More than 350 newly-enrolled international students get to know RSU and Latvia

RSU just held Orientation Week for newly-enrolled international and exchange students who will commence their studies in various disciplines at the University next week. Orientation Week is designed to help new students settle in to university life and Latvia.

The aim of Orientation Week is to familiarise new students with the study process, e-environment and library, various student organisations, life in Riga, cross-cultural and other matters. The newly-enrolled students are offered an extensive social programme – a trip to Rundāle Palace, traditional Latvian cuisine tasting, a movie night, museum trips and a range of other activities.

This semester, more than 300 full-time international students will join RSU’s student community, 252 of them are admitted to the study programme in medicine, whereas 40 students will study dentistry. International students will also be enrolled in the Bachelor’s study programme Nursing and the Master’s study programmes Rehabilitation, Social Work with Children and Youth and Health Management.

The newly-enrolled students represent 28 countries. International students from European countries make up the greatest percentage of the overall newly-enrolled student body: 43 % come from Germany, 18 % - Sweden, 9 % - Finland and 8 % - Norway. The largest proportion of third-country nationals are from India (4 %) and Israel (3 %).

This semester RSU welcomes also 52 Erasmus+ exchange students from RSU’s partner universities in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, France and other countries. 27 of them are planning to enrol in healthcare study courses, while  25 students will study social sciences.

 “We are delighted to welcome students from many different countries. They are highly motivated. I am amazed by their prior educational, personal and professional accomplishments. My colleagues and I are pleased to see that there is a growing interest by international students in other healthcare fields. Already last semester, in addition to medical and dentistry students, we admitted international students to our nursing and public health programmes of study,” said Baiba Pētersone, Director of RSU’s International Department.

Orientation Week is organised by the International Department, with the support of other University structural units, the International Students’ Association (ISA) and the Student Union. For their special contributions to the Orientation Week programme, the International Department expresses its gratitude to RSU Rector Prof. Aigars Pētersons, Director of the Institute of Medicine Prof. Juris Salaks, Dean of the International Student Department Smuidra Žermanos and the string quartet B-Sharp.