Last Friday, September 27, the Aula Magna of Altabix Hall on the Elche Campus was the setting for Welcome Days 2024. It was there that over one hundred incoming exchange students learned better about the various academic, athletic, and cultural activities & services offered by the UMH in a ceremony that served to kick off the current school year.

The ceremony began with words by Deputy Vice Rector for Internationalization, Alberto Rodríguez, and he welcomed the students from all over the world. This intervention was followed by magician, Joan Vidal, who emceed the event and entertained those in attendance with his magic tricks.

María Dolores Vives, a technician from the Office of Culture, Equality, and Diversity, talked about different cultural activities, such as the theater laboratory and welcome activities that are ongoing throughout October. These included the Introduction to Dubbing Workshop on October 17 and tours of the city of Altea and the UMH campus there set for October 19.

Mar Macía, from the Unit of Gender Equality, emphasized the importance of this area to ensure that all students have the same opportunities, and she also invited them to personally visit the service and to participate in commemoration activities.

Ana Esclapez, the Director of the Area of Training at the UMH Language Center, stressed the importance of learning the Valencian language, and she also explained both online as well as in-person English language classes available to students.

Welcome Days then continued with a chat by Elche Campus library section head, Mª Paz Sánchez Castillo. She informed the students present about the services for lending books & laptops, and the group work spaces available to them. César Tomás then focused on the importance of completing internships to help students embark on future professional careers.

Laura Carbonell, a technician from the Office of Healthy Campuses and Athletics, detailed the sports and competitions they may participate in, such as CADU events and Rector Trophy competitions. She also described the discounts available for using athletic facilities for exchange students here for periods of time longer than six months as well as how they obtain the TDU Athletic Card.

Eva Corbalán, from the Service of Communication, talked about Vida UMH and the schools of fashion and cooking. She also highlighted the online and in-person wine tastings, as well schools of dance and eSports. Finally, Elías Poveda and Salah En Nouiri commented about the Club Erasmus initiatives and how they facilitate contact between students and help with the day to day at the UMH.

Then, the event concluded with a healthy pause led by technicians from the Office of Healthy Campuses and Athletics. Following that bit of exercise, the El Postre rock band turned their amps up to 11 and put on a show while the exchange students partook in a lunch of sandwiches, empanadas, and cocas.