Over 370 international students welcomed at TUS Athlone
TUS Global hosted an orientation program at its Athlone campus last week, welcoming over 370 new international students.
The event, which took place from Wednesday, September 4 to Friday, September 6, marked the beginning of an exciting academic journey for students from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Athlone Mayor Frankie Keena formally welcomed the students to the region. In his address, Mayor Keena highlighted Athlone’s rich cultural and historical heritage, as well as its vibrant business sector, sporting facilities, and tourism amenities.
He also emphasized the excellent array of hotels, restaurants, and shopping outlets available in the area.
As part of their introduction to the region, students toured local tourist attractions and enjoyed a scenic trip on the Viking Boat.
They were also introduced to the TUS student resources, computer services, and library facilities.
A notable highlight of the orientation was a design workshop for students from Jianghan University in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
These students are entering the final year of the Bachelor of Arts in Graphic and Digital Design at TUS.
Mayor Keena met with the group, marking the tenth year of cooperation between TUS and Jianghan University. To date, more than fifty students have successfully completed this program.
Ireland and China continue to strengthen their economic and educational ties, established In November 2014 when the former Governor of Hubei Province visited Ireland.
This led to a cooperation agreement between Westmeath County Council and Hubei Province, with a delegation from Westmeath visiting Hubei, including a visit to Jianghan University.
The current cohort of 11 students from Jianghan University studying at TUS expressed their delight in learning about this historical visit, which underscores the growing educational and business links between the regions.
TUS has established strong international partnerships, collaborating with over 250 universities globally, including 30 partner universities in China since the launch of the Irish Government’s Asia Strategy in 2001.
TUS now operates six regional offices, covering China, India, Malaysia, Latin America, Africa, and the United Arab Emirates.
TUS Vice President of Internationalisation and Alumni Donnacha McNamara commented on the occasion: “We are pleased to welcome students from across the globe to our seven TUS campuses as they embark on their academic journey.
“As a QS 5 Stars-rated institution for Excellence in Global Engagement, we are committed to expanding our global footprint, enhancing student success, connecting with our alumni, and uniting our students into one vibrant TUS Global Community.”