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 law and have demonstrated commitment to international issues.
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 200 law faculties in 35 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 40 countries across Europe. ELSA currently has members and observers in: Albania, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and The United Kingdom.
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.
Our Special Status
ELSA has through its activities and commitment within the international community gained a special status with several international institutions.
ELSA has gained consultative status with several United Nations bodies; 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 Organization (WIPO).
Our Patrons
The Right Honourable Lord Slynn of Hadley
Law Lord at the House of Lords of the United Kingdom, London. Former judge and Advocate General of the European Court of Justice.
Professor M. Cherif Bassiouni
Professor of Law, De Paul University, president of the International Association of Penal Law and president of the International Institute of Higher Studies in Criminal Sciences.
