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Overseas Students' Orientation Course

Earlier this year an article appeared in Salient dealing with the Overseas Student at Victoria, and the success and shortcomings of the Summer School held last vacation. The Summer School held in February of this year was organised by External Affairs in conjunction with the Department of English and the Students' Association. It attempted to combine instruction in English, lectures on New Zealand life and culture, and social contact between Overseas and New Zealand students.

Next vacation the Students' Association will organise a course known as the "Overseas Students' Orientation Course." Emphasis will be solely on the presentation of New Zealand ways of lift and the providing of means for a friendly and understanding meeting between the New Zealand and overseas student.

The Course will be held at Victoria between February 6 and 17, 1961. It will be divided into two parts. From Monday, February 6 to Friday, February 10, five lectures will be given on New Zealand life and mannerisms. These lectures will be given in the morning. Discussions will follow. Two visits will be organised to places of public interest. Two socials will be held, one a dance and the other a concert. A camp will be held at Akatarawa between Monday, February 13 and Friday, February 17.

The Course will be open to Colombo Plan students, and private students from Asia and the Pacific, and New Zealand students. It is hoped that students from the other universities will attend. All freshers are to live at Weir House for the duration of the Course. Because of the necessity to avoid excessive cost other students, including non-freshers from other universities, will live in board of their own choosing.

The total cost for the Course for those students living at Weir will be £8. For those students not living at Weir the cost will be £4. However, it is hoped that appeals to benevolent organisations will mean a reduction in this charge.

Victoria is showing considerable initiative, and undertaking a large responsibility, in running this Course. There is no doubt of the difficulty faced by the Overseas Student during his first few weeks stay in New Zealand. If this difficulty is not examined and a solution attempted then the Overseas Student's examination chances and appreciation of New Zealand life and thought are seriously prejudiced. An Overseas Student arriving in New Zealand must, in a very short period of time, ease himself into a completely new social groove. It is felt that such a course as outlined above will provide a basis for solving the Overseas Students' initial difficulty regarding orientation.

It is therefore necessary for as many New Zealand students as possible to attend this Course and help the Overseas Students with the problems they will meet in adjusting themselves to life in a new country. Application forms for the Overseas Students' Orientation Course are now available at the Students' Association Office in the Little Theatre Building.