The International Students Office celebrates its 20th anniversary

In the descriptions of the International Students Office there is always a quote that I have found to be apt to the function of this service since its inception: “The Christian faithful gathered together out of all nations into the Church ‘are not marked off from the rest of men by their government, nor by their language, nor by their political institutions,’ and so they should live for God and Christ in a respectable way of their own national life. As good citizens, they should be true and effective patriots, all together avoiding racial prejudice and hypernationalism, and should foster a universal love for man.” (Ad Gentes 15).

My experience as a Cultural Linguistic Mediator (CLM) began 10 years prior to my work at the Pontifical Gregorian University. I had been cooperating with the Immigrations Office of the Police Headquarters in Rome and with other NGOs, an experience that contributed greatly to my formation. In fact, compared to my first training as an architect, I had taken a completely different path, I could say by ‘vocation.’ The project for a 'Foreign Students' Office', based at the Pontifical Gregorian University, was launched in 2003 at the request of the Committee of Student Office Managers of the Pontifical and Ecclesiastical Universities in Rome. This commitment required an excellent knowledge of Italian legislation on immigration and, above all, a good knowledge of the culture of the host country, Italy.

That project laid the foundations of the International Students Office we know today, which, for two decades, has been offering students a service of orientation, information and assistance in filling out all the application forms for their stay in Italy (entry visa applications, residence permit, integration agreement, tax code, registration with the NHS, identity card) during their time at the Gregorian. I am Venezuelan. I lived abroad during my student years, in a country that took care of all the necessary paperwork so that we could concentrate on our studies without having to worry about bureaucracy. That is why I empathise with the students, and every year I see myself in every student arriving from across the globe, in their need for information and guidance.

Immigration promotion and training

Specific training and constant updating on the complex and ever-changing Italian immigration laws and, consequently, on the ever-changing paperwork (requirements and fees for the issuing and renewal of residence permits, obtaining a tax code, voluntary registration with the National Health Service, converting residence permits, application for Italian citizenship, etc.) are fundamental for this Office in order to provide qualified and comprehensive services. Participation in dedicated courses on this subject, including high-level training, is therefore essential, as is participation in events and conferences on the subject of immigration. These include, for example, the Statistical Dossier on Immigration, the Rome Observatory on Migration, the Italians in the World Report (IDOS Study and Research Centre), the European Migration Network - Italy (EMN) Report and the Public Administration Forum. As a result, closer contacts have been established with the Immigration Office of the Vatican Police Inspectorate and the Department for Civil Liberties and Immigration of the Ministry of the Interior, as well as other departments of Italian public administration.

At the service of the Academic community

Aware of the importance of inter-university cooperation, the Office has carried out activities together with the Angelicum university for several years (2007-2016), co-organising with AVIS (Italian non-profit and charitable organisation for blood donation) the Blood Donor Days in Rome.  This event has been held exclusively at the Gregorian for several years. In addition, for a number of years (2007-2012), under the responsibility of the then Vice-Rector of the University, the Office was asked to coordinate and oversee other activities linked to the Student Relations Office, the University Students' Club, the Dispatch Service and the Meeting Room. This provided new opportunities to involve students in volunteer work that recognises and celebrates the richness of diversity and internationality that characterises the Gregorian University. Together, we have had the opportunity to organise many events, such as the "Welcome to the New Students" event and the "End of Year Party", which provided an opportunity to learn about different cultures through the sharing of typical dishes, musical performances and traditional dances. This period also saw the publication of Mare Nostrum, a monthly magazine with news and updates on the Office's activities.

In the challenging two-year pandemic period (2020-2021), besides helping members of the university community handle the various administrative procedures, voluntary registration with Italy’s National Health Service (SSN), required for vaccination against Covid-19, became all the more important.

As of January 2021, the Office was renamed the International Students Office, whose services are detailed on the institutional website www.unigre.it. In conclusion, I would like to say that over the years I have experienced the richness of multiculturalism - both in terms of nationality and internationality - and the beauty of welcoming diversity within diversity. The door of the International Students Office is always open!