The European Students’ Union (ESU) is an interest representation umbrella organisation for national student unions in Europe headquartered in Brussels, Belgium and founded in 1982. As for December 2012 it has 47 members from 39 countries and is recognised partner in higher education with the European Commission, Council of Europe, Bologna Follow-up Group and UNESCO. It works closely within the E4 group (EQAR, ENQA, EUA and ESU) and other networks and frameworks towards enhancing representation of students in Europe in terms of quality assurance, higher education governance and others.
Lithuanian National Union of Students is a full member of ESU from 1998.
Pre-EHEA history
On October 17, 1982 ten national student organizations from Western Europe participated in the Constitutional Meeting of the Western European Student Informational Bureau (WESIB) in Stockholm, Sweden which led the begging for the future ESU. Among participants of the meeting were following national unions of students: SFS (Sweden), NSU (Norway), SHÍ (Iceland), NUS UK (United Kingdom), UNEF-ID (France), ÖH (Austria), DSF (Denmark).
Afterwards the meeting headquarters were appointed to be in Stockholm till the year of 1986, when WESIB moved to London, United Kingdom.
In 1990 right after the fall of the iron curtain WESIB decided to change the name and self-positioning; being no more Western European but European Student Informational Bureau (ESIB), later amended as „ESIB – The National Unions of Students in Europe”. During the early 90’s ESIB significantly increased its capacity in terms of student representation by a huge increase of its members from the Central and Eastern European countries. During this time headquarters of ESIB were moved to Vienna, Austria and transformed its structure by introducing a position of Chairperson (prior to that there were chairing members, not persons).
During the same time a structural changes in terms of higher education policy in Europe started and developed into Sorbonne (1998) and Bologna (1999) declarations where the contribution of ESIB was essential to ensure the continuity of student representation within the decision making towards the newly formed at that time European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Worth to mention, Lithuanian National Union of Students (LSS) became a full member of ESIB in 1998.
As for December 2012 ESU adopted a number of resolutions proposed by LSS, among them:
– ESU calls for continuing reform of Higher Education Reform in Lithuania (ESU Board Meeting 63 in Malta)
– ESU supports the increase of transparency within Higher Educations Institutions governance in Lithuania (ESU Board Meeting 62 in Bucharest)
– Solidarity with LGBT people (ESU Board Meeting 58 in Madrid)
During the past time in addition to 47 full members from 39 countries (from Iceland to Azerbaijan) ESU has 3 candidate members and 11 associate members.
Starting from July 1, 2012 alumna of LSS Karina Ufert (Vice President for International Relations, 2009-2010) is a Chairperson of ESU, elected at the ESU Board Meeting 62 in Bucharest, Romania