ESOF today is the European event that everyone awaits. ESOF began in 2004 in Stockholm and since then has been held in Munich in 2006, Barcelona in 2008, Torino in 2010 and Dublin in 2012. The Stockholm success was unprecedented and has been increasing ever since. In response to this exponential growth, the previous ad hoc committee structure that secured the management of the events was complemented by a permanent base in Strasbourg, the ESOF Hub, esof@euroscience.org.

ESOF’s uniqueness is its dual European and national structure. ESOF is European, as it brings together people from all over Europe and is hosted in different European cities, and yet ESOF is also very national and local, flavouring its events with a national and local touch. This is illustrated for instance through one of its informal discussion fora, Pizza with the Prof. In Torino it was Pizza with the Prof, in Barcelona it was Tapas with the Prof and in Dublin it was Porridge with the Prof! Hence whilst being the European event par excellence, ESOF is unique every time through being rooted in a national and local culture.