In the last months several new staff members have joined our Uniser family and we couldn’t be more excited! We would like to present them to you one by one and get to know them better. Let’s start with Bianca, who arrived at Uniser in September 2021.
Hello Bianca and thanks for taking part in this interview! Let’s start easy: how old are you and where do you live? Are you from Bologna?
Hi everyone! I’m 31 years old and I was born and raised here in Bologna. During the past few years I’ve lived in different places, both in Italy and abroad, but now I am back home and I plan to stay for a while!
What did you study and why did you choose such a path?
I took my undergraduate degree in foreign languages and literature at the University of Bologna, studying English and Spanish. Then for my postgraduate studies I moved to Rimini, where I graduated in tourism economics and management. I think it’s quite clear that the common thread here has always been travelling, getting in touch with different people and discovering new cultures! And there’s more, last year I’ve decided to start studying again (lockdown boredom I guess 😂 ) and I’ve enrolled in a postgraduate degree in foreign languages and literature. I wanted to close the circle of what I had started with my first degree, and classic English literature has always been my passion.
What do you like to do in your free time?
Apart from reading XVII century novels in their original language? 😅 I do crossfit on a daily basis and that really helps me a lot, not only for physical health but also, and mostly, for mental well-being and as a tool to relieve stress.
I also love cooking (and eating!) and trying new recipes, even though I don’t have enough spare time to do it as much as I’d like.
Can you tell us how you came in contact with Uniser and when?
It was 2019 and I was looking for a way to travel more and earn some money while doing it when I saw a post on Daro’s Facebook (we have known each other since high school) – it was a call from Uniser for the position of Group Leader and I thought it was just perfect for me. I applied and after less than a month I was leaving for Poland with my first group.
What pushed you to join Uniser on a more stable basis?
Since my first group in 2019 up until the summer of 2021 I’ve never stopped accompanying students abroad, despite the difficulties of travelling during the the covid era, because it’s a job that I genuinely and deeply enjoyed. I’d still like to do so and I already miss being a GL but right now I’m at a moment in my life where I need more stability. I’ve always liked collaborating with Uniser and it seemed to me that it offered a nice environment to work in, so when I knew that some positions were opening I immediately took my chances. And I was right about what it’s like working here!
Since you entered as a staff member, what have you been doing, what are your main duties?
I work in the VET OUT team and I am in charge of the entire cycle of mobility documentation – creating, checking and sending it back to schools for each outgoing group. I also buy flight tickets and insurance policies for students participating in projects coordinated by Uniser.
Finally, I manage some aspects of general secretary such as checking office supplies and re-ordering them to the purchase team when they are running low.
Which one do you enjoy more and why?
In complete honesty it’s difficult for me to say which one among my tasks is my favourite, but if I had to choose I’d go with the creation of documents. I like doing it because I can schedule my own weekly timetable according to the workload I have. Also, even if it might sound strange, I find it very relaxing – I put on my favourite music and I can focus completely on what I am doing.
What motivates you the most about your new job?
I think one of the reasons I enjoy working here is the idea of doing my part in order to make as many students as possible participate in an international mobility programme. Having worked as a GL in the past I have first hand experience on how important it is for young people to participate in an Erasmus programme and how deep are its effects on them and now I am discovering how highly motivating it can be to work for a project you believe in.
What are your hopes for the future at Uniser?
Well I have just arrived but I hope I still have a long way to go here at Uniser!
Bianca, thank you very much for your inspiring words !
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