How BI Norwegian Business School Turns Pre-Arrival Connections into a More Inclusive Student Experience

Hear from BI Norwegian Business School

We spoke with Heidi Elizabeth Bekjorden from BI Norwegian Business School about connecting students before arrival, giving students space to build their own communities and what BI has learned since introducing Goin'.

Starting the Social Experience Before Arrival

When we asked Heidi what BI wanted to achieve with Goin', her answer was simple.

"We saw it as a really good opportunity to connect the students also before arrival."

BI already felt confident about the opportunities available for students to meet once they were in Norway.

"I think we have been good at making sure they have a lot of places to meet after arrival, but for us this was the main motivation."

Heidi believes those early connections have also made a difference once students arrive.

"The fact that they can talk to each other, I think it's increased the level of connection after they arrived as well because they kind of already found some connections before arriving."

She particularly values what this means for students who might find the social side of starting university more difficult.

"What I also think is good is for the maybe a bit more introverted students who find it a little bit scary during study start to just reach out to people."

For those students, getting to know others online can offer a more comfortable way to begin socialising.

"Those students have been a little bit more included in the social onboarding."

The student feedback reflects many of the things Heidi describes, from feeling more confident about moving abroad to already having someone to talk to on the first day.

What Students Say About Connecting Before Arrival

"No more awkward icebreakers or struggling to find people with the same interests. It feels like you already know your classmates, even if you’re meeting each other for the first time." — Arian, Denmark

"I'm very excited to be able to meet my classmates before even arriving. It gives me more confidence about arriving, knowing that I'll already have someone there to talk to, even if we don't share the same classes." — Ana, Mexico

"It can be a bit complicated to socialise in a big place like university, especially when coming from a foreign country, so it’s really exciting!" — Sandra, Tunisia

"It’s especially helpful for practical things, like finding housing, sharing moving tips, and making friends, so you already have a support group before day one." — Tran, Vietnam

"For me, moving abroad is a new experience, so being in such a new environment alone already brings some tension. By knowing at least a few people around you, the first week feels less stressful and scary!" — Jerica, The Netherlands

The feedback also aligns with BI's community survey, where 94% of surveyed students said talking to other students on Goin' helped reduce concerns about making new friends at the university.

What Happens When Students Start Answering Each Other?

Before introducing Goin', one of Heidi's biggest concerns was what might happen when students began exchanging practical information themselves.

"I had a concern that maybe the students will start to give each other the wrong answers about, for example, housing, course registration. It didn't turn out to be correct. The students, they actually just help each other out, giving mostly, for the most part, the right information."

At BI, following the correct procedures can be important. Heidi explained that deviating from the standard process for things such as housing or course registration can affect a student's guarantee, so she didn't want incorrect advice circulating between students.

Instead, BI could still monitor what was happening and direct students to the administration when a question required an official answer.

The community report shows students discussing exactly the kinds of practical questions Heidi was initially concerned about. Conversations include SiO housing, selecting elective courses, public transport, Norwegian phone numbers and eSIMs, and preparing for orientation week.

And 96% of surveyed students said Goin' helped them get answers to questions they would normally have asked university staff.

Students Created Groups BI Wouldn't Have Thought Of

Another thing that stood out to Heidi was what happened when students were given the freedom to create their own spaces.

"It's been really nice to see that the students created their own groups and it's the kind of groups that I would never think of creating for them."

The BI community has groups that go well beyond programmes or administrative topics. Students have created spaces around Formula 1, running, travelling, learning and speaking Norwegian together, Girls of BI, and more.

Inside those groups, students are organising the kinds of things that make up everyday student life. They're planning hikes, arranging football games, training for running events, organising games nights and meetups, and discussing events around Oslo.

Heidi likes that students have taken the community in directions BI wouldn't necessarily have planned itself.

"They're young and they have their interests. It's really nice to see that they're making the most of the app."

Those connections also cross the usual boundaries. Students from 76 nationalities are represented in the community, and 84% of friendships are between students of different nationalities.

A Closed Community with Space for Students to Make It Their Own

Before Goin', BI had used platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp to connect students.

Heidi still sees value in those tools, but she likes that Goin' gives BI more control over who is actually part of the community.

"What I like about Goin' is that you can decide who's on there and who gets the access."

For BI, that means having a space specifically for its students without external people entering groups to promote things or disrupt conversations.

At the same time, the university can communicate information students need while leaving room for students to talk among themselves and create their own groups.

"We can communicate with them kind of the nice-to-know information, and then they can also communicate to each other, which I really like."

That combination is what Heidi feels was harder to achieve through a regular WhatsApp or Facebook group.

What Could Those Connections Become?

As someone working at a business school, Heidi also sees possibilities for these connections beyond social onboarding.

Students might meet because they have similar interests, for example, but that relationship could eventually develop into something else.

"Maybe they could make connections to start a startup, for example, or they could find their similar interests."

BI already has a startup hub, and Heidi sees potential for students with ideas to use their network to find other people who might want to develop them together.

Leaving Norway with Friends Around the World

When we asked Heidi what part of her work gives her the most meaning, she came back to international connection.

"It's really important that we stay connected across borders, across nations."

For her, helping students build those relationships is one of the most rewarding parts of the job.

A student might arrive in Norway knowing very few people, meet someone through a shared interest, make friends from other countries and leave BI with a network that extends far beyond the university.

Or, as Heidi puts it:

"When our students leave Norway they have friends all over the world."

And perhaps some of those connections will become something more.

"Maybe they will create a business together that's gonna be good for the environment so we can solve like climate crisis."

For Heidi, that's part of what makes connecting students valuable: you don't necessarily know where a new connection will lead.

About Goin'

Goin' is a friendship and community platform for higher education, helping universities strengthen student recruitment, engagement and retention with little additional effort from their teams. By connecting prospective and admitted students with their peers, Goin' helps students build friendships, find answers and feel more confident about their decision to enrol.

Universities gain insight into student engagement and concerns, while students support and connect with each other throughout their journey. The result is stronger conversion, belonging and retention, without adding significant workload for university staff.