League of Romanian Students Abroad

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League of Romanian Students Abroad
Liga Studenților Români din Străinătate
AbbreviationLSRS
FormationJanuary 8, 2009
FounderSebastian Burduja
Location
Membership
Approx. 14,000 (as of 2024)
Official language
Romanian, English
President
Otilia Apostol (Erasmus University Rotterdam)
General Secretary
Andrada Balmez (University of Cologne)
Websitelsrs.ro

The League of Romanian Students Abroad (LSRS; Romanian: Liga Studenţilor Români din Străinătate) is a non-profit, non-governmental, politically neutral organization led by Romanian students and graduates of universities around the world. It is one of the few organizations of its kind, specifically grouping Romanians who want to study, are studying, or have studied abroad.

The main goal of LSRS is to develop the community of Romanian students and graduates of universities around the world, facilitating their contribution to Romania's democratic future. LSRS affirms that highly trained, young Romanians represent a strategic resource for the country's development and should be promoted within society as decisive factors for Romania's future success.[1]

Initial Logo of the League (2009–2020)

History[edit]

LSRS was founded by two Romanian students, Sebastian Burduja (Harvard University) and Costin Elefteriu (King's College London), in January 2009, who perceived a need to organize the ever-growing community of Romanians studying abroad.[2] Nowadays, this community numbers tens of thousands of people.[3] LSRS is one of the fastest growing Romanian non-profits, gathering over 14,000 members (defined as registered users of their website[4]) after one and a half decades of activity across the globe. It has signed an official Memorandum with the Romanian Senate, granting it special recognition from Romanian authorities and acknowledging, for the first time, the potential of Romanian students abroad.[5]

Since its founding it has grown into the main organisation of representation abroad of undergraduate and graduate students of Romanian nationality, and has achieved cooperation and recognition with and from the Romanian Government,[6] Romanian diplomatic missions, The European Parliament, The Romanian Academy, multiple private sector actors such as KPMG, BRD, Kaufland or Rotary International.

A history of its press releases, that track the organisation's evolution, may be found on the official LSRS website.

LSRS 2023 Gala at the Palace of the Romanian Parliament in Bucharest

Organization[edit]

LSRS is organized into branches on four continents. In 2024, there were 16 active branches, spanning most Western European countries, but also Turkey, China, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and others. Branches are headed by Coordinators, who have nearly complete control over the activities of the branch. The general direction is set by Coordinators together with the executive committee and the Director's Council. The Director's Council gathers the President, the Secretary General, and five Vice-presidents: Internal Relations, External Relations, Projects, Treasury, and Communications. The League is defined by a strong organizational culture. Members and volunteers commonly form strong bonds through shared interests, augumented by regular activities organised by the League, such as teambuilding exercises, conferences, reunions and academic and leisure trips.

Activities[edit]

LSRS has undertaken a wide variety of projects on a national and international scale. It seeks to promote good relations with other countries, supporting Romania's image around the world through the activities of its branches. Every year, LSRS branches around the world organize small and medium-sized events to promote Romanian culture and traditions. The main celebrations take place on December 1 of every year, Romania's National Day.[7] At the same time, LSRS organizes projects in Romania. The “LSRS Caravan”[8] takes Romanian students and alumni from abroad on a journey through Romanian high schools and colleges. There they provide advice and counseling for facilitating the admission of new students to top foreign universities.

Equally important, the League organizes an annual Gala of Romanian Academic Excellence, offering prizes to the best and the brightest Romanian students abroad. The event routinely gathers around 800–1000 participants and on multiple occasions it was held in the prestigious Palace of the Parliament (Palatul Parlamentului). The League's policy is to invite civil society activists, journalists, politicians as representatives of the State, as well as representatives of the private sector and members of academia. For instance, Romania's Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi was present in 2011,[9] along with Mircea Geoana, President of the Romanian Senate, and Crin Antonescu, President of the National Liberal Party. The event has been tremendously successful in 2010–2011. The 2011 winner, Cristina Ghenoiu, is a world-leading specialist in cancer research at the Rockefeller Center.[10] In Europe, Graduate Student of the Year went to a talented researcher called Radu Beleca from Brunel University.[11] Another winner is Cristina Grigore, Romanian Fulbright Alumna at Vanderbilt University.[12]

