Belarusian State University has launched an introductory week for foreign first-year students under the name Welcome Week BSU. Around 50 newcomers are taking part in the project. They have arrived from Russia, China, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan. The program is meant to familiarize the freshmen with the university, the city and the basics of student life before classes begin. Organizers see the week as a way to ease the adaptation of young people who have just landed in a new country. Participants get their first taste of campus culture and meet university staff during the sessions. The university has been steadily drawing students from neighboring countries and beyond.