History

ESN Tallinn was founded in 2003 and first started to take care of Erasmus students studying at Tallinn Pedagogical University (current name Tallinn University). Erasmus was at that time the most popular and most successful education program and most of the incoming international students came here with Erasmus. As the number of Erasmus students and other foreign students in this university was small, then volunteers
in ESN Tallinn decided to take care of exchange students also in other higher education institutions.
Year by year there were more and more exchange students coming to all the universities in Tallinn - as a result the range of our activities and volunteers has risen.
Now ESN Tallinn takes care of more than 250 incoming international students per semester in many higher education institutions:
•    Tallinn University of Technology
•    Tallinn University
•    University Nord
•    International University Audentes
•    Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre
•    Tallinn Health Care College
•    Tallinn University of Applied Sciences
•    Estonian Business School
•    Estonian IT College

What are we usually doing?

ESN Tallinn is a non-profit organization and according to the statutes our organization should give to exchange students four different social events per month. Usually we have given more opportunities – we use all the ideas that come to our mind and try to give students as many events as possible.

Our typical events during these years

In the beginning of every semester we have an orientation week with various events. Besides we have had trips to different cities and counties in Estonia,
museum visits, Estonian movie nights, opera and ballet visits to our National
Opera, tram parties and all kind of competitions.
But some events have been more noteworthy - like Erasmus Van or Seabattle!

ERASMUS VAN

In 2007 Erasmus program got 20 years old! That’s why ESN International decided to organize Erasmus Days – local events to promote the Erasmus Programme and international exchange. Conferences, fairs, parades, exhibitions, festivals and many other events were organised from April till June in several European countries. Organisers were local branches of ESN.
Erasmus Van with ESN volunteers visited the most important events that were organized by local volunteers. Erasmus Van volunteers could gather opinions of students and local citizens about the Erasmus Programme.
Promotional materials were given to students during all the Erasmus Days.
The main one will be an interactive CD providing information about exchange
programmes and encouraging students to go to study abroad.
In 2007 on the 24th of April ESN Tallinn
had the honour to receive our long-awaited Erasmus Van. The van visited
different universities (Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn Health Care
College, Estonian Business School and Tallinn University) and met local students.
After that the Conference "20 Years of Erasmus" at Tallinn University began. It was opened by Heli Mattisen, the vice-rector for academic affairs of Tallinn University. The coordinator of the Archimedes Foundation Terje Paas, the chairman of The Federation of Estonian Student Unions Eimar Veldre, our own Erasmus students in Tallinn (Eray Hobigkil from Istanbul, Turkey and Ottavio Cambieri from Milan, Italy) and the first Estonian students as Erasmus students gave speeches about their experience and student mobility. Furthermore, the volunteers shared their
impressions of Erasmus Days that they had experienced in other cities. After
that we ate the big big Erasmus cake!
In the evening we organized a tram party – we visited all the different
districts of Tallinn, so that the volunteers could have a look at our city at
night. Erasmus Tram Party has always been one of our most popular events – this time it was even more special – the tram was full of ESN Tallinn and ESN International volunteers, local Erasmus students and local Estonian students.
After the Tram Party we hade an afterparty in one of the Old Town clubs and this event ended our Erasmus Day. Erasmus Van continued its way and next morning they enjoyed Erasmus Day spirit in Tampere!
Check more information here:
www.20erasmus.eu
More information about ESN Tallinn Erasmus Day:
http://www.20erasmus.eu/erasmusdays/view/33
Read the report and see the photos from the visit!
http://20erasmus.org/images/gallery/32

ESN SEABATTLE

For many years ESN Sweden has organized a trip from Stockholm to Tallinn for hundreds of international students who study in Sweden. ESN Tallinn volunteers have always entertained the Swedish Erasmus students with a walking tour in the Old Town of Tallinn – we have shown the Dome Hill, parliament and government building, the Town Hall square and many other places. After that all the students have some hours of free time and then they start their journey back to Sweden. From Stockholm all the students go back to their home cities – Kalmar, Linköping, Örebro etc.
Autumn 2008 was revolutionary for ESN, especially for ESN sections in Estonia, Finland and Sweden. More than 1500 exchange students studying in Estonia, Finland and Sweden could join Seabattle.

Students from Tallinn and Tartu could see Helsinki and Stockholm and most importantly – could join the atmosphere of more than 1500 international students in the same boat.
It is one of the biggest international ESN events of all times!
You can check some pictures from our photo gallery:
http://picasaweb.google.com/esntallinn/ESNSeabattle13Nov2008#