Skip to main content

Aurora
Annual Conference 2026

Monday, 18 May 2026 – Thursday, 21 May 2026

On Monday, 18 May 2026, the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE) will welcome the Aurora community on its campus for the Aurora Annual Conference 2026.

Over three days, the conference will gather close to 200 participants and stakeholders from Aurora universities and beyond to debate ideas on the topics of European higher education, research, and internationalisation, among others. The conference will also be an opportunity to celebrate Aurora achievements and address challenges in the future.

Programme highlights include a zoom into trust in academia, an understanding of innopreneurship, and European student representation. 

The Aurora Annual Conference 2026 will also spotlight the ten-year anniversary of the Aurora network, celebrating a decade of cooperation between universities across Europe. 

View the conference programme and practical information below.

Download the brochure
Download practical information
days
hours
minutes
seconds

Day 1 | Monday, 18 May 2026
Duisburg Campus (Lotharstraße 65)

Time (CET) Sessions
12:00 – 13:30

Presidents’ Lunch
13:30 – 16:45

Presidents’ Tour

16:00 – 17:00

Welcome and Registration

LA Building, Lotharstraße 65

    17:00 – 19:00

    Opening Ceremony –Handover of Presidency

    Audimax, LX Building, Lotharstraße 63a

    Opening Speeches

    • Prof. Barbara Albert, Universität Duisburg-Essen
    • Dr. Ramon Puras, Aurora

    Handover of the Presidency

    • Prof. Veronika Sexl, Universität Innsbruck
    • Prof. Margarethe Jonkmann, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

    seizmic-Awards
    Introduction: Prof. Barbara Albert

    Keynote

    • Dr. Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim, Chemist and Science Journalist

    Introduction: Prof. Barbara Albert

    19:00 – 20:00            

    Reception with Light Bites and Drinks

    Foyer, LA Building, Lotharstraße 65

    20:00 – 23:00            

    Presidents’ Dinner – CLOSED SESSION
    Institutional Coordinators’ Dinner – CLOSED SESSION

    Day 2 | Tuesday, 19 May 2026
    Duisburg Campus (Lotharstraße 65)

    Time (CET) Sessions
    08:15 – 09:00

    Welcome and Registration

    Foyer, LA Building, Lotharstraße 65
    08:20 – 09:00

    Delegation Group Photos

    Location at UDE Campus Duisburg tbc
    09:00 – 10:30

    Plenary Session 1: The Erosion of Trust in Academia? Responses from Universities and Research Organizations in Europe

    LA034 (Audimax, ground floor), LA Building, Lotharstraße 65

    Opening Speech

    • Prof. Barbara Albert

    Keynote Speeches

    • Prof. Laure Garrigue Antar, UPEC
    • Prof. Marlene Altenmüller, Leibniz Institute for Psychology, Trier
    • Dr. Donato Sitaro, UNINA

    Panel Discussion

    • Dr. Jan Marco Müller, European Commission
    • Dr. Catherine Letcher Lazo, DAAD

    Moderator: Dr. Julia Schwanholz, UDE
    10:30 – 10:50

    Coffee Break

    Foyer, LA Building, Lotharstraße 65
    10:40 – 10:50

    Delegation Group Photos

    Location at UDE Campus Duisburg tbc
    10:50 – 11:00

    Group Photo All Participants

    Location at UDE Campus Duisburg tbc
    11:00 – 12:00

    Plenary Session 2: Aurora 2030 Midway: Achievements, Challenges, and the Road Ahead

    LA034 (Audimax, ground floor), LA Building, Lotharstraße 65

    • Dr. Ramon Puras, Aurora Secretary General
    • Prof. Janette Walde, Universität Innsbruck
    • Prof. Robin Banerjee, University of Sussex
    • Prof. Kai Hockers, Copenhagen Business School
    • Dr. Silvester Draaijer, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
    • Eliška Karasová, Palacký University Olomouc

    Moderator: Fanney Karlsdóttir, University of Iceland; Alexander Lindemans, Aurora Central Office
    12:05 – 12:25

