Erasmus Student Network International

Erasmus Student Network (ESN) is a non-profit, international, independent, non-partisan and non-political student organisation operating under Belgian law. Founded in 1989/1990 by former exchange students, ESN works to represent and support international students and to promote the benefits of international mobility. ESN operates on three levels: international, national and local. 

ESN sections work according to the principle of “Students helping students”, with the aim of helping international students make the most of their study or traineeship experience abroad. Each section provides support both to incoming and outgoing students.

At the heart of ESN are its volunteers. Many of them have participated in an international mobility experience themselves and decided to give back to the community by helping other students. Through their involvement, volunteers also develop valuable personal, professional and intercultural competences.

At the international level, ESN promotes student mobility in Europe by engaging with the main institutions of the European Union. The executive body of ESN International is the International Board (IB), composed of five people who are elected annually from among the members of ESN sections. The representatives of all ESN member countries form the Council of National Representatives (CNR), which acts as a consultative and, in certain cases, decision-making body of Erasmus Student Network. The main decision-making power lies with the General Assembly, which meets every year during the Annual General Meeting (AGM).

THE STRUCTURE OF ESN INTERNATIONAL

The International Board (IB) of ESN International consists of five members, elected annually.

The positions established by the Statutes are:

- President

- Vice President for Governance

- Vice President for Development 

- Treasurer

- Communication Manager

- Web Project Administrator

The International Board provides leadership and strategic direction to the Network. Its responsibilities include:

  1. coordinating the overall work of ESN International;
  2. implementing the decisions and priorities established by the General Assembly;
  3. supporting the development and sustainability of the Network;
  4. overseeing international projects, Committees and working structures;
  5. representing ESN and the interests of international students towards institutions, partners and other stakeholders;
  6. supporting communication and transparency throughout the Network;
  7. contributing to the development and implementation of ESN's strategic priorities.

The International Board is supported by the ESN Secretariat, which provides professional and administrative support to the organisation.

 

The General Assembly (GA) is ESN's highest decision-making body.

Representatives of ESN's member organisations participate in General Assembly meetings, where major decisions concerning the organisation are discussed and adopted.

The General Assembly is responsible for important areas of ESN governance, including:

  1. electing the statutory bodies of the organisation;
  2. approving strategic priorities and action plans;
  3. adopting and amending the Statutes and internal rules;
  4. approving financial reports and budgets;
  5. discussing the development and sustainability of the Network;
  6. taking decisions concerning ESN's projects, policies and long-term direction.

The Council of National Representatives (CNR) is one of the two consultative bodies of ESN. It brings together the National Representatives (NRs) of all countries belonging to the Network. The CNR's role is to monitor the work of the International Board and provide its opinion on strategic, policy and financial matters.

The Council of National Delegates (CND) brings together representatives from the International Board, the CNR and national organisations. It provides a space for broader discussion and exchange between the international and national levels of the Network. The CND contributes to discussions concerning ESN's development, strategic priorities and organisational matters, helping ensure that different perspectives from across the Network are taken into consideration.

ESN International Committees are made up of ESN members from across the Network. Their main purpose is to provide technical support to the Network and the International Board. Committees have the power of initiative and proposal. Each Committee has an International Board representative and is coordinated by a Chairing Team (CT), elected annually by the members of the Committee. All Active Members of ESN sections and Alumni can join the Committees by applying during the annual recruitment period.

The International Committee for Education (ICE) is composed of ESNers from across Europe who work together under the guidance of the Chairing Team and the President of ESN International to support the different levels and structures of the Network.

The work of the Committee is coordinated by a Chairing Team consisting of:

- the Main Chair;

- the Vice Chair for Advocacy;

- the Vice Chair for Competence Development.

Members work in dedicated groups throughout the year and contribute to individual projects within established deadlines. The Committee's work focuses on two main areas: Advocacy and Competence Development.

The Network Committee (NEC) works on a wide range of topics related to improving the quality and development of the ESN Network. In addition to providing services and resources that sections need, the Committee contributes to developing strategies that support the work of the Vice President of ESN International. Its aim is to provide resources, tools and knowledge that can be used throughout the Network.

The Committee is coordinated by a Chairing Team consisting of:

- the Main Chair;

- the Vice Chair for Network Interaction;

- the Vice Chair for Knowledge Management.

The Communication Committee (ComCom) is composed of volunteers who work closely with the Communication Manager. The Committee supports the International Board and all ESN International working groups in maintaining and continuously improving ESN's communication strategy. Its work focuses on both internal and external communication within the Network. ComCom is coordinated by a Chairing Team consisting of a Main Chair and two Vice Chairs. The Committee includes almost 80 members from 27 of the 38 ESN countries.

The Finance Committee (Fi.Co) supports the ESN Network and the Treasurer of ESN International in their activities. It contributes to the creation, coordination and development of long-term strategies in its area of responsibility, under the supervision of the Treasurer. The Committee is divided into two groups, focusing on the Treasurer's two main areas of work: Audit and Sponsorship

The IT Committee works closely with the Web Project Administrator (WPA). Its aim is to strengthen ESN through the development of IT systems and solutions for the entire Network, while also providing support and advice on technological matters in general. The Committee is coordinated by a Chairing Team consisting of the WPA and two Chairs, together with regular members and Alumni.

Are you looking for a specific service or support?

The Committee Services Portal allows you to search for the service you need and find the people responsible for providing it.

In addition to the Committees, which work on specific areas of interest to the Network and develop long-term strategies, ESN runs a wide range of projects aimed at addressing specific topics and priorities. Each project has a dedicated Project Team, coordinated by a Project Coordinator. Team members are selected annually by the International Board following an open call for applications.

The ESNcard is the membership card of Erasmus Student Network. It also works as a benefits and discounts card, offering advantages in many cities and countries across Europe. The aim of the ESNcard is to support international students and provide them with opportunities and benefits both during and after their exchange experience.

ExchangeAbility is a long-term ESN project whose main goal is to promote mobility opportunities and higher education opportunities for students with disabilities. The project also aims to provide students with disabilities with the conditions and opportunities to actively participate in student life, while raising awareness of accessibility and inclusion within local communities.

HousErasmus+ is a project coordinated by ESN and co-funded by the European Commission. The project aims to identify the challenges and best practices related to housing for international students and trainees. Based on the findings, concrete recommendations and guidelines can be developed to improve access to accommodation for students and trainees participating in mobility programmes across Europe.

Mov'in Europe is an international ESN project launched in 2014. Its goal is to promote youth mobility opportunities among local young people by using one of ESN's greatest strengths: the ability to share real-life experiences. The project is not limited to Erasmus students. It also targets young people, students and recent graduates and promotes a wide range of mobility opportunities, including:

- volunteering;

- travelling;

- studying;

- learning;

 - traineeships;

- working abroad.

Responsible Party is a project developed by ESN in cooperation with Pernod Ricard, in response to studies examining alcohol consumption and binge drinking among young people in Europe.

The project aims to promote responsible and informed behaviour among young people regarding alcohol consumption.

It focuses on informing students about the effects of alcohol and the consequences of excessive consumption, while providing information and guidance on making responsible choices.

SocialErasmus is a project that promotes a socially responsible attitude among young people participating in mobility programmes, with the aim of facilitating their integration into the local community. It gives international students the opportunity to contribute to positive and lasting social change through volunteering activities. This project's slogan is: “Leave your mark!”

SocialErasmus aims to enrich students' international experience by giving them the opportunity to understand local social challenges and discover volunteering as a possible way to address them. Through the project, international students can discover different communities and learn how they can contribute to improving society as active global citizens. ESN's mission through SocialErasmus is to give young Europeans the opportunity to make the most of their mobility experience, make a difference and create positive social change through volunteering.

Eduk8 is ESN's international training project. It aims to empower ESN members by providing them with the knowledge and tools they need to perform their daily activities within their local sections more effectively. Eduk8 also aims to create a pool of trainers equipped with the tools and knowledge necessary to train and educate less experienced members of the Network. Every day, ESN members across Europe work hard to support and develop the Network. Through this experience, they acquire new skills and competences. However, these skills can sometimes be difficult to identify and articulate. This is where Eduk8 can make a difference. Eduk8 facilitates the recognition of soft skills and enables participants at ESN events to share knowledge and learn from one another in a structured, conscious and engaging way.

Every year, ESN launches the ESNsurvey, exploring current topics related to academic and non-academic mobility. It is one of ESN's largest projects, involving more than 200,000 students who participate in the online surveys. A wide range of organisations — including student organisations, educators and European higher education institutions — have contributed to the project. By collecting students' opinions and experiences, ESN can gain a deeper understanding of the challenges related to mobility and better represent the real needs and interests of students. ESN shares the results with key stakeholders involved in higher education and mobility programmes, including the European Commission, Erasmus+ National Agencies, higher education institutions and organisations working in the field of student mobility.

STORY (Strengthening Training Opportunities for International Youth) is an EU-funded project that explores the accessibility, quality and recognition of study and traineeship mobility programmes. Through research and analysis, the project aims to improve international traineeships and increase awareness of mobility opportunities among young people.

 

Liaison Officers are ESN members whose role is to support the President of ESN International in representing ESN externally towards different institutions and organisations. Their work aims to increase the visibility of ESN's activities and strengthen the Network's institutional relationships.

Disclaimer! Acronyms are an essential part of life within ESN. However, the sheer number of abbreviations used throughout the Network can sometimes be confusing.

For this reason, ESN International provides ESNdictionary: an essential, easy-to-use tool for every ESNer. ESNdictionary contains the terminology and acronyms used across ESN International. ESNdictionary is your go-to tool whenever an ESN acronym leaves you wondering: “What does that stand for?”

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