About ESN

Erasmus Student Network (ESN) is one of the biggest interdisciplinary student associations in Europe, founded in 1989 for supporting and developing student exchange.

We are present in more than 340 Higher Education Institutions from 34 countries. The network is constantly developing and expanding.

ESN is working in Higher Education (HE)

• Offering services annually to more 100,000 students
• mainly on a volunteer basis
• with an average annual growth rate of 12,3% since 1990

ESN is operating on three levels, Local, National and International

ESN works for the creation of a more mobile and flexible education environment by supporting and developing the student exchange from different levels, and providing an intercultural experience also to those students who cannot access a period abroad ("internationalisation at home")

Aims

In synthesis, ESN

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

Who are we for?

The main focus of ESN is placed on current exchange students, who often face problems (and feel abandoned) in their new environments. Therefore ESN offers help in academic, social and practical integration process. This is mainly done through activities in the local sections, which include cultural and social events such as trips to various places within the country, film nights, buddy group and language projects and international food fests and last, but not least, parties. In addition to that, many sections have introduced mentor systems, which help the international students mainly in academic and practical integration.

ESN also provides relevant information and encourages the future exchange students to gain the international experience and gain relevant insight to different cultures.

Finally, ESN International is developing, from the Headquarters in Brussels, ambitious projects such as the Survey on the exchange students' rights, the ESNCard or PRIME.