The main goal of the international research project “BuddySystem” is to study and develop existing instruments for welcoming and supporting international students from European universities. We are focusing on existing buddy or mentoring systems, which are usually supported by web-based tools facilitating the process of assigning local students (buddies) to interested international (incoming) students according to specific criteria.

In the research project a concrete tool (the web-based platform BuddySystem – currently in use for example at French universities and at the University of Vienna) is under review and will be refined in line with the empirical results of the present study. For this purpose, we conduct qualitative and quantitative surveys dealing with the experiences on the web platform BuddySystem and currently practised extra measures. In addition, we also ask in our survey what is expected from an ideal relationship between buddies and incoming students in the future. The qualitative study will be primarily managed by the research project team of the University of Vienna. It aims at improving the relationship between buddies and incoming students, promoting the inclusion of international students with disabilities, guaranteeing further on free access to the web platform and adapting it flexibly to local requirements and, finally, identifying the competences (knowledge, knowhow, behaviour/experiences, learning competence) developed by buddies (and incoming students). We consider the latter objective in the context of an eventual future official recognition of gained competences by the buddies within their studies.