A typically Tassie welcome

CELEBRATIONS have kicked off across the University of Tasmania’s campuses for Orientation Week, preparing students for the year ahead.

A welcome expo is continuing at the Sandy Bay Campus today to ease students in and make them feel welcome, including local community groups, UTAS societies, and locally sourced food from Palawa Kipli (Hobart Aboriginal Street food), with entertainment from local musicians.

Student engagement officer of UTASLife Eliza Winkler said a new concept introduced this year drew on UTAS offering a “place-based” welcome.

“If you’re a student at UTAS you’re a student of Tasmania, which is unique in its own sense,” Ms Winkler said. She said tours would be conducted for new, inter- national and existing students on Saturdays for the first two weeks of semester to give students a taste of what is iconically Tasmanian, with trips to places such as MONA, Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, Richmond Village, Kangaroo Bay and more.

“UTAS is distinctively farreaching,” Ms Winkley said.

“We are regional, we are metropolitan and we are everchanging, and we think that’s pretty special.”

International student Kim Nguyen from Vietnam is about to begin her Masters of Planning at UTAS.

“I’m a little bit nervous because it’s the first time I’m going to be studying in Tasmania, but I’m also excited,” Ms Nguyen said.

Maddie Webster, 19, who will be studying a combined degree of Law and Arts, said she was looking forward to events next week including introductions to the uni’s clubs and societies.