Welcome 2020: a weekend filled with activities to welcome freshmen

For the first time, USI's freshmen could take advantage of a weekend long orientation. A chance to meet new friends, receive first-hand information about the services and all the practical aspects of USI, discover the region and get ready to begin their academic adventure in the best possible way.

This academic year USI welcomed freshmen with a new format divided into three days, from Friday, 11 September to Sunday, 13 September, with the overall participation of 426 freshmen enrolled in the first year of Bachelor's and Master's degrees. Also in the coming days, the USI Student Corporation will propose some opportunities for socialisation on all campuses.

"USI is a young, very international university, we are preparing to celebrate our 25th anniversary and we are happy to reach this goal together with you all new freshmen". With these words USI Rector Boas Erez wants to welcome all the new students who over the weekend have taken part in orientation meetings and afternoon activities such as guided tours of the city, mountain hikes, workshops organised by L'ideatorio, and guided visits to museums and places of architectural interest in the region.

The beginning of a university experience is always an exciting and evocative moment but also, in the words of Lorenzo Cantoni, Pro-Rector for Education and Students' experience, "a very challenging and at the same time enthralling experience. An opportunity that enriches scientifically, culturally and personally and that makes one more capable of contributing to the well-being and future development of society. An adventure to be faced with great commitment and responsibility".

Welcome 2020 in numbers

425 Total attendees 
79   Registered for Friday's activities (Mendrisio)                       
243 Registered for Saturday's activities (Lugano-Italian)                   
98   Registered for Sunday's activities (Lugano-English)            

Attendees by Faculty

79   Architecture                                                       
16   Biomedicine                                                       
119 Communication, culture and society             
147 Economics                                                            
61   Informatics                                                           

Attendees by study level

186 Bachelor              
240 Master