Seminars & Conferences

ELSA members get many opportunities to develop their skills, network, and meet new people in Finland and abroad!

Seminars & Conferences (S&C) is the ELSA key area focused on international activities and cooperation between different ELSA groups within the network. Core S&C activities include study trips abroad, but the team also does much more. In addition to Study Visit trips and Institutional Visit trips, ELSA S&C team also provides opportunities to participate in international delegations and ELSA Law Schools.

This page contains information about our key S&C projects.

ELSA Delegations

ELSA holds consultative membership in several international organizations such as the Council of Europe and various UN bodies. ELSA regularly sends delegations formed by its members to international sessions on major international issues. In total, ELSA sends over 300 delegates every around the world.

ELSA Delegations provide members with the opportunity to follow the sessions of major international institutions and gain valuable experience on how decision-making and cooperation between countries take place in practice. Employers also appreciate the international experience gained by delegations.

ELSA Law Schools

ELSA Law Schools are 1 to 2 weeks long courses in the field of law, held in the summer or winter. During ELSA Law Schools you will get to explore the subject and other participants from around Europe around a specific legal topic. No prior knowledge is required or assumed for an ELSA Law School.

The program typically includes lectures and workshops from experts in the field, as well as social programme such as sightseeing, a gala ball, and parties. How would you like to learn about maritime law in Malta or medical law in sunny Thessaloniki?

Partner law schools

ELSA members also have access to reduced prices for CBL International’s intensive courses held abroad (e.g. in China, Dubai and England). The courses broaden the legal and comparative understanding of other legal systems and cultures.

Learn more about ELSA partner law schools

FinEst

FinEst is an annual two-day autumn event held in Helsinki and Tallinn. The study trip is organised in cooperation with ELSA Estonia, and half of the participants are Estonian law students. The programs include visits to law firms and institutions, sightseeing and social programme. The event focuses on a particular area of law; examples of previous themes include data protection law, environmental and maritime law, and arbitration. The topics are chosen so as to not require previous knowledge, and during the visits there is an opportunity to learn about national legislation from a broader perspective.

Baltic Sea Exchange

Baltic Sea Exchange (BSX) is an annual excursion organised by ELSA Finland and ELSA Sweden in early spring. BSX attendees visit law firms and institutions in Helsinki and Stockholm. During the visit, the participants become acquainted with potential career paths in the future and learn about e.g. competition law and human rights. In addition to Finnish and Swedish students, BSX also has a quota for ELSA members from other countries. This means that international spirit and friendships are guaranteed!

Study Visits

Study Visits (SV) are academic trips abroad that are organised in cooperation with the local ELSA group of the destination country. Most SV trips are organised in a bilateral fashion, which means that two local groups visit each other in their home towns. The trip program includes social and cultural program to familiarise yourself with the local legal and work culture.

Study Visits offer a great opportunity to establish new international friendships, and the participants get much more out of the destination when guided by local students. Recent destinations have included e.g. Amsterdam, St. Petersburg, Bologna, and Prague.

Institutional Visits

Institutional Visits (IV) are excursions to major European cities and major international institutions in them. The main focus of an IV trip is to get to know the city and its the cultural heritage, not to forget some social program. Examples of recent destinations include Madrid, Brussels, and Strasbourg.

Follow your local group’s mailing list and social media channels to be the first to know about our SV and IV trips!