From Arrival to Abroad: How the University of Melbourne Is Using Goin’ for Mobility to Support Students Across Borders

Starting with Support for Incoming Exchange Students

The Goin’ for Mobility solution was first introduced to create a warm, structured welcome for students arriving in Melbourne. Transitioning to life in a new country is challenging enough. Without the right tools to connect, prepare, and find support, students can feel isolated from the start.

With Goin’, Melbourne’s incoming exchange students gained access to a closed, invite-only community where they could meet fellow incoming peers, connect with local students, join relevant social and housing groups, and get practical advice from both staff and student champions.

The results speak for themselves:

• 18 average friendships made per student. Imagine knowing 18 people before even arriving to your new, unknown destination!
  
  
•  87% of those friendships are with students from a different nationality.
  
  
• Over 50+ nationalities represented, all heading to Australia!

• Vibrant Group Networks with hundreds of students in each channel; ranging from Travel Buddies and Gym & Fitness to Foodies and Part-time Job Tips
  
  

Students didn’t just chat, they built real, meaningful relationships. Groups like Travel Buddies and Party People became the most active and engaging, with thousands of messages exchanged and friendships forming because of these channels.

This strong sense of social belonging helped reduce pre-arrival anxiety and ensured that students were better prepared both emotionally and practically. As some of their students shared:

“Goin’ already helps relieve some stress by showing that many people are in the same situation. Finding people from around the world, and even some from your hometown, is so nice!” - Marie from Canada

“I can meet friends from various countries and it is cool because all of these friends are in the same university. I'm happy that I can make many friends before the course begins.” - Yeijin from South Korea

“I’ve met a bunch of people from all over the world, some who share my passions, some who share my language, some who share my major! I've made spontaneous plans with people who I hadn't met before before and it ended up being a great way to make friends!” - Catalina from Colombia

“I think this is a great concept. I like that there are different focus groups to connect people with the same interests.” - Vivian from Taiwan

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Expanding the Impact: Now Supporting Outgoing Exchange Students Too

Inspired by the success of the incoming cohort, the University of Melbourne has now expanded their Goin’ mobility community to include outgoing exchange students as well.

These students face an entirely different set of challenges: navigating new systems, finding housing abroad, and preparing for culture shock. Now the university can connect them early with fellow outgoing students, past participants, and trusted ambassadors who’ve already been there.

By using the same peer-led structure and student-friendly design, Melbourne empowers outgoing students to feel more confident, more prepared, and more connected, long before their plane takes off.

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The Power of Peer Connection Across Borders

Engagement is the No.1 driver of enrollments. Students want experiences that match how they actually connect. Goin’ is built for the next generation, using fun, engaging, and student-led interactions to drive organic interactions, activation and excitement. 

Goin’ for Mobility transforms mobility into a supported journey. The University of Melbourne's approach offers:

• A centralised digital community just for their students
• Pre-arrival friendships and shared preparation via student-created groups modules
• Cultural and emotional readiness from real peer conversations
• A two-way solution that supports both incoming and outgoing mobility, reducing friction and increasing satisfaction

With all mobility study programs represented and a clear buzz of activity around interests like hiking, food, and social outings, the University of Melbourne has created a welcoming, student-led environment that bridges distance through connection.

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Want to Learn More?

Withover over 400+ communities and  millions of friendships made globally,  Goin' has proved that authentic engagement leads to stronger enrollments and an unparalleled student experience. See how Goin’ for Mobility can support your international and exchange students across both ends of the mobility journey. 

Curious to go beyond mobility? Schedule a meeting with us or Watch a Demo for exclusive insights. Because the better you understand your students, the better you can support them.