On 26 November, 2024, the NEOLAiA Student Advisory Group (SAG) created a warm and welcoming space for students to connect, share experience, ideas and learn more about the NEOLAiA Alliance during the NEOLAiA Coffee Date at the University of Ostrava, Czechia.
What happened?
The main objective was to create a safe, informal environment where students could meet new people from different faculties and study programmes, discuss their experiences at the university of Ostrava, suggest ideas for improvement, and also propose a few ideas for future NEOLAiA events at the University. During the Coffee Date the NEOLAiA SAG at OU introduced the NEOLAiA alliance and its universities, mobility opportunities, and the key concerns of NEOLAiA.
Key Topics Discussed
Students discussed the current state of gender equality and inclusivity at the university, the University of Ostrava PhD student Kath (originally from Thailand) suggested organising LGBTQ+ friendly events so that queer people have the opportunity to meet each other and talk about the challenges they face. Then the discussion was followed by the mental health awareness topic: students exchanged ideas on how to reach out when students need help, and about the need to prioritise their mental well being.
The NEOLAiA SAG Coffee Date ended with sharing creative ideas on how the university could improve its activities, like having events for minority groups, and improving communication across the university.
Photo gallery: https://www.instagram.com/p/DC4QzW4vO-s/?img_index=1
