Let’s continue our journey into getting to know all new Uniser members! Today we’re going to meet Francesco, who joined Uniser in November 2021 as a member of the Outgoing team.
Hello Francesco! How was your first impact with Uniser? What have these past months been like?
These past months have been pretty intense, I understood immediately the huge amount of work that lies behind the organization of mobilities. The impact with the company has been great. I love the international and young work environment, and I like the relationships that I created with my colleagues. It makes me feel safe to know that we can all rely on each other.
Could you describe a bit your role, what you do?
I’m an account manager, member of the sending team. Therefore I organize the outgoing mobilities together with the high schools. This process goes from the organization of flows, and the budget management to the selection of students and the management of the mobility documents.
What do you think is the most challenging aspect of your job?
The most challenging part is definitely the relationship with the schools. They expect everything to go smoothly and easy, so when a problem arises we have to choose the best way to inform them and the quickest way to solve it. At the same time, it can be difficult to make schools understand the whole process of organizing a mobility and the different steps and deadlines that must be respected.
What about the most rewarding?
Luckily this job can have many rewarding moments. What I appreciate the most is receiving calls from schools that are enthusiastic about the mobility that their students have just ended. In addition to that, it is always a pleasure to read students’ feedback about their experiences and it is amazing how many of them describe it as the most exciting experience of their life.
How come you decided to apply for this job?
I have always been interested in working with the Erasmus+ programme, it’s like giving back what I received when I was an Erasmus student. I got to know Uniser from my years as a student in Forlì, and it has stimulated my interest since the first moment. Then, last summer, I applied for a job as an accompanying person and went for 3 weeks to Zaragoza with a mobility organized by Uniser. When I came back, I simply kept myself updated about the new opening positions and finally I applied when I got the chance, and here I am.
Where are you from? How did you end up in Bologna?
I’m from the beautiful Puglia region, most precisely the Salento area. Nevertheless, I’ve been living in Emilia-Romagna since 2016, when I enrolled for my Master degree at the Forlì Campus of the University of Bologna. After that, I worked for one year in Rimini and came back to Puglia because of the Covid pandemic. Then at the beginning of 2021 I enrolled in a one-year master programme at the University of Bologna that required me to move here for an internship. So after that, I just stayed in Bologna to look for a job, because I consider this city my second home and a perfect place to live.
I know that you have lived abroad for quite some time. Can you tell us a bit about your study and work experiences abroad?
My friends always make fun of me by calling me “Mr. Erasmus”. Indeed I was lucky (or smart) to make the most out of the Erasmus programme. I did 3 different study periods of six months each: twice in Lithuania (Vilnius and Kaunas) and one in Poland (Rzeszow).
Beyond that, I also had 3 internships abroad, of three months each, in Slovakia, Ukraine and Bulgaria.
Could you tell us a bit about your passions and/or hobbies? What do you like to do in your free time?
As you can imagine from the picture I attached, I’m a huge basketball fan. I played basketball for 10 years, until my early 20s, in minor leagues in Puglia. Then I stopped playing in a team, transforming it as a mere hobby to play at the park during my free time, although I’m always considering coming back on the court 🙂
Is there a famous quote, film, song or anything similar that inspires you? Why?
“Don’t ever, for any reason, do anything, to anyone, for any reason, ever, no matter what, no matter where, or who, or who you are with, or where you are going, or where you’ve been, ever, for any reason whatsoever.” – Michael Scott
This quote doesn’t mean anything, but it’s from my favorite character from my favorite TV show (The Office US). I always watch an episode of that series when I’m down in the dumps, it makes me feel better.
Thank you very much!
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