    Delegation Group Photos

    Location at UDE Campus Duisburg tbc
    12:00 – 14:00

    Lunch Break

    UDE Canteen, Lotharstraße 23-25 or U-Café, Lotharstraße 65
    13:00 – 14:00

    Introduction Session of University of Sussex

    LA 013 (ground floor), LA Building, Lotharstraße 65

    • Prof. Robin Banerjee, US
    • Louise Turton, US
    • Matt Montgomery, US
    • Annie McEntee, US
    14:00 – 16:00

    Workshops / Work Package & Task Team Meetings

    Lotharstraße 65
    14:00 – 16:00

    Presidents’ Strategy Meeting – CLOSED SESSION

    LR 007 Mercator-Saal/Gerhard-Mercator-Haus (ground floor), Lotharstraße 57
    16:00 – 17:00

    Coffee Break

    Foyer, LA Building, Lotharstraße 65
    16:00 – 17:00

    Poster Session

    Foyer, LA Building, Lotharstraße 65
    16:30 – 17:30

    General Council Meeting – CLOSED SESSION

    LR 007 Mercator-Saal//Gerhard-Mercator-Haus (ground floor), Lotharstraße 57
    18:00

    Start of Social Activity
    18:45 – 19:45

    Social Activity VRs – CLOSED SESSION
    20:00 – 23:00

    VRs Dinner – CLOSED SESSION

    Day 3 | Wednesday, 20 May 2026
    Duisburg Campus (Lotharstraße 65)

    Time (CET) Sessions
    08:30 – 09:00

    Coffee Break

    Foyer, LA Building, Lotharstraße 65
    09:00 – 10:30

    Plenary Session 3: Innopreneurship: From Peer Review to Revenue

    LA034 (Audimax, ground floor), LA Building, Lotharstraße 65

    • Prof. Anne-Karen Hueske, Copenhagen Business School
    • Dana Pietralla, paged
    • Prof. Hannes Rothe, University of Duisburg-Essen
    • Livia Zimermann, EPITHEL

    Moderator: Dr. Tomasz Waliczko, Aurora Coordinator, University of Duisburg-Essen
    10:30 – 11:00

    Coffee Break & Cutting the 10th Anniversary Cake

    Foyer, LA Building, Lotharstraße 65
    11:00 – 12:30

    Plenary Session 4: Window into Student Representation

    LA034 (Audimax, ground floor), LA Building, Lotharstraße 65

    • Alma Ágústsdóttir, University of Iceland
    • Eliška Karasová, Palacký University Olomouc
    • Erin Gourves, Université Paris-Est Créteil
    • Emelie Schultz, Copenhagen Business School

    Moderator: Simona Gibalová, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice
    12:30 – 14:00

    Lunch Break

    UDE Canteen, Lotharstraße 23-25 or U-Café, Lotharstraße 65
    14:00 – 15:30

    Workshops / Work Package & Task Team Meetings

    Lotharstraße 65
    14:00 – 14:45

    VRE Meeting – CLOSED SESSION

    LA 013 (ground floor), LA Building, Lotharstraße 65
    15:00 – 15:45

    VRR Meeting – CLOSED SESSION

    LA 013 (ground floor), LA Building, Lotharstraße 65
    16:00 – 16:45

    Joint VRE-VRR – CLOSED SESSION

    LA 013 (ground floor), LA Building, Lotharstraße 65
    15:30 – 16:00

    Coffee Break

    Foyer, LA Building, Lotharstraße 65
    16:00 – 17:00

    Workshops / Work Package & Task Team Meetings

    Lotharstraße 65
    17:00 – 18:00

    ICs and WP Leads Meeting – CLOSED SESSION

    LA 013 (ground floor), LA Building, Lotharstraße 65
    19:00 – 23:00

    10th Year Anniversary Party and Handover of the Flag

    Restaurant HOME, Calaisplatz 5

    19:00 Arrival and Welcome
    19:30 Handover of the Flag, Start of the Reception
    CoP Award Ceremony

    Day 4 | Thursday, 21 May 2026
    Duisburg Campus (Lotharstraße 65)

    Time (CET) Sessions
    09:00 – 12:00 

    Lotharstraße 65 

    Parallel Workshop Sessions

    Workshops / Work Package & Task Team Meetings
    13:00 – 14:00

    Lunch break (self-catering)
    14:00 – 16:00

    Lotharstraße 65 

    Parallel Workshop Sessions

    Workshops / Work Package & Task Team Meetings
    End of the Aurora Annual Conference 2025

