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Buddy programme NSM

Radboud University welcomes a growing number of students each year. We would like each and every one of you to feel at home at our university and in Nijmegen from the first day you set foot on our campus until the day you graduate. The past years taught us that student support is more important than ever. Students who are new at our faculty as well as senior students who feel they could use some additional guidance, can ask for a buddyIf you are a senior student who enjoys helping others, you can become a buddy.

Below you can find more information about how you can ask for a buddy or become a buddy, and what agreements might apply.

  1. I want to be assigned a buddy
  2. I want to be a buddy
  3. Joint agreements

I want to be assigned a buddy

  • You are new at Radboud University and you need some extra guidance from a fellow student. This could be for several reasons.
  • You are also welcome to request a buddy if you are a senior student at Radboud University.
  • It is up to you to decide if you need a buddy. For example, this could be because you are new in the Netherlands or in Nijmegen, if you have a disability, if your personal life is difficult, or if you are having difficulty establishing or maintaining new relationships.
  • A buddy is a senior student who will be assigned to you and support you in your transition to living and studying in Nijmegen. The buddy can help you with practical matters such as understanding the timetables and finding your way on campus. The buddy is also there to listen and to help you find your way in social and cultural life.
  • A buddy is not a counsellor.

I want to be a buddy

  • You are a senior student at the faculty and you enjoy showing fellow students around in practical, social, and cultural life. You also like the idea of doing something for others. In times like these, you know you are needed!
  • You have your own life in order and are reliable and mindful in your interactions.
  • You are able to communicate, listen well, and connect with the other person.
  • Being a buddy enriches your life: you learn to see the university and studying and living in Nijmegen from a different perspective.
  • At the end of the academic year you will receive a certificate as confirmation of your participation in the buddy programme.
  • Please note: in some cases, your buddy-student will not be physically present as they might be following their courses virtually. Your interaction with your buddy will then be virtual as well.

Joint agreements

  • The faculty tries to find a good match between the buddy and the buddy seeker. In any case, your –specific study programme will be taken into account. If there are not enough buddies to assign to all students individually, then, in exceptional cases, buddy groups will be formed.
  • The faculty has a contact person who you can contact with any questions you may have via buddy@fm.ru.nl.
  • When you get to know each other, make arrangements together about what you can ask of each other and what you can offer. Examples are:
    • how to keep in touch (e.g. WhatsApp);
    • frequency of contact (e.g. weekly, monthly, as needed);
    • nature of the contact (working out together, catching up, meeting up for coffee, going to the museum together, etc.);
    • when to evaluate – be honest with each other during the evaluation.
  • A buddy is never a replacement for a student advisor, mentor, or psychologist. The buddy can listen, can advise you, and knows which channels are available at the university.
  • A buddy is a volunteer, so you are not paid for it. The faculty will make sure that you are aware of fun activities and places of interest that you could visit together. These might be accessible, and often discounted, activities held by student organisations or by the university itself.

This buddy programme is open to all students with primary enrolment at the Nijmegen School of Management. Students from other faculties can turn to their own degree programme.