A gathering place for everyone
This summer, the Global Lounge at UiA Campus Kristiansand got renovated just in time for the start of the autumn semester. The Global Lounge first opened in 2018, and back then the idea was for it to be a meeting place for international students.
Over the years, the way the space is used has changed somewhat, even though the Global Lounge’s core goals remain the same.
Janne Fladstad and Aase Galteland from the International Relations Unit at UiA are very positive about how the Global Lounge has developed.
“Global Lounge is meant to be a gathering point where both international and Norwegian students feel welcome. Here they can connect with each other and share experiences and thoughts about their studies and exchange programmes”, says Fladstad.
Today, the Global Lounge consists of several zones where you can work, eat lunch, and socialise, an advising office for students who are going on or considering an exchange programme, as well as the office of the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) in Agder.
The use has also changed
Galteland and Fladstad have noticed that the use of the Global Lounge has changed somewhat since the summer and the renovation.
“It’s important to us that those who use Global Lounge feel welcome and comfortable, but it shouldn’t be completely like their living room at home. After we divided it into several zones, we’ve seen that more people use Global Lounge as a place where they can work on their studies and do other activities while also being able to relax”, says Galteland.
“The best job in the world”
The first people you’ll meet at Global Lounge are two interns hired by UiA’s International Relations Unit. Their role is to help create a welcoming environment and assist visitors with questions they may have. This autumn, the interns are Rafael Reis from Portugal, and Lenka Bírosíková from Slovakia.
“This is by far the best job I’ve ever had! I love working here, and I think it’s really fun to be able to meet and get to know so many different people”, says Reis.
Reis likes how the Global Lounge has become a meeting place for many people and that the space can be used for so many different things.
“I think we’ve achieved a nice balance between it being a place where you can get help with a lot of different things, while also being a place where you can socialize. I think Global Lounge gives you the best of both worlds”, says Reis.