The European Council for Student Affairs (ECStA) is an independent and autonomous umbrella organization aiming to promote the social dimension of higher education in Europe.
In order to do so, ECStA works for improved cooperation between student services organisations within Europe aiming to increase the understanding of the differences regarding the social infrastructure of higher education. The ECStA is in particular promoting professional exchange of student affairs staff and the mobility of students in Europe within the framework of the Bologna process.
ECStA members represent the public student services networks in Europe that provide services such as residence halls, dining services, financial aid, and social and psychological counseling to more than 10 million students in European higher education.
The foundation of ECStA is a result of growing cooperation of student services organisations in Europe. Its members have been working together for a long time, building stronger and stronger links, using various European conferences on economic and social support for students which have been held since the beginning of the 1990s. The European Council for Student Affairs was officially registered in Brussels on 11 February 1999. The founding members of the ECStA were the two Belgian organisations “Vlaamse Interuniversitaire Raad” (VLIR) and “Conseil Interuniversitaire de la Communauté Française” (CIUF), the French organisation “Centre National des Oeuvres Universitaires et Scolaires” (CNOUS) and the German Organisation “Deutsches Studierendenwerk” (DSW).
With its activities, the ECStA also promotes the mobility of student affairs and services staff as well as international students.
Thus, the association serves the objectives stated in article 149 of the EC-Treaty under ”Education, vocational training and youth“ namely those of ”encouraging the mobility of students and teachers“, ”promoting cooperation between educational establishments“ and ”developing exchanges of information and experience exchange on issues common to the educational systems of the Member States“.
See the ECStA-Statutes
See the 20 years anniversary ECStA film : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUdQGqYHSRA
ECStA celebrating its 20 years old anniversary August, 27, 2019, at European Parliament, Strasbourg.