ELSA International

ELSA (The European Law Students' Association) is an international, independent, non-political, non-profit-making organisation run by and for students.

It is comprised of students and recent graduates who are interested in academic and personal excellence. ELSA offers law students a perfect platform to develop their existing skills, acquire new skills and meet fellow students and legal professionals throughout the Europe.

Law students from Austria, Hungary, Poland and West Germany founded ELSA in 1981. ELSA is today the world's largest independent law students association and it is represented in more than 220 law faculties in 36 countries across Europe with membership in excess of 30 000 students and young lawyers.

 

Visit ELSA International's website at http://www.elsa.org

 

Philosophy

 

Vision
A just world in which there is respect for human dignity and cultural diversity.

 

Purpose
To contribute to legal education, to foster mutual understanding and to promote social responsibility of law students and young lawyers.

 

Means

Providing opportunities for law students and young lawyers to learn about other cultures and legal systems in a spirit of critical dialogue and scientific co-operation.

Assisting law students and young lawyers to be internationally minded and professionally skilled.

Encouraging law students and young lawyers to act for the good of society.

 

 

Network

 

ELSA is a unique and growing network of close to 30 000 young people from more than 200 universities in 35 countries across Europe. ELSA currently has members and observers in: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland,  Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Montenegro, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine.

Furthermore, ELSA co-operates with other student organisations across the world, for instance ILSA in North America, ALSA in Japan, ALSA in Australia, ALSA in South Africa and AEJCI in Ivory Coast.

 

 

Special Status

 

ELSA has through its activities and commitment within the international community gained a special status with several international institutions.

In 1997 ELSA obtained 'Special Consultative Status' with UN ECOSOC (United Nations Economic and Social Council) and 'Consultative Status' with UNCITRAL (UN Commission on International Trade Law), in 1994 ELSA was granted 'Consultative Status' in Category C in UNESCO (UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation). Furthermore, in 2000 ELSA was granted 'Consultative Status' (recently called 'Participatory Status') with the Council of Europe. In addition, ELSA has a Co-operation Agreement with UNHCR (UN High Commissioner for Refugees). In October 2005 ELSA has obtained 'Observer Status' with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).

 

 

The International Board of ELSA

 

The International Board is the supreme executive body of the association. Its members are elected at the Spring Council Meeting for a one-year period. The International Board is responsible for the overall co-ordination of the organisation as a whole; including the support of member groups both locally and nationally, the collection and redistribution of information throughout the network to ensure the fullest participation possible at all events.

The International Board also co-ordinates and develops ELSA's collaboration with various international organisations and institutions, governments, law firms and companies across Europe.

The International Board consists of 7 positions. The members of the International Board work full-time at the international Headquarters in Brussels on a voluntary basis.