Summerschool
What is the Summer School on Vaccinology?
Every year in the first week of July, the SUMVAX team at the Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination (CEV) at the University of Antwerp organizes the Summer School on Vaccinology. And what would such an international week be without a vibrant social program? That's right, it's organized with great enthusiasm by EMSA Antwerp!
What can you expect? Think cozy dinners, a welcoming reception, a colorful Cultural Village Night, a discovery tour of Antwerp, a day trip to a gem of a city (such as Bruges or Ghent), and a festive farewell dinner at the university club.
As an EMSA member, you can register as a working group member. That means not only enjoying delicious meals (which is of course a nice bonus 😊), but above all the chance to make friends from all over the world, discover new cultures, and have unforgettable experiences!
If, after reading this, you are as enthusiastic as the team behind the Summer School and can't wait to enjoy the next Summer School on Vaccinology, don't hesitate to contact the working group leaders (see below)!
What do you do as a working group member?
You can look forward to a flying start to the summer holidays! As a helper, you will experience the entire social program—and help keep things running smoothly behind the scenes.
What exactly does that entail? Think: dining together in nice restaurants (at SUMVAX's expense), getting to know international students in a relaxed atmosphere, and discovering new flavors and traditions during Cultural Village Night. You will also get to accompany a homemade tour of Antwerp and go on a day trip to another beautiful Belgian city – including train travel, also paid for by SUMVAX 🙂 . And then, the final moment: together with the Summer School team, you will experience the graduation ceremony, the emotional farewell, and a festive farewell dinner. Expect hugs, tears, and, above all, memories that will last a lifetime.
Of course, such a social program does not happen by itself. The preparation is also a team effort, and you can help with that as a working group member. This ranges from reserving restaurants and shopping for groceries to picking up pizzas or giving a city tour (no stress: there are already detailed routes). These are all fun tasks that, especially in a group, don't take much time – but do make for an unforgettable experience!
What do you do as a working group leader?
Just like the working group members, as a supervisor you can look forward to a wonderful start to the summer holidays! Of course, it comes with a little more responsibility, but trust us: together as a team, this will be a unique and unforgettable experience.
As a working group supervisor, you are the linchpin of the social program. This means that you not only set the tone behind the scenes, but also get to enjoy it all yourself: the welcome reception, cozy dinners, the vibrant Cultural Village Night, an Antwerp City Tour, a day trip to a magnificent city (such as Bruges or Ghent), and the graduation ceremony with a festive farewell dinner.
You will help arrange the practical matters in advance. This includes communicating with the SUMVAX team at Vaccinopolis (who are responsible for the academic program), coordinating the schedule, and suggesting improvements compared to previous editions. During the Easter holidays or earlier, you will draw up a Google Forms questionnaire for the international participants with questions about restaurant attendance, dietary preferences, accommodation, arrival at the airport, etc., after which you will be responsible for restaurant reservations – naturally taking into account everyone's budget and dietary preferences.
During the Summer School itself, you will be the point of contact. You will keep track of everything, check that everyone is where they need to be, make sure the right meals are served, and take care of practical matters such as shopping, expenses, EMSA cards, train tickets, and payments. In short: you are the coordinator who ensures that everything runs smoothly. The great thing is: you don't have to do this alone – with two people in charge, it's even more fun (and a lot easier).
Interested?
Are you interested in joining our working group? Then join the SSOV (Summer School On Vaccinology) working group and discover how educational, enjoyable, and unforgettable this adventure is! Send us a message and/or join the SSOV WhatsApp group community (see members page).
