Uni Resources You Should Know
| Date: | 16 June 2020 |
| Author: | Ariana |
As university students, we are mostly unaware of the vast majority of resources that are available to us. Sure, we might be familiar with a few, such as our study advisors and the computers available to use all over campus… but the services that the university provides extend way further than that. This blog will show you the ins-and-outs of all the resources provided by the University of Groningen, divided into 4 major categories: academic resources, career resources, wellbeing/health resources, and other various resources. Let’s get started!
Academic resources that will make your student life more practical
Academic resources are anything that can help you improve or facilitate your academic life in a practical way. Let’s start off by saying that the most important resource as a student, and your first point of contact for anything, is your study advisor. This is the person that you should contact in case you’re experiencing any delays with your study, are doubting your study choice, or need to be referred to a counsellor rapidly. Now let’s switch to the technological resources. The University has an online workspace that is available to anyone with an S- or P-number, and you can log onto it both from university and your own computers. This workspace has access to all of the Microsoft Office and Adobe programmes, as well as all other programmes that are usually required by the studies (SPSS, NILabView, Mathematica, and MatLab). Aside from this, the university has its own main search engine for research databases, called SmartCat. However, if you need quick access to all of the research published specifically by the UG, you might find it better to use the UG Research Database.
Now, onto the more practical departments you should know about. The Office for Student Affairs is your go-to place for when you need graduation statements, certified grade lists, or when you have questions about your exam registrations or graduation procedures. This is often confused with the Student Information and Administration department, which deals with tuition fees, diplomas, official statements, and most importantly, your student cards. The difference is that first one is oriented more towards the academic documents, while the second deals with the official transactions between students and the University. Apart from these, the Immigration Service Desk (ISD) and the Mobility and Scholarship Desk (MSD) are also a great help for both international and local students. The ISD can help with information about insurance and visa procedures, while the MSD has information about all the scholarships that the UG has available.
Career resources for a successful future
Perhaps one of the best (and often overlooked) resources that the University offers is the Career services. Career services is the University’s department that helps prepare and advise students for a successful career. They have several workshops available to help improve your professional life, such as LinkedIn workshops, interviewing workshops, etc. Aside from this, they are available at the iShop for quick consultations about your CV, cover letters, and current vacancies. They also offer individual career advice and orientation, and can help you connect with your future job. Seriously, check them out! You never know when Career services might help you kickstart your professional life with a bang!
Wellbeing and Health resources for when you’re struggling and need help
The most important university resource that I believe every student should know about is the Student Service Center. The SSC is the paradise of university resources, and they can help you with practically anything. First of all, their workshops are incredibly useful, and range on various topics such as study skills, stress management, self-discipline, personal development, and study choice. If you’re experiencing problems with balancing study and work, procrastination, study anxiety, or others, these workshops will help get you back on track. If these are not enough for you, and you feel like you need more help, the SSC also offers student counsellors and student psychologists.What’s the difference between those two? Well, counsellors are there to help you deal with circumstances that affect your studies, and ensure that you can continue your studies as smoothly as possible. On the other hand, student psychologists are there to help with any mental health issues you may be experiencing: from anxiety, all the way to depression or identity issues. The SCC also offers advice regarding financial support for students, including the graduation fund, DUO, and the emergency fund.
For all health-related issues, there are two practices geared towards students in Groningen: the StudentArts, and the Studentist. StudentArts basically stands for “Student Doctor”, and it has free services for all students, including GP consultations, Physicians, Psychologists, or STD tests. If you’re an international student, they’re your point of contact for any prescription refills that you might need during your stay in Groningen. They have three convenient locations around the city, easily accessible both by bike and by public transportation. These are at Zernike, at the UMCG, and in the city center. Similarly, the Studentist is your resource for any dental issues or questions you may have. They’re located in the city center, and are available both for regular consultations and for emergencies.
Other resources that will enhance your student/professional life
The UG also has a variety of other resources that might help you out! For example, AV services has all the audiovisual resources you might need, such as cameras, voice recorders, microphones, tripods, transcription sets, and projectors. If you’re in need of a studio to record or edit audio or video, you can also reserve those at AV services. As a plus, if you’re not necessarily familiar with all the equipment or the editing programmes, AV services can help you work your way around those and become more media-savvy.
The Language Center is also one of the UG’s most valuable resources for students! Have you ever wanted to learn a language? Say… maybe Dutch? The Language Center offers courses in 14 different languages, both in person and online. However, they also offer training for professional purposes, such as intercultural competences, communication training, and academic skills. Additonally, if you ever need official translations or professional editing for your work, make sure to check the Language Center out! This is something that is particularly relevant for Master’s or PhD students.
You never know when one of these resources might come in incredibly handy during your years as a UG student. If you’re not using them, but you feel like maybe they might benefit you, try them out! University resources are there to assist and support you through uni life, so take advantage of them while you can. My best tip: keep this blog saved somewhere so that you always have quick access to every resource!
I’ll leave all the quick links down below:
Online Workspace (Adobe, SPSS, Office, etc)
Student Information and Administration
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