BIMP is a collaborative project between BUA (Bicocca University Angels) and ESN Bicocca (Erasmus
Student Network). In the Bicocca International Mentoring Program (BIMP), international incoming students (Mentees) are matched especially by subject of study with students from Bicocca University (Mentors).
The BIMP gives you the opportunity to meet people from around the world, to learn about new
cultures, and to be part of an international community at the University of Milano-Bicocca.
You can contact us for any concern at [email protected].
Who can be a Mentor?
Students from all faculties who have at least once dreamt of a mobility experience or have already taken part in one.
What does being a Mentor imply?
● Getting an OPEN BADGE, if you will attend at least the Mentor training, the kick-off and already taken part in one closing event
● To support their Mentee from an academic and social point of view and to stay in
touch with them
● To attend some socializing events during the semester
● To be open to share your cultural experiences with others and to welcome those of other people
● To have an active interaction with the BIMP team by giving feedbacks about the
interaction with your Mentee
Benefits for Mentors
● Living an international experience in your home University
● Practicing a foreign language
● Broaden your worldview by learning directly from international students about
cultures and languages
● Being an active participant of an international community in our University
● Expanding your social international network
● Curing the Erasmus nostalgia
Who can be a Mentee?
All international students who start their studies at the University of Milano-Bicocca.
What does being a Mentee imply?
● To attend the kick-off and the closing event, but also to all the events during the
semester
● To be open to share your cultural experiences with others
● To have an active interaction with the BIMP team by giving feedbacks about the
interaction with your Mentor
Benefits for Mentees
● A personal contact who can help you understand the culture around student life and
living in Italy to quickly settle down in Milan and in our University
● Improving your language skills
● Expanding your social network by meeting with Italian and other international
students
● Being an active participant of an international community in our University
● Taking part in fun social events
Join the Project - BIMP
What are you waiting for? Registration for the spring semester are open!
You can register here.
● My Mentee has a personal question, but I don't have the answer to support them.
What can I do?
You can always refer to Bicocca University Angels and to the ESN team for everything you
may need!
● Is there training for BIMP Mentors to prepare for their engagement?
Yes! The BIMP team regularly offers full training for mentors to learn the best way to engage
with their mentees. Participation is compulsory!
● How does the matching process work?
Mentors and Mentees will be matched according to the subject of study. We will also take
your language skills and other preferences so that you will be matched with the most
suitable and appropriate partner.
As soon as you have been matched, you will receive each other’s contacts, so you can get
in touch and arrange a first individual meeting.
● Which topics can be discussed at a meeting between Mentor and Mentee?
There are no guidelines as to which topics need to be discussed.
However, the general purpose of the meetings is to help the Mentee have an easy start at
the University of Milano-Bicocca and to answer their questions. The questions vary from
mentee to mentee and range from study-related questions (creating a timetable, contact
points at the university) to organizational questions (banking and insurance issues) to
general questions (where is the best café, where do you go in the evening, where can I do
sports etc.). It's often really helpful for the mentee to have an exchange with the mentor, who
has been studying for a long time.
The Mentor does not have to know the answer to all questions, though. They also don't have
to do all the work for their mentee, as they are neither a tutor nor a coach. Ideally, the mentor
and mentee can find a solution to a problem or question together.
● What do I do if there are problems in our mentoring relationship?
Sometimes a mentoring relationship does not work out well because the mentor and the
mentee are not on the same wavelength or because they have difficulties in communicating.
If there's a problem in your mentoring relationship that you can't solve, please contact the
BIMP coordinator as soon as possible. At first, we will find out exactly where the problem lies
in order to find a suitable solution together. This is our email address:
[email protected] .