Aurora Joins Discussions On Community Engagement At FOREU4ALL Workshop In Strasbourg
From 1 to 4 June 2026, four Aurora representatives attended FOREU4ALL’s third transversal workshop “From Campuses to Communities: Enhancing Engagement and Sense of Belonging in European Universities”, at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. Hosted by EPICUR alliance, the workshop gathered 140 attendees in-person from over 50 European university alliances, as well as online participants from across Europe.
Participants of FOREU4ALL Workshop 3 “From Campus to Communities”
Building A Shared European University Community
Organised by the FOREU4ALL Community Engagement, and Communication and Dissemination Topical Groups, within which Aurora is actively represented, the event explored community engagement, inclusion, and the role of communication to further build a shared European Universities community and identity.
Through keynote speeches, plenary sessions, poster presentations, and collaborative workshops, participants addressed one of the most important challenges faced by European Universities Alliances (EUAs): how to embed genuine connection and inculcate a sense of belonging for students, staff, academics and stakeholders involved within alliances as well as their institutions.
Aurora representatives Aniza Pourtauborde and Anaïs Warda Kaci (Université Paris-Est Créteil), Alma Ágústsdóttir (University of Iceland), and Ulrike Jessner-Schmid (Universität Innsbruck), joined colleagues in discussions on building thriving communities that extend beyond individual campuses. During the poster session, Aniza and Alma presented the Aurora Student Ambassador programme, one of the cornerstones of student engagement in Aurora.
As Head of Communications Strategic Programmes, Aniza stressed on the importance of working closely with the student community to raise visibility on the impact of the opportunities Aurora provides to students through its educational offers, international mobility, and involvement in Aurora governance structures.
Former Aurora Student Council (ASC) President, Alma echoed this further by showing how student-led activities have strengthened the foundation of student engagement in Aurora. Through the ASC and the Student Ambassador programme, students from Aurora universities meet in-person twice a year to work on formal structures and practices that embed the student voice at every level in Aurora. During these meetings, students also exchange institutional best practices through peer-to-peer learning workshops.
Engagement, Identity And Sense Of Belonging
A recurring theme throughout the workshop was that a sense of belonging cannot be created through communication campaigns alone. Attendees underlined shared values, and meaningful participation and opportunities, as criteria for personal connection. Discussions followed on moving alliances beyond administrative frameworks to create communities that inspire commitment, collaboration and a shared identity.
Over the two days, participants brainstormed on the following themes during several parallel workshops:
- Reinforcing the sense of belonging through values, interpersonal relations and Europe.
- Strengthening awareness, local visibility and understanding of European Universities Alliances.
- Overcoming mobility barriers, inclusion and diversity in EUAs.
- Improving motivation through formal recognition.
- Understanding the value of EUAs.
Aurora actively contributed during two workshops, presenting the groups’ proposals on prototype opportunities that have the potential to engage institutional students and staff at the alliance level.
From Ideas to Action
One of the most productive elements of the workshops was the collaborative design process. Working groups developed practical prototypes aimed at strengthening engagement and community-building across EUAs. Proposed initiatives ranged from cultural and artistic projects, to innovative Blended Intensive Programmes, and shared research databases, networking activities and new approaches to communication and outreach. These proposals, along with other outcomes of the workshops, will be made available through the FOREU4ALL website.
A critical point that emerged from this two-day event was the necessity for targeted and inclusive communication. Rather than relying solely on institutional messaging, alliances must engage professors, student representatives, alumni and local communities as ambassadors of the EUAs’ vision.
Building strong communities requires continuous dialogue, active participation and opportunities for meaningful interaction. For Aurora, the event reinforced the importance of collaboration between alliances and demonstrated how shared challenges can become opportunities for collective learning and innovation.