Applied Gender Studies is currently in the process of becoming an specialization of another programme, hence the recruitment to the programme is on hiatus. More programmes in English are to be expected in the future.
Internalization is crucial for the university – says Dr. Michał Wanke, the coordinator of the office – we are building a multicultural, inspiring environment of studies in the multicultural Opole. Hence, our website and the brand of the enterprise is “Hello!” – we are open to the world, and here, in the centre of Europe, each of our students is in the centre of our attention. We are taking advantage of the most important assets of Opole: coziness and the central location, in order to build an international atmosphere. Our students have a whole world in their home – during the classes we discuss the issues of very distinct cultures having direct access to their representatives. Academic teachers can teach in English, which they use anyway when reading and publishing academic papers – because this is how the global science works. The students polish their language, almost automatically take part in mobilities and spend at least one semester of studies abroad.
The number of those interested in Erasmus+ mobilities is increasing. More and more students are coming – because there are courses for them to study in English. In the following year, another record will be beaten: many more than 200 mobility students will come to study at the UO from Belgium, Spain, Greece or Turkey, but also, thanks to the cooperation of the Office for International Study Programmes with the Erasmus office – outside of the EU: from Cambodia, Afghanistan, Iran, Israel, Serbia, Montenegro or Russia.
The recruitment for all the study programmes in English is still open. You can find more information on them at hello.uni.opole.pl/study and rekrutacja.uni.opole.pl.
![International Student’s Center Opened For Incoming Students](https://hello.uni.opole.pl/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Germany-Art-Project10.jpg)
International Student’s Center Opened For Incoming Students
Dear Incoming Students We are happy to inform you about the newly opened International Student's Center created specially for you. The International Student's Center was created to help you with any kinds of problems you will meet during your mobility under the...
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Students from Japan in workshops on gendered history of wars
The University of Opole hosted a group of Japanese students from our partner, the Kobe College. They have stayed in Opole from Friday to Monday, August 10 - 13 under the supervision of professor Yolanda Tsuda and were hosted by dr. Błażej Choroś of the Institute of...
![The second round of recruitment is still ongoing](https://hello.uni.opole.pl/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/10851807555_ec4f3586a2_k-1080x675.jpg)
The second round of recruitment is still ongoing
The second round of recruitment is still ongoing Registration for the study programme offered at the University of Opole is in full swing - starting from the July 14th you have an opportunity to sign up for a programme of your interest within the second round of...
![Summer University 2018 officialy opened](https://hello.uni.opole.pl/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/43419600982_d4ac8aeaac_k-1080x675.jpg)
Summer University 2018 officialy opened
Summer University 2018 After years of activity, following the tradition, University of Opole has prepared the Summer University for our colleagues from befriended foreign universities. 60 participants from China, Indonesia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan came to...
![Namedy Workshop 2018](https://hello.uni.opole.pl/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Germany-Art-Project5-1080x675.jpg)
Namedy Workshop 2018
Arts Based Reserach A group of students of social sciences from the University of Opole practiced conducting research based on art (art based research) analyzing the conceptual work of art students and attitudes towards the idea of the project Kunst in Park...
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Regular Measures
Alessandro Bosetti Performance Dear Students, Do you have plans for today's evening? The Contemporary Art Gallery has a great offer for you. We would like to invite you to the performance entiltled Regular Measures that will take place on June 15 at 9 pm at the...
![We need to know each other, so let’s meet!](https://hello.uni.opole.pl/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/IMG_20180607_152943-1080x675.jpg)
We need to know each other, so let’s meet!
We need to know each other, so let's meet! About Us We would like to invite you all to the event prepared by students of the Polish Studies Programme, at the Univeristy of Opole. The event will take place on June 11, 2018 at 6 p.m. at the Opole Foreign Language...
![Our students visited the Czech Republic](https://hello.uni.opole.pl/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC_0232-1080x675.jpg)
Our students visited the Czech Republic
Our trip to the Czech Republic On Monday, May 28 we took our students to the nearby Jeseniky mountains in the Czech Republic to create a great opportunity for different nationalities to mix and encounter each other. We departed from the Cervenohorske pass and hiked to...
![June Contact Seminar at the University of Opole](https://hello.uni.opole.pl/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/contact-seminar-1080x675.jpg)
June Contact Seminar at the University of Opole
June Contact Seminar University of Opole The University of Opole hosts a group of interesting international scholars this week, including professor Mahmood Sharepour, urban sociologist of the University of Mazandaran, Iran; dr. Ewelina Niemczyk education scholar at...
![Lectures on Iran and Turkey](https://hello.uni.opole.pl/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/iran-random-1080x675.jpg)
Lectures on Iran and Turkey
Dear students. This week we are hosting interesting professors from the Middle East at the Institute of Sociology. We invite you to join us this Friday, June 8. We will start at 10.00 with professor Gulbin Kiranoglu of Kocaeli University on cross cultural...