About Us

ESN Finland

What we do?

ESN Finland represents the interests of international students in Finland. ESN Finland negotiates national partnerships, cooperates with other national student organisations, organises national events and support their sections both financially and administratively.

FAQ

Can ESN Finland help me with city-specific information?

We recommend that you contact the university or ESN section of a specific city directly, as we do not hold city-specific information such as how to find accomodation, locations or what kind of support an exchange student can get from a specific university or city.

Can ESN Finland help me with accomodation in Finland?

In these types of questions, we recommend that you contact the university or ESN section in the city you are going to study in. ESN Finland does not provide accomodation and do not have city-specific information, as we are a national organisation of the international ESN network.

Can ESN Finland give me information about ESN membership and the ESN card?

Yes, we are able to help with these kinds of questions. ESN membership is easy to get from the local ESN section of the city you are studying in. By getting in contact with your local ESN section you can receive an ESN card and membership.

Current 2024 board

Tana Vipavin

President

Elia Bibbeau

Vice President

Yasith Hirimburegama

Events Manager

Maksim Vakulenko

Web Project Administrator

Juuso Kallio

Communication Manager

Henna Kärkkäinen

HR Manager

History

First section established in Finland: 1993, ESN HYY in Helsinki

Joined ESN International: 1993

Creation of National Board: 2009, Rovaniemi

Number of sections in 2024: 14

Since 1993, ESN Finland has been a cornerstone of the Erasmus Student Network in Finland, currently boasting 14 sections nationwide and serving as one of the most active NEP (Northern European Platform) countries, according to ESNcard Network Report 2024. Its inception traces back to a serendipitous phone call, leading Teppo Heiskanen, then-international secretary of the University of Helsinki’s Student Union, to the ESN’s Annual General Meeting (AGM). Recognizing a shared mission, Finland embraced ESN, with ESN HYY (Helsinki) becoming its first section. Turku, Tampere and Vaasa were the next ones to join the network and the first unofficial National Platform was held in 1994. Heiskanen subsequently spearheaded Finland’s ESN involvement, even hosting the AGM in Helsinki in the same year.

Early Finnish ESN members proactively fostered connections with student organisations and higher education institutions in the Baltic region and Poland through the “ESN TEMPUS Tour,” while new sections sprouted nationwide, from the northern city of Rovaniemi to the bustling capital, Helsinki. Some cities may have more than one ESN section depend on the population of international students: five sections in the Helsinki area, two in Turku, and the rest in Jyväskylä, Kuopio, Lappeenranta, Lahti, Oulu, Rovaniemi, Tampere, and Vaasa. As of 2024, ten Finnish sections have registered as legal associations.

ESN Finland’s organisational structure evolved significantly. In 2009, the first National Board was elected in Rovaniemi, and in 2010, ESN Finland was officially registered as a legal association. The National Assembly (formerly known as National Platform), convening twice annually, with additional online meetings as needed, emerged as the organisation’s highest decision-making body. Over the years, ESN Finland has championed cultural initiatives like the iconic ESN Overalls, which help integrate exchange students into Finnish student life.

Individual sections organise diverse activities for exchange and international students, including sitsit parties, sauna evenings, and trips to various destinations. The national level focuses on online coordination through various communication channels, complemented by face-to-face interactions through section and event visits to enhance collaboration, particularly in transitioning after COVID-19 era.

ESN Finland actively participates in international ESN events, including the Erasmus Generation Meeting (formerly known as Annual General Meeting), Northern European Platform (NEP), and General Assembly. Notably, it initiated the “Pirates of the Baltic Sea” (PoBS) cruise in 2011, now a biannual event organised every semester by the supporting structure namely the National Events Committee (NevCo), attracting around 1500 participants per edition and a source of immense pride for the organisation.

Notable initiatives from ESN Finland and its member sections include: NEP Vaasa (2019), the host organiser of the Northern European Platform by ESN Vaasa; ESN Awards (2020) in cooperation and employability by ESN FINT and social inclusion training by ESN Vaasa; Beyond Biases (2023), a collaboration training event between ESN Finland and ESN Latvia to promote intercultural understanding between local and international youth; and ESN Awards (2024) in cooperation by PoBS and environmental sustainability by ESN FINT.

Moreover, ESN Finland cooperates with the following national institutes: Center of International Mobility (CIMO), Finnish Youth Cooperation (Allianssi), the National Union of University Students (SYL), the Union of Students in Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences (SAMOK), and the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI/OPH). ESN Finland’s legacy is one of enriching international student experiences, fostering intercultural understanding, and actively contributing to the vibrant Erasmus community in Finland and beyond.