    Day 1 | Monday, 18 May 2026

    Time (CET) Parallel Sessions
    09:00 – 12:00 

    Students Council – CLOSED SESSION
    SG135 (1st floor), Geibelstraße 41
    13:00 – 14:00

    Students Council – CLOSED SESSION
    SG135 (1st floor),     Geibelstraße 41

    Day 2 | Tuesday, 19 May 2026

    Time (CET)

    		 Parallel Sessions
    14:00 – 16:00

    WP2: Transdisciplinary European Research Driven Educational Hub (Barbara Buchenau) – CLOSED SESSION
    LA 011b (ground floor), LA Building, Lotharstraße 65 

    T5.2: Enhancing Quality of Research through an AURORA Research and Innovation Community (Matthias Beekmann, Halldór Jónsson) – CLOSED SESSION
    LR 106 Senats-Saal/Gerhard-Mercator-Haus (1st floor), Lotharstraße 57 
    15:00 – 16:00

    WP8: General Meeting for WP8 members (Nanna Teitsdóttir, Marina Vives) – CLOSED SESSION​
    LK 051 (ground floor), Lotharstraße 65 

    Day 3 | Wednesday, 20 May 2026

    Time (CET) Parallel Sessions
    14:00 – 15:30

    WP3: seizmic: Social Entrepreneurship Opportunities in Aurora (Kai Hockerts) ​
    LA 011b (ground floor), LA Building, Lotharstraße 65 ​

    T3.4: Strategy for University Regional Stakeholders Engagement as a Part of Aurora’s strategic Management – CLOSED SESSION
    LC 140 (ground floor), Lotharstraße 65  

    ​Aurorisation: Teaching Formats, Evaluation Tools, Accreditation  ​
    and Recognition (Christelle Garrouste, Bertille Baron)
    LK 052 (ground floor), Lotharstraße 65 
    16:00 – 17:00

    The LOUIS Methodology: Redesigning Teaching (Marco Biondi, Francesca Scamardella) – CLOSED SESSION
    LC 140 tba (ground floor), Lotharstraße 65 

    Aurora Impact Study – Next Steps: Workshop on the Development of a Common Impact Assessment Methodology and Monitoring (Ilyas Kenadid, Matthieu Danteny) – CLOSED SESSION
    LA 011b (ground floor), LA Building, Lotharstraße 65  

    Aurora Blended Intensive Programmes – From Concept to Implementation ​(Nanna Teitsdóttir, Marina Vives)
    LK 052 (ground floor), LK Building Lotharstraße 65 

    Day 4 | Thursday, 21 May 2026

    Time (CET) Parallel Sessions
    09:00 – 11:30 

    Coordination Committee Meeting – Two Years Extension – CLOSED SESSION​
    LF 156 (1st floor) LF Building, Lotharstraße 65
    09:00 – 12:00

    The Role of Open Science and Citizen Science in AI and Innovation ​(Roberto Delle Donne, Maria Helena Cruz de Carvalho) – CLOSED SESSION
    LK 052 (ground floor), Lotharstraße 65 ​​

    Aurora Community of Practice: Bibliometrics & Open Research Information ​(Eike Spielberg, Maurice Vanderfeesten) – CLOSED SESSION
    LK132 (1st floor), Lotharstraße 65 ​​

    Digital Credentials: From Strategy to Implementation using EDCI (Dejan Lukovic) – CLOSED SESSION
    LA011b, (ground floor), Lotharstraße 65 ​​

    From Idea to Implementation: Building (cross-hub joint) Aurora Micro-credentials ​(Christina Raab, Florian Freitag, Robert Steiger) – CLOSED SESSION
    LK051 (ground floor), Lotharstraße 65 ​
    14:00 – 16:00

    Digital Credentials: From Strategy to Implementation using EDCI (Dejan Lukovic) – CLOSED SESSION
    LA011b, (ground floor), Lotharstraße 65 ​​

    T7.2: Aurora Student Ambassador Peer-to-peer Learning Workshop ​(Aurora Student Community) (Niels Hexspoor) – CLOSED SESSION
    LK 051, (ground floor), Lotharstraße 65 ​

    End of Aurora Annual Conference 2026