Welcome Days: Bocconi Does the Honors

THE UNIVERSITY RECEIVES ITS NEW STUDENTS WITH THREE WEEKS OF PRESENTATIONS AND ORIENTATION

“Amazing years are awaiting first-year students. I advise them to exploit these years to the best of their capabilities, and the Welcome Days are the perfect occasion to start turning university into an investment for the future!” says Arnstein Aassve, Dean of the Undergraduate School. Between the end of August and the beginning of September, 5,538 students from over 80 countries are to set foot in Bocconi for the first time. The figure takes into account the undergraduate and graduate freshers and exchange, Double degree and World Bachelor in Business students. Università Bocconi welcomes all of them with the Welcome Days: three weeks during which the new students can participate in orientation activities, meet their new course mates, attend preparatory and Italian as a second language courses and find out all the activities organized by Campus Life and by the student associations. A Welcome lounge, especially (but not exclusively) dedicated to international students, will be open in via Roentgen from 26 August to 10 September.
 
Concerning the academic activities, the welcome programme for undergraduate courses in Italian starts on 2 September with the introduction to the programme by the director and orientation meetings. Students can sign up to this Facebook group to stay constantly informed. 31 August is the starting date for the activities of the undergraduate courses in English (this is the link to their Facebook group).  
The course of law is to be presented on 7 September. “Studying law is going to be challenging: students will be confronted with subjects related to economics, technology and global issues, and with concepts such as justice, democracy and equity. Their years at Bocconi will be stimulating and rich in opportunities, which they can start taking already in the very first weeks!” says Stefano Liebman, Dean of the School of Law.
 
Preparatory courses for graduate programmes in Italian (this is the link of the Facebook group) and MSc programs held in English are going to take place from 26 August to 5 September. The welcome speech by the director and the kick off meeting will be on 7 September for both Italian and English graduate courses. A welcome and orientation event on 3 September and an introductory Italian course (starting on 29 September) are also scheduled for students of graduate programmes in English (here is their Facebook group). Says Antonella Carù, Director of the Graduate School: “The Welcome Days are an important step on the path towards the Master, because they allow students to start in an informed way the thrilling adventure that we are going to experience together during the next two years!”
 
The students of the World Bachelor in Business, who will attend their third year in Milan after they have been to Los Angeles and Hong Kong, are also entering Bocconi for the first time. On 31 August, they will be received by Carlo Altomonte, the Academic Director. The complete Welcome Days programme for WBB students is available at this link.
 
Finally, welcome activities exclusively addressed to exchange students are taking place from 27 August to 7 September: throughout this period, a Welcome Desk with a team of students who will be replying to enquiries concerning the University and Milan will be at the entrance of the building in via Sarfatti. Stefano Caselli, Vice Rector for International Affairs, will be speaking during the orientation meeting, on 1 September.
 
An intense programme, full of opportunities to familiarize with the University and the city: to keep up to date, follow the hashtag #welcometobocconi on social media!
 

by Elisa Bazzani