International affairs (ESN)

ESN stands for Erasmus Student Network, the largest student association in Europe. As a non-profit organization, we are entirely operated by dedicated volunteers whose mission is to provide exchange students with an unforgettable experience.

Our special areas of responsibility:

• Initiation and coordination of projects to promote equal opportunities for non-Austrian students, interculturality and multilingualism.
• Supporting international students in their social and academic integration at the university by advising them on academic issues and promoting networking opportunities.
• Organization of excursions, cultural events and activities for regular students and exchange students to promote intercultural exchange.
• Overcoming the challenges faced by international students with regard to authorities, university offices or social issues (e.g. residence permits, employment during studies, language courses, etc.).
• Support for exchange students in various mobility programs (e.g. Erasmus+, Joint Study, Double Degree, CEEPUS) before, during and after their exchange semester in Klagenfurt.
• Facilitating the acclimatization of exchange students to Klagenfurt by organizing events and promoting a sense of community among exchange students.
• Promoting cultural exchange with local students through the buddy system (each student is assigned a buddy by the university. These buddies support newcomers by answering questions before their arrival in Klagenfurt, providing orientation for the city or simply spending time together).
• Management of “Project Green” in cooperation with the ÖH Department of Climate, in which outgoing exchange students donate useful items such as kitchen utensils, school supplies and packaged food to support new arrivals and promote sustainability.

During the semester, we organize a variety of exciting events and excursions for our students.
These include speed friendship trips, language cafés, international dinners, student parties, pub crawls, pub quizzes and karaoke nights.
We organize unforgettable excursions for exchange students within Austria, including city tours, hiking adventures and trips to our neighbouring countries.