WHAT IS ESN INTERNATIONAL

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 339 Higher Education Institutions from 34 countries. The network is constantly developing and expanding.

ESN is working in Higher Education (HE)

• offering services to 150.000 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 / Principles

In synthesis, ESN

• works in the interest of international students.
• works to improve the social and practical integration of international students.
• represents the needs and rights of international students on the local, national and international level.
• provides relevant information about mobility programmes.
• motivates students to study abroad.
• works with the reintegration of homecoming students.
• contributes to the improvement and accessibility of student mobility.
• cares about its members.
• values volunteering and active citizenship.

Who are we for?

Homecoming students

The students who are returning from exchange are being supported in reintegration process in their home countries by keeping contact with an international environment. Many local sections are set up by former exchange students, often because they have had good experiences from their exchange period or because they felt a lack of help during their exchange. They also understand better the issues and challenges in a foreign environment.

Exchange students

However, 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 eventssuch 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 or the ESNCard.

Vision

"Enrichment of society through international students"

Mission

"ESN is the key volunteer student organisation in international higher education in Europe. We provide opportunities for cultural understanding and self-development under the principle of SHS - Students Helping Students."

Values

The values of Erasmus Student Network that all members stand and work for are: 

• unity in diversity, diversity in the unity
  • We all have different backgrounds, but share one common aim and goal.

• students helping students
  • We passionately commit ourselves to volunteering for the benefits of others.
• fun in friendship and respect
  • We enjoy relations based on respect.
• international dimension of the life
  • We are open-minded, mobile, like to discover and explore, to co-operate and to interact to break borders.

• love for Europe as an area of peace and cultural exchange
  • We live and benefit from the cultural richness of Europe to the utmost.
• openness with tolerance
  • We understand and accept others and learn from them.

• cooperation in the integration
  • We share an holistic view towards internationality.
     

  All these features are included in the vision, mission and Corporate Design of ESN, developed by Koeweiden Postma in the period from January to March 2006.

  The vision and mission of Erasmus Student Network were discussed and approved at the Annual General Meeting in Utrecht in March 2009. 

  The values are result of the Corporate Identity Project developed from September to December 2005 and refined throughout 2008 / 2009.