Erasmus Student Network

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Erasmus Student Network AISBL

The logo of ESN
Abbreviation ESN
Motto "Students helping students"
Formation 16th October 1989
Type INGO
Legal status AISBL
Purpose/focus Educational
Headquarters Brussels, Belgium
Location Rue Hydraulique / Waterkrachtstraat, 15 B-1210 Saint-Josse-Ten-Noode / Sint-Jost-ten-Node Brussels BELGIUM
Coordinates 50°50′54″N 4°22′18″E / 50.848256°N 4.371761°E / 50.848256; 4.371761
Region served Europe (35 countries)
Membership Student organisations
Official languages English [1]
President Tania Berman
Main organ Annual General Meeting (AGM)
Affiliations YFJ (full membership), EUCIS LLL (full membership), ESU (associate member), EAIE (courtesy member), Council of Europe (participatory status)
Staff 5 International Board members, 2 Secretaries, 1 Project Coordinator
Volunteers over 390 sections (about 12'000 volunteers)
Website www.esn.org

Erasmus Student Network (ESN) is a European wide student organisation. Its goal is to support and develop student exchange. It is composed of over 12'000 members from more than 393 local sections in 36 countries in Higher Education Institutions, including universities, polytechnics, and university colleges. ESN is organised on a local, national and international level. The network is in contact with almost 150'000 internationally-minded students.[2]

The aims of ESN are to promote the social and personal integration of the exchange students. The local ESN-sections offer help, guidance and other valuable information to the exchange students hosted by their university. Newcomers find their way in the new environment easier and they can utilise their time in the best way possible to get as much out of their exchange as possible. ESN also represents the needs and expectations of exchange students on the local, national and international level. Provision of relevant information about academic exchange programs and student mobility is one of the aims of ESN as well.

Contents

[edit] The six principles of ESN

  • ESN works in the interest of exchange students.
  • ESN works to improve the social and practical integration of exchange students.
  • ESN represents the needs and expectations of exchange students on the local, national and international level.
  • ESN provides relevant information about academic exchange programmes and ESN resources.
  • ESN works with the reintegration of homecoming students.
  • ESN contributes to the evaluation of different exchange programmes.

[edit] History of ESN

In 1987 a plan to create an extensive mobility scheme for higher education was approved by the European Community. One part of this was the Erasmus programme - exchange programme for students in order to provide the opportunity to spend part of their studies abroad.

In 1989 the Erasmus Bureau invited 32 former Erasmus Students for an evaluation meeting in Ghent, Belgium. This meeting was a starting point for Erasmus Student Network. The problems that became obvious in the evaluation were the main tasks for the founders of ESN International to work on. Behind all this stood the idea "students helping students", which is remained the most important motto in the work of ESN.

ESN sections were founded in various European universities, and with financial support from the EC, in October 1990 the meeting for the official founding of ESN International was organized in Copenhagen, Denmark with 49 participants from almost all member states of the EC. ESN International became a legal association. Desiree Majoor from Utrecht, Netherlands became the first president in ESN history.

By 1994 ESN already had 60 sections in 14 countries and it was growing year by year. Some of the sections also disappeared.

10 years from then, 2004, ESN network consists of 170 sections in and outside Europe, from Scandinavia to Morocco. New technology has tremendously improved collaboration between sections and frequent meetings strengthen the ties between ESN members as well as serve the possibility to change ideas and work together for a better future.

Inside the network the greeting "Pallomeri!" is widely used. What does it mean? Originally it has a funny meaning: the pool filled with small coloured balls in the shopping centres where kids can play. In ESN the meaning is: Pan- European Association Leading Local Organization Making Erasmus Richer Inside. This new meaning was originally presented and invented by Matteo Baggio during AGM IX in Graz, 1998, even if the Erasmus Student Network is currently helping all the exchange students, not only the ones involved in the Erasmus programme.

The interest among students to spend part of their studies abroad is continuously increasing. It is the best opportunity to establish international contacts, have a valuable insight into different culture and gain from an unforgettable experience. As the Bologna declaration, signed by European Ministers of Education in 1999, states, the aim to reach 3 million exchange students by the year 2010.

[edit] ESN's Structure today

ESN is the most important student organisation working in the interest of exchange students in Europe. ESN works on three levels - local, national and international.

[edit] Local level

ESN on local level consists of "sections" who are differently constructed depending on the section. The sections work in direct contact with the exchange students. They organize activities like introduction programmes, get-togethers and cultural events and represent the exchange students and their interests towards academic institutions and local authorities. Together the local sections, or rather representatives from the sections form the Annual General Meeting (AGM), the highest decision making body of ESN. The AGM gathers annually to decide the future of the network.

[edit] National level

On the national level the exchange students and their interests can be represented towards governments and national authorities. Local sections in the same countries together form a National Platform (NP) who can elect a national board and elects a National Representative (NR) to represent the country on international level.

[edit] International level

On the international level ESN has regular meetings with international authorities and other international organizations discussing exchange students and their interests.
The Board, which is the executive body of ESN International is formed by five Board members (president, vice president, treasurer, communication manager and web project administrator), a secretary and a project coordinator who all live and work in Brussels.
NRs from all the ESN countries together form the Council of National Representatives (CNR). During the year they represent the voice of the AGM and is after the AGM the highest decision making body.
ESN consists of five committees who each work together with a board member in charge. The committees of ESN are - International committee of Education (ICE), Network and Events Committee (NEC), Finance committee (FiCo), Communication Committee (ComCom)and IT committee (IT).

[edit] Presidents

[edit] International Events

[edit] International

[edit] Annual General Meeting (AGM)

[edit] Cultural Medley (CM)

[edit] Regional Platforms

[edit] Central European Platform

The Central European Platform (CEP) consists of Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine.

[edit] Northern European Platform

The Northern European Platform (NEP) was formerly known as NNM (Nordic Network Meeting). It consists of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Norway, and Sweden.

[edit] Western European Platform

The Western European Platform (WEP) consists of Belgium, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

[edit] South European Platform

The South European Platform (SEP) was split into SWEP and SEEP during AGM 2007.

[edit] South Western European Platform

The South Western European Platform (SWEP) consists of France, Italy, Portugal, and Spain.

[edit] South Eastern European Platform)

The South Eastern European Platform (SEEP) consists of Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Turkey, and Cyprus.

[edit] Member countries

Country Amount of sections Website
Austria 18 ESN Austria
Azerbaijan 1
Belgium 8 ESN Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina 1
Bulgaria 5 ESN Bulgaria
Czech Republic 11 ESN Czech Republic
Denmark 4
Estonia 5
Finland 16 ESN Finland
France 22 ESN France
Germany 25 ESN Germany
Greece 8 ESN Greece
Hungary 11 ESN Hungary
Iceland 1
Ireland 1
Italy 41 ESN Italy
Latvia 1
Lithuania 9 ESN Lithuania
Malta 1
Macedonia 5
Netherlands 15 ESN the Netherlands
Norway 8 ESN Norway
Poland 33 ESN Poland
Portugal 7 ESN Portugal
Romania 6
Serbia 3
Slovakia 6 ESN Slovakia
Slovenia 5
Spain 30 ESN Spain
Sweden 11 ESN Sweden
Switzerland 14 ESN Switzerland
Turkey 26 ESN Turkey
Ukraine 1
United Kingdom 13 ESN UK

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Statutes are both in English and French. Local languages are used by countries and local sections.
  2. ^ Erasmus Student Network - http://www.esn.org/content/what-esn

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Erasmus_Student_Network&oldid=478432648"
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