The University of Patras, Greece, its city, and international students: insights from multiple cartographic perspectives

In this paper the interactions among the city of Patras, the University of Patras and its temporary international students are examined with the use of cartographic tools such as GIS, cartograms and mental mapping. Distribution maps of the Erasmus international agreements of the university suggest that the cultural profile of the city influences the content of the international partnerships of the university and motivates exchange students from abroad. On the other hand, the provision of cultural courses and experiences on campus increases the international students’ attraction to and engagement with the city. The international students manage to acquire a sound understanding of the city within 3–4 months of stay and are able to express themselves and convey much information. Their perceptions are expressed in sketch or digital maps that they create. Their drawings, if further processed in the form of cartograms can be very informative, since they highlight the strengths and weaknesses of their life in the city and in particular the failures in urban planning. The results of this study can contribute to the upgrading of the urban cultural environment, and the enhancement of the university internationalization strategy, while maximizing the international students’ satisfaction as agents of urban improvement.