ESN in Belgium
Laura De Vocht
Education Officer
Agenda
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What is ESN?
ESN in FW-B
Partnerships
International Projects
Laura De Vocht | Education Officer ESN BE| education@esnbelgium.org
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What is ESN?
ESN in Numbers
Year of
foundation
1989
HEIs
growth rate
since 2005
12%
13,500
ESN members
179,00
0
442
37
Exchange
students
countries
Laura De Vocht | Education Officer ESN BE| education@esnbelgium.org
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Section Visit | Wim Gabriels | President ESN
BELGIUM
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Goals
 Support and develop International
Education and Intercultural experiences
Exchange Students
Former Exchange
Students
Local Students
Laura De Vocht | Education Officer ESN BE| education@esnbelgium.org
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ESN Structure
 ESN operates at three levels
– Local Level
– National Level
e.g. ESN ICHEC Brussels
e.g. ESN Belgium
– International Level International Board
Laura De Vocht | Education Officer ESN BE| education@esnbelgium.org
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ESN Sections in FW-B
ESN Belgium in Numbers
Year of
foundation
HEIs
Sections
350
1990
12
20
ESN
members
9000
7
Exchange
students
Sections
FW-B
Laura De Vocht | Education Officer ESN BE| education@esnbelgium.org
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Overview Sections
 Brussels
– ESN ICHEC Brussels
 Louvain-La-Neuve
– ESN LLN
 Liège
–
–
–
–
ESN HEC Liège
ESN HELMo
ESN HEPL
ESN Ulg
 Mons
– ESN Mons (UCL Mons)
Laura De Vocht | Education Officer ESN BE| education@esnbelgium.org
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Local Activities
 Welcome Days / Orientation week
 Buddy Program
 Arrival Support
– Pick Ups
– Information or help with finding Accommodation
– Survival Information
 Language Tandems/Café’s
Laura De Vocht | Education Officer ESN BE| education@esnbelgium.org
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Local Activities
 Cultural trips
– Museums
– City Trips
 Social Activities
– Student Parties
– Movie Nights
– International Dinner
 Sports Activities
– Student Leagues
Laura De Vocht | Education Officer ESN BE| education@esnbelgium.org
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ESN Partnerships
ESNcard
 A membership and discount card
 International, national and local
discounts and deals
 More than 80,000 cards sold per
year
 In development: www.esncard.org
Laura De Vocht | Education Officer ESN BE| education@esnbelgium.org
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Brussels Airlines
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€200 H/T
52KG Luggage
1 Change of date free of charge
5 x 20% Discount for family & friends
Laura De Vocht | Education Officer ESN BE| education@esnbelgium.org
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Proximus
Laura De Vocht | Education Officer ESN BE| education@esnbelgium.org
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Laura De Vocht | Education Officer ESN BE| education@esnbelgium.org
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International Projects
SocialErasmus
 Flagship project of ESN in 2012
– Winner of the EESC Civil Society Prize
 Aims of the project
– Giving international students the opportunity to contribute
to their host communities with volunteer activities
Laura De Vocht | Education Officer ESN BE| education@esnbelgium.org
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SocialErasmus
 Integration into local community
through volunteering
 Charity, Education & Environment
 In sync with the original values of the
Erasmus Program
– Intercultural learning, integration, new
educational systems
 Reach Higher, Go Further, Go Social!
Mobility HEI | Laura De Vocht | Education Officer ESN BELGIUM
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Erasmus in Schools
Flagship project of ESN in 2013
International students becoming guest teachers in
schools in their host communities
– Brings new
cultures &
languages to pupils
– Raising the interest
for international
education
Laura De Vocht | Education Officer ESN BE| education@esnbelgium.org
Erasmus in Schools
 Part of SocialErasmus
 Matching Erasmus students – schools:
– Previously: by NAs, but mismatch
– Now: ESN Sections start contacting schools
 More info?
– SocialErasmus coordinator Belgium:
socialprojects@esnbelgium.org
Mobility HEI | Laura De Vocht | Education Officer ESN BELGIUM
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ESNSurvey
 Biggest regular European research
project made entirely by volunteers
– Average of 13.000 answers
 Exploring different aspects of student
mobility
–
–
–
–
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Employability
Language Learning
Entrepreneurship
Environmental behaviour
Many others
 New ESNSurvey 2015
– Please help spread the word!
Laura De Vocht | Education Officer ESN BE| education@esnbelgium.org
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Did You Know That Students
Who Have Been Abroad Are
More Engaged In Social
Activities Than Those Who
Have Not?
They also have a bigger circle of friends and are more
open-minded
ESNSurvey 2013
ExchangeAbility
Promotion of
exchange
opportunties
Make ESN
accessible
Accessibility
of HEI
Increase mobility for people
with special needs
MapAbility
 Collect data and provide
information to students
 Create a map of
accessible Universities in
Europe
 Foster the mobility of
students with special
needs
Laura De Vocht | Education Officer ESN BE| education@esnbelgium.org
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MapAbility
Laura De Vocht | Education Officer ESN BE| education@esnbelgium.org
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Erasmus Impact Study
Laura De Vocht | Education Officer ESN BE| education@esnbelgium.org
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Erasmus Voting Assesment
 81% former Erasmus students voted
 42,5% general election turnout
 30% turnout young people
 More pro-EU feeling
 Greater sense of
European identity
Laura De Vocht | Education Officer ESN BE| education@esnbelgium.org
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STORY
Research on
the quality
of ERASMUS
study
mobility
Research on
the quality of
placements
and
internships
including
ERASMUS
STORY main
objectives
:
Web platform
matching the
demand and
offer of
traineeships
Laura De Vocht | Education Officer ESN BE| education@esnbelgium.org
Laura De Vocht | Education Officer ESN BE| education@esnbelgium.org
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Thank you for your attention!
Questions?