ELSA-The European Law Students' Association

About ELSA
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.

Our 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.

Our Network
ELSA is a unique and growing network of close to 30 000 young people from more than 200 universities in 36 countries across Europe. ELSA currently has members and observers in: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, 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.