Author: rostanetek

Aurora Alliance – Research and Innovation for Societal Impact Project Accepted

Written by rostanetek on . Posted in News.

It is our greatest pleasure to announce that the Aurora Alliance application for research and innovation has been honoured with a grant within the SWAFS program of Horizon 2020.

With the acceptance of this proposal, the alliance will further develop the Aurora European University Alliance program’s research and innovation dimension. The University of Iceland will coordinate the Aurora RI SWAFS project.

The focus of the Aurora Alliance – Research and Innovation for Societal Impact project is to strengthen and empower research support by sharing research infrastructure, strengthening and aligning Open Science policies in line with EU frameworks, and cooperation with other actors and empowering staff and students. This will complement the Aurora Learning for Societal Impact strategy with a long-term Aurora strategy towards research and innovation (R&I) for Societal Impact, aiming to support the achievement of the SDGs related to the four priority domains of the Aurora Alliance programme: i) Sustainability and Climate Change, ii) Digital Society and Global Citizenship, iii) Health and Wellbeing, and iv) Culture, Diversity and Identity.

In line with the overall objective, the project will develop and achieve seven specific objectives that provide the necessary stepping stones for the Aurora Alliance structural and sustainable change. The seven objectives are:

  1. Objective 1: Development of an Aurora support plan for research and innovation
  2. Objective 2: Develop best practices for pooling research infrastructures, expertise, data and resources
  3. Objective 3: Strengthen cooperation on entrepreneurial activity and creating an Aurora innovation ecosystem
  4. Objective 4: Develop the capacities and capabilities of Aurora researchers and support staff
  5. Objective 5: Sharing best practices on Open Science
  6. Objective 6: Embedding Citizens and societal engagement further into our research activities
  7. Objective 7: Maximise impact through collaboration with other European Universities

By matching the educational and institutional focus on support with a research and innovation aspect, the Aurora RI project will further complement the goals of the Erasmus+ project and intensify and deepen the links between the universities on several levels. This, in turn, will help to build a common identity as part of the European knowledge system, which combines education with research and innovation. We are glad that we are part of such an innovative programme and look forward to realising our first objectives.

For further information on the research and innovation project contact:  Úlfar Kristinn Gíslason at ulfarg@hi.is

Aurora Care and Compassion Student Event

Written by rostanetek on . Posted in Events.

The Aurora Student Council is delighted to be hosting the Aurora Care and Compassion Student event. This free virtual conference is packed with engaging content showing how Aurora cares for issues in modern society and will get students involved in activities and conversation across 4 key areas. These areas are Mental Health and Wellbeing, Open Educational Resources, Celebrating and Promoting Diversity, and Sustainability.

Students’ participation in these activities and conversations will give them practical skills to take away and also help Aurora embed student voice into the heart of many exciting projects. We want students to learn about Aurora and equip them with the tools to champion Aurora’s values in their own universities.

If you are a student interested in any of these topics or you know of students that would be interested, click the link here to register your interest and come and join us on March 30th 2021.

Click here for the program of the event.

Follow this page for updates on this event

Aurora Spring Academic Meeting

Written by rostanetek on . Posted in Events.

Meet peers facing similar challenges in providing students with high-quality education and with international opportunities in a forced online environment.

Learn what support Aurora is organising to assist academic teachers in meeting these challenges.

On March 30th, from 9 am to 1 pm (CET), Aurora is hosting its Spring Academic meeting. It will be a platform to meet with peers and discuss how to provide high quality learning under the currently restricted conditions.

The Aurora Spring Academic meeting is a follow up to the Aurora Community building event of January 28th, 2019, focusing on the same domains.

The Spring meeting is an event in the Aurora Alliance European University programme, which aims to strengthen the way in which Aurora students are equipped with the skills and mind-sets to act as social entrepreneurs and innovators in addressing societal problems.

The Event

The Spring Academic meeting aims at academic who feel attached to the following domains:

  1. Sustainability & Climate Change
  2. Digital Society & Global Citizenship
  3. Health & Well-being
  4. Culture: Diversity & Identity
  5. Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation.

The Spring event is organised mostly in parallel strands for each of the domains to meet. There will be ample time in the programme to freely discuss topics of mutual interest – in education, research or otherwise. The core of the programme will be sessions on two key challenges in higher education with the current restrictions:

  • How are we as academic teachers finding our way from high-quality analogue (or offline) to digital (or online) education,
  • How can we continue to provide our students with a meaningful international experience, particularly in the pandemic and post-pandemic context,

Topics and tools

The Aurora Spring Academic event is an excellent opportunity to find out how your university’s participation in Aurora can be valuable to you: as a platform to meet with peers, find out how you can learn from and with each other, learn about the tools Aurora is developing to support the member universities in providing academically excellent and societally relevant education.

In the sessions, you will have the opportunity to discuss what you see as the most pressing issues in these two key challenges – and how these can be addressed.

With the maintenance of quality in virtual education, there will be specific attention to higher education’s value beyond the subject-related knowledge and skills.

With continued international dimensions with less physical mobility, there will