Internationalisation

Strengthening student support: exchange of ideas with ULB’s International Services

At the University of Glasgow, meaningful global partnerships play a key role in strengthening the international student experience. Through the International Experience Fund, David Schiftan, Assistant International Student Adviser, had the opportunity to explore how another European university supports belonging, wellbeing, and inclusion for its international community. 

Discovering the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)

When considering where to focus an international collaboration visit, the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) stood out as a dynamic and innovative partner. As a fellow member of the CIVIS European University Alliance, ULB has developed a strong reputation for inclusive student support, multilingual communication, and effective cross-service collaboration.

ULB has a similar student population size to University of Glasgow, so David thought it will be useful to see how they manage the size of this with regards to the support services they provide to students.

A warm welcome and deep professional exchange

Upon arrival, David was welcomed by colleagues across ULB’s international services. Over three days, he followed a carefully curated programme that offered both breadth and depth of insight. Highlights included:

• Meeting the International Welcome Desk, a centralised one-stop service supporting visas, integration, and student communications.
• Shadowing their Social Service and learning about financial, legal, and wellbeing support.
• Observing Registration Services, including ULB’s electronic student card and user-friendly onboarding tools.
• A visit to the Refugee Welcome Desk, offering dedicated pathways for asylum-seeking and refugee students.
• Discussions with CIVIS and PolyCIVIS teams about civic engagement, EU projects, and academic collaboration.

A standout moment was ULB’s flagship wellbeing initiative, "Fighting November Blues." This week-long programme combined workshops, wellbeing talks, creative activities, and ESN-led social events to support students during the darker, pre-exam period.

A catalyst for new ideas

"Seeing how ULB brings together wellbeing, inclusion, and community-building gave me new ideas for how we can support students back in Glasgow. Their approach to multilingual communication and cross-service coordination really stood out."

The visit proved to be a source of inspiration. Since returning, David has already used what he learned to shape thinking around:

• Developing a Glasgow version of a pre-exam wellbeing series.
• Exploring multilingual communication options for international students.
• Considering improvements to booking systems and digital onboarding tools.
• Strengthening cross-service links to support vulnerable student groups.

Conversations from the visit have continued, and both universities are exploring future collaboration, including a potential adviser-to-adviser virtual exchange.

A valuable new perspective

The visit offered a fresh perspective on the University of Glasgow’s own strengths, while highlighting opportunities to introduce new ideas inspired by ULB’s inclusive and student-centred model. Understanding another university’s approach reinforced the importance of partnership, creativity, and continual improvement in international student support.

The insights gained will influence Glasgow’s future wellbeing initiatives, student communications, and collaborative work within the CIVIS network.