What is ESN?
ESN (Erasmus Student Network) Switzerland is a non-profit, politically independent, volunteer-driven umbrella association of all Swiss local ESN Sections. We are also part of ESN International, the largest student association in Europe, active in 1000+ higher education institutions across 40+ countries.
Our mission is to make education more mobile and more flexible. We support and develop student exchange, and we bring intercultural experiences even to those who can’t go abroad — also called “internationalisation at home”.
Who are we for?
When students return from an exchange, we help them reintegrate back home while staying connected to an international environment. Many ESN members are former exchange students: they’ve lived the challenges, they get the culture shock, and they’re motivated to give back.
Our main focus is supporting current exchange students. Arriving in a new country can feel exciting but also lonely or confusing. ESN helps you settle in — academically, socially, and practically.
Local sections organise trips across Switzerland, film nights, language tandems, international dinners, theme parties, and ski weekends. Many sections also run buddy/mentor systems to guide you from day one.
We’re also here to inform and inspire future exchange students to explore other cultures.
What do we do?
We connect and train local ESN sections, support their projects, and act as a link between them and ESN International.
Some of the projects we promote include the Buddy System, which matches local buddies with international students to help them feel at home, and the International Erasmus Games, a yearly international sports tournament.
ESN also supports big national and inter-section events such as Titanic Lémanique — a Spring gala on the largest boat of Lake Geneva with students from all over Switzerland and Europe — and the Swiss Train Rallye, where teams travel across Swiss cities in one weekend, completing challenges while discovering local culture and history.
On top of that, we organise national competitions like the National Erasmus Games.
Everything we do is driven by six core causes: Culture, Education & Youth, Environmental Sustainability, Health & Well-being, Skills & Employability, and Social Inclusion.
Follow us