Do you offer any opportunities for foreign students? Nowadays, Universidad Nacional del Sur, has different programs for foreing students such as grants to finish your career in Mexico or Colombia or even in France. Some students from our university are selected for study on any of those countries, while foreign students come here to do some subjects. Also, there is a program to learn Spanish for those students that speaks different languages. Can you easily connect with foreign students? I think it is quite easy to connect with foreign students that are at University and PhD students. At Universidad Nacional del Sur (our University in Bahía Blanca) there are some regular programs to witch students can apply to study abroad. Some of the programs available in Argentina have a foreign equivalent whereby students from other countries can come to our country. Usually, they take two or three courses in a semester and then they return to their country to go on with regular studies. In my case, I’ve met people from France, Mexico, Germany and Spain. Also, PhD students from South American countries come to Argentina to do the PhD thesis, in particular, Colombian students. Besides, people from Ecuador and Venezuela are doing their PhD thesis here. Some of these students decide to stay in Argentina after the post-grade studies are finished. Short internships are available for PhD students to come to Argentina for a short period of time. Regular programs include scholarships for Latin-American and Italian people. But people from very different countries have been here in Argentina. Las year, for example, a boy from Czech Republic was at the same institute where I do my PhD thesis. Besides, all years a student From the United States came to Bahía Blanca, to have “chats” with students of the English program. This year, Jordan coordinates the “Indiana Chats” (as the chat has the name of the student’s city). In these chats, we have the opportunity to talk to a native and practice communication skills. Do you have a lot of Erasmus Mundus students from European (other) countries? Hi! We do have European students who come to study at the University for one semester as well as students from other countries within South America, but Erasmus Mundus is not a strong exchange program as it is in Europe as far as I know. We are used to travel to Europe due to exchange programs with universities but it is not so usual for students from Europe to come to Argentina. Difficulties in language might be a problem. At your university, is it common to have (non- exchange) students from other countries of Latin America? No, maybe in other provinces near to Chile, there are many students from Chile, because in that country tuitions are very expensive. Is it possible, at your university, to study languages? At the Universidad Nacional del Sur per se the only language you can study is English. There are many courses: English as a Foreing Language (IA, IIA and IIIA), Reading Comprehension (IA, IIA and IIIA) to Special ones, as the one we are now doing ,Writing in the academic World or International Communication Skills. Besides English, the University has an agreement with other Institutions as the French Alliance (French), the Institute Dante Alighieri (Italian) and the German School (German). I think that as special courses for adults the University gives also one of portuguese. Is it possible, at your university, to study languages? At our university it’s possible to study different languages. The university offer different kinds of English courses, Germany courses, French courses and Italian courses. Also there are a Greek course and an Egyptian course. The latter are run by university professors that also dictate subjects here at the university. For university students there is no cost to take the courses. Also they try to put different hours so you can do both, go to the university and study a language. Is it Possible, at your university, to study languages? Which languages the students prefer to learn? How are English lessons structured? In our University languages are a complement. They are not professional careers or degrees. Idioms are thought as possible and useful skills for the future professional. You can get lessons of English, French, German and Italy. Most students choose English because they have an exam of sufficient along their studies. It can happen that the student take a fellowship for study or work in other country and then he decides to study the language for the country which he will go. Other languages are studied by familiar reasons because in our country most of us have European raises. The English classes are organized by levels. You get your level with an exam. There are three levels and in which ones you learn four habilitates: talk, listen, write and read. The two first levels have sublevels, A and B. We have used a book and we have two partials test and one final exam. We have homework too. Each class has almost thirty students and there are persons that have to wait for the next course because there are not enough vacancies. Which Languages the students prefer to learn? Most of the students study English, but also is possible to learn French, Portuguese, Italian, German and Chinese. Which Languages the students prefer to learn? The students in Bahía Blanca prefer generally to study English, because it is required for getting a job, not only in the industry but also in the academic world. It is important to mention that an elemental level of English is required to graduate in the majority of the careers dictated in the Universidad Nacional del Sur. There is a program of English in the university, where students can learn English until an upper intermediate level. The classes are free and are dictated in a building made specifically for that purpose. Moreover, if the students like to learn languages they can choose between German, French, Italian and Greek. The university gives facilities to learn these languages, at a cheaper cost or in some cases with no cost. Do you have to pass any compulsory intership or practical course during your study? In our University almost all the careers are divided in subject-matters. There are some of these which have practical part and there are others which are only theoretical. Finishing the career you have a subject called professional practice. In this subject you should develop the professional work in a defined area before the reach the degree. In depending on the career is the time that will take you the practice and there are professors guiding you before to chose the place where you will do the practice and during it. What parts does the final exam of your bachelor/master study consist of? How do the parts look like? Depending the career, for example: I´m a pharmacist, pharmacy is a six years career. We do not have to prepare a final work, generally we finish our career with a subject called professional practice or with the subjects that are part of the professional cycle. In our University there are no bachelors of four years, there are careers of five and more years. And only some of them are like degree with final degree thesis. Here the master is a post degree title. You can chose if you want to do a master or not, is not mandatory to develop the profession. How many students consist your university? How many departments are there at the faculty of social studies? I'll tell you about students, careers and departments of “Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS)” in Bahia Blanca, Argentina. The university has around twenty thousand (20000) students. The UNS has “Departmental Organization”. This is singular organization. Most argentine universities have a facultative division. UNS is offering fifty-six (56) academic careers in year 2014. Each career depends on one of the sixteen (16) departments. Examples of these departments are: Mathematics, Engineering, Computer Science, Humanities, Chemistry, Physics, etc. A student could be studying one or more careers of the same or different department. If he/she wants to achieve a grade title, he/she must approve some detailed subjects. Many of these subjects are teaching for professors working in the department which coordinates the career, but other subjects are teaching for professors who works in others departments. This is the case of mathematics subjects. Several careers includes one or more mathematics subjects which are teaching inside Mathematics Department. The aim of departmental distribution is to reuse academic resources, especially considering that some careers have very few students. Here I’ve designed a graphic trying to explain this: Do you have any extra activities or possibilities for students at your university? South National University (UNS) offers to the students some profits and possibilities. For example: · ‘Health Department’ offers students free medical assistance · ‘Physical Education and Sports Department’ offers students different free activities, for example, chess, physical activity, basketball, football, dance and swimming, amongst others; and organizes Sport Competitions. · Correspondence School. · UNS gives different scholarships to the students · ‘English Language Program’ is free for all students, and offer different courses: ‘English as foreign language’, ‘Reading Comprehensive of English texts’, ‘International Communication Skills’ and ‘Writing in the Academic World’, amongst others. · First years to Portuguese, German and Italian Language Classes in other Institutions are free to the UNS students. What about the admission requirements? Is it difficult to be admitted to the university? It depends on what kind of career you would like to do. In my particular case, I’m Mechanical Engineer and also I was professor on the admission courses of Physics last year. To be admitted in this career you have to pass two exams, one of Math and one of Physics. It is not very difficult and you have more possibilities than a few years ago. I suppose that the more difficult career to be admitted is Medicine because you have to complete the first year of any other career and then take an admission exam that includes Physics, Math, Biology, Chemistry, etc. Only the best sixty students that take this exam are admitted. Do you have to pay any tuition fees at your University? Do you pay for your studies? Do you have both private and public Universities? Our University (Universidad Nacional del Sur) is free and public. The governments of the nation and the province finance this institution for its operation and maintenance. Students don´t have to pay any enrollment or tuition fees for access to this institution. We also can apply for scholarships to afford other costs, like the ones for books, photocopies, etc. In Bahia Blanca (our City) we have two Universities: Universidad Nacional del Sur (that is our University) and Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Both are free and public. We also have various private Higher Education Institutes (non University education centers) that are for pay. In Argentina you can found a lot of Universities, many of them are public and free and the others are private. Do you pay for your studies? Do you have both private and public universities? Education has not any cost from kindergarten to University. Yes, there are two public universities and some private institutes. Are you required to wear uniforms or is there any dress code? Fortunately we are not required to wear uniforms and there is no dress code in our university. Are you required to wear uniforms or is there any dress code? We don’t have to wear uniforms but there is an implicit dress code, at least in some courses. For example, in law’s courses you should take a final exam in a suit or formal wear. In other classes, students are dressed as hippies: long skirts, loose clothing, sandals and others, and no one say nothing about that. Usually students are dressed in jeans and sneakers and in some cases they dress fancier than others, especially the girls. Do you like the city where the university is located? is it a big or small city? The university is located in the city of Bahía Blanca, in the south-west of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Bahía Blanca is a beautiful city. It contains historical buildings as well as some green spaces including squares monuments and fountains. Moreover,it's a city with many cultural activities, as concerts, theater, dance, etc.. Also, Cinemas, discos, and a variety of restaurants and pubs are available. The city has one of the most important seaports of the country. Bahía Blanca is a big city, in fact is one of the most important cities in the Province of Buenos Aires with a population of 301,572 inhabitants. Do you like the city where the university is located? Is it a big or small city? Yes a like it! Almost four hundred thousand people lives in Bahia Blanca but one of her mains characteristics is your great influence in the people living in the surrounding cities or villages in a range until two hundred kilometers, at least. This influence can be shown in all activities, like educational, cultural, sports, entertainment, travelling connections (airport facilities), primary production and commercial in all scale, reaching international level by maritime port facilities and, of course, our own affair, the technical and scientific research and developing. At this particular, in Bahia Blanca are located two national universities and one national scientific and technological center that integrate an academic community of several thousand people. The presence of this community has stimulated the local and regional political statements to create municipal and state offices specific to the technological production, in the frame of the industrial, commercial and production associations. Possibly, this situation could be creating new employment opportunities for professionals and technicians. All of this, in my opinion, will not improve totally until the economy is stronger. Do you like the city where the university is located? Is it a big or small city? I like my city. The University is located in a relative small city whit 400 thousand people. It has a port, some industries, and nice beaches 100 km far. What do you know about Czech Republic (without googling:)? Sincerely, I don´t know too much about your country. Only what I know is that you are in the central Europe. I think that is a smaller than Argentine. What do you know about Czech Republic? I know only a few things: Prague is the Capital, and also it is a beautiful place to visit. It was separated from Slovakia in 1992 or 1993. It formed part of Eastern Europe before the wall fall, and it is cheaper compare with other European countries. 6. What are the PhD courses like? (duration, payment, difficulty) - I am in a first semestr, so I have two courses. One course is conducted by my supervisor and we are working on my Ph.D. project. Second is methodological seminar where we have to think about methodological parts of our projects. Each course usually lasts a semester, a thirteen weeks. It seems to me that difficulty depends on your own investments into these activities – developing your project, communication with your supervisor, reading books and articles etc. Thank you very much for the answer!! I want to tell you that I have to take seven courses (they are mandatory) and other three or four courses that I can choose. But all these courses usually are no longer than ten weeks, and in general, they are just two months long. Nice to write to you!