ESU

The European Students' Union (ESU) is the umbrella organisation of 43 National Unions of Students (NUS) from 40 countries. 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. ESU members are also student-run, autonomous, representative and operate according to democratic principles.

ESU was formerly known as ESIB – The National Unions of Students in Europe. ESU’s name and image is legally being used by ESU AISBL, BE0896.361.756, Avenue de Tervuren 155, 1050 Brussels (Belgium).

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 almost 20 million students in Europe.

ESU’s mission is to represent, defend and strengthen students’ educational, democratic and political and social rights. ESU will work for sustainable, accessible and high quality higher education in Europe.

Among ESU activities are:

• Bringing together, training and informing national student representatives on policy developments in higher education at the European level;

• Organising seminars, training, campaigns and conferences relevant to students;

• Conducting European-wide research, partnership projects and campaigns;

• Producing a variety of publications for students, policy-makers and higher education professionals.

For more information on ESU’s policy papers, statutes, standing orders, activity reports Plans of Work visit ESU’s policies’ page.

Student-Centred Learning

'Even though there is no formal definition of SCL, ESU believes that SCL is "both a mindset and a culture [...] characterised by innovative methods of teaching which aim to promote learning in communication with teachers and other learners and which take students seriously as active participants in their own learning, fostering transferable skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking and reflective thinking." ESU believes SCL needs to be seen in a whole-change approach and that student participation and social dimension are key enablers of SCL. In this context, SCL is seen by ESU as a tool that can transform the inner structures and processes of HE as a whole.

ESU's Statement on the Future of Student-Centred Learning Statement on the Future of Student-Centred Learning: Executive summary Statement on the Future of Student-Centred Learning: Historical Overview'

Bologna With Student Eyes - ESU analysis

For each Ministerial Conference since Berlin in 2003, ESIB then ESU publishes an analysis on the Bologna Process that is part of the stakeholders communications.

Policy papers

In addition to the analysis "Bologna With Student Eyes", ESU annually publishes Policy Papers that address various topics. These Policy Papers clarifies the position of students reprensetatives on several topics addressed by the BFUG. In the policy paper 'ESU's vision on European Higher Education Policies', the organisation presents its general view on Higher Education and on the main European developments on Higher Education, including the Bologna Process and the future of the European Higher Education Area.