About Us

The European Students' Union (ESU) is the umbrella organisation of 45 National Unions of Students (NUS) from 38 countries (September 2011). The NUSes are open to all students in their respective country regardless of political persuasion, religion, ethnic or cultural origin, sexual orientation or social standing. Our members are also student-run, autonomous, representative and operate according to democratic principles.

The aim of ESU

The aim of ESU is to represent and promote the educational, social, economic and cultural interests of students at the European level towards all relevant bodies and in particular the European Union, Bologna Follow Up Group, Council of Europe and UNESCO. Through its members, ESU represents over 11 million students in Europe.

Working together

ESu works to bring together, resource, train and inform national student representatives on policy developments in higher education at the European level. Since decisions concerning higher education are increasingly taken at the European level, ESU's role as the only European-wide student platform is similarly growing. ESU's work centres around supporting its members through organising seminars, training, campaigns and conferences relevant to students, conducting European-wide research, partnership projects and campaigns, providing information services and producing a variety of publications. for both students, policy-makers and higher education professionals.

See also ESU's statutes and standing orders (as amended at the Board Meeting in Brussels, April 2009), ESU's activity report from 2010, ESU's activity report 2011 and ESU's Plans of Work.