WHAT IS ESN VSB-TUO?

Erasmus Student Network VŠB-TUO - a local section of the international Erasmus Student Network (ESN). To make it clear, there is international, national and local level of this organisation:

  1. ESN International
  2. ESN CZ
  3. ESN VŠB-TUO

We are here for foreign students to:

  1. Help them with everything after their arrival (bank accounts, travel cards, ISIC, ESNcard, SIM card, getting to know the city, the campus, the faculties, the dormitories etc.) as well as contact them before their arrival and provide them with basic information about life in the Czech republic, Ostrava and what they should not forget to take with them (2 passport photos, warm winter jacket, LAN cable, etc.)
  2. Make them enjoy the semester by organizing events (trips, parties, language courses, etc. – some of them being regular, some of them being special and different every semester), and being their friends, too ;) Our aim is to offer various kinds of free time activities the way you, foreign students, like it. Therefore, we will be happy if we get your feedback – mail us, send us a message via facebook, tell us when you meet us on the street.

We are also here for Czech students planning to go on Erasmus (or just thinking about it) to provide them with information about exchange programs.

HISTORY OF ESN VSB-TUO

It all started in 2010, when our contemporary president was coming back from his Erasmus in Finland, totally disappointed by the lack of knowledge of foreign languages among the Czech students. He decided to do something about it and founded the FILLUP Programme, which was basically a gathering of Czech and foreign students every Wednesday at 6 pm, during which they practiced their English by sharing knowledge about their nations, cultures and habits.

These gatherings gave rise to a team of six Erasmus affected people that decided to found an organisation that would do even more for foreign students. Despite the lack of people (as 6 are not many for founding such organisation), they were doing really good and only two months after applying they became a full member section of ESN.

Thanks to the enthusiasm and hard work of the founders, ESN VŠB-TUO also became one of the most significant sections within ESN CZ. Not only we organized the first national platform for all Czech sections led in the English language, but also we were awarded for the best Responsible Party in Summer Semester 2012, our Section Delegate became the most diligent Section Delegate at the National Platform in June 2012, in January 2013 we became the Section in the Spotlight – an award from the International level of ESN for the sections that may be inspiration for others, and four of our members have been on the national Board of ESN CZ.

These days, ESN VŠB-TUO is expanding beyond the borders of campus and is trying to let all citizens of Ostrava know that there are hundreds of interesting young foreign people studying in Ostrava and it is worth getting together with them.

PEOPLE

Our team is composed of young and enthusiastic people that do everything voluntarily. Their main motivations being gaining experience for their future career, meeting people from all over the world, helping them with settling their lives in Ostrava and so increasing the prestige of the university and the city as well, practicing foreign languages and having a lot of fun.

And as it is still too much for one person to take care of, for example, everything concerning parties, each member of first and second level has its team of people. Members of each team do some particular piece of work regularly and so help the responsibles. We are constantly accepting new members to all the teams, therefore if you are a creative and energetic person that wants to realize his ambitions, you can try it in ESN VSB-TUO. You only have to contact the responsible person of the team you want to join and you can start doing what you like! No matter if you´re Czech or not :)

Last but not least, there are buddies, also an indispensable part of our organisation. A buddy is the foreign student´s „first friend“ in the new place – he helps him with accomodation, shopping, travelling through the city and everything one needs to know when one arrives in an unknown city. If you are interested in becoming a buddy, contact your Faculty Buddy Coordinator.

An important part of ESN Team is also its Alumni members. They do not work for ESN anymore but still are considered to be one of us as they contributed to the organization.