UniBuddies are voluntary university staff members. The UniBuddy activities are informal and may include for example having a coffee or a lunch together, walking around campus, or participating in an event in the city. The UniBuddy programme is as such not meant to replace or complement onboarding at the workplace or relocation support (provided by HR).
The UniBuddy pair is recommended to meet at least three times over a period of six months.
To get a better understanding of the programme principles and roles, see the guides:
“I applied to the programme because I like meeting new people. I thought it might be nice to get acquainted with someone new who works at the University.”
“The UniBuddy programme helps international staff integrate into Finnish society. They learn how things work in Finland when they can easily talk to someone they know who also knows the University of Helsinki as an employer.”
“I warmly recommend the programme to all University staff! It has been an amazing experience for me and I have learned a lot.”
After you send the application, we will match you with the next suitable UniBuddy /newcomer. This might take a few weeks, depending on the availability of a matching colleague.
Note: Master's students or exchange students are not included in the programme, but there is a similar option available for them, e.g. via Erasmus Student Network.
For more info, email unibuddy@helsinki.fi.
Information for arriving international staff