Forum of Romanian Students, at the Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest

LSRS also organized a Conference on Sustainable Development in the Black Sea Region, together with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), bringing together students, diplomats, and scholars to explore new development solutions.[13]

Founder of the LSRS, Sebastian Burduja, in 2023

In 2010, LSRS spoke out on the controversial subject of Rosia Montana, protesting against the potential mining operations by pointing out the environmental costs involved.[14] The subject is still being debated in Romania as of February 2011.[who?]

More recently, in 2023, LSRS launched the ''Future of Europe'' Conference format, held at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, gathering members of the European public, private and academic areas to discuss topics of importance for the future of the European Union. The topic of the 2023 Conference was ''Future of European Law''. The topic of the 2024 Conference will be ''Harmony in Diversity: Sustainable Policy-Making in the EU''.[15]

Future of European Law Conference, 2023, European Parliament, Brussels

LSRS seeks to defend and promote the legal rights and academic, professional, social, and cultural interests of its members, and smoothens up the path toward a prosperous and democratic Romania. LSRS has been created for Romanian students and graduates abroad, as well as for other Romanians interested in studying outside their home country.

Media appearances[edit]

LSRS has had appearances in the Romanian media – TV, online, newspapers – among which Mediafax – Celebration of Romania's National Day (in Romanian), Adevărul – Interview with the founders of LSRS (in Romanian), and Diaspora Business Live – LSRS Library, by LSRS Denmark (in Romanian)

More recently, it had important successful partnerships with major official Romanian media outlets such as TVR,[16] Radio România Internațional,[17] and Agerpres.[18]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "LSRS – League of Romanian Students Abroad". lsrs.ro. Archived from the original on January 12, 2011. Retrieved February 14, 2011.
  2. ^ "Tineri_care_nu_s-au_scarbit_de_Romania". adevarul. Archived from the original on August 8, 2010. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  3. ^ "Romanians Stay Abroad". balkaninsight. 2011-01-11. Retrieved February 17, 2011.
  4. ^ "LSRS - Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate". Archived from the original on 2010-03-17.
  5. ^ "LSRS - Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate". Archived from the original on 2011-08-20. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  6. ^ "DRP - Gala LSRS 2023".
  7. ^ "LSRS Beyond Borders on December 1st –". bursa.ro. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  8. ^ "LSRS Caravan – or Helping Romanian students study abroad". spiderdiaries.richmond.edu/. Retrieved February 17, 2011.
  9. ^ "Minister Baconschi at Gala". Romanian Foreign Affairs Ministry. Retrieved February 17, 2011.
  10. ^ "Ghenoiu '04 is at the Head of the Romanian Class Abroad". Mount Holyoke College. 2011-01-31. Retrieved February 17, 2011.
  11. ^ "Radu Beleca". ad astra. Archived from the original on July 27, 2011. Retrieved February 19, 2011.
  12. ^ "Award granted to Cristiana Grigore, Romanian Fulbright Alumna". Fulbright. Retrieved February 19, 2011.
  13. ^ "Sustainable Development at the Black Sea Conference". UNDP Romania. Retrieved February 19, 2011.
  14. ^ "Students for Rosia Montana". 2010-07-14. Retrieved February 17, 2011.
  15. ^ MihaiPostelnicu (2023-06-27). "Conferința "Future of European Law and Society", Un Nou Eveniment LSRS de Success". LSRS (in Romanian). Retrieved 2024-03-22.
  16. ^ interpixel (2012-04-26). "LSRS si TVR - Romania Desteapta". LSRS (in Romanian). Retrieved 2024-03-22.
  17. ^ "Radio Romania International - Eduard Bălănici, coordonatorul LSRS Olanda". Radio Romania International. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
  18. ^ "comunicat-de-presa-liga-studentilor-romani-din-strainatate". Agerpres. 25 August 2023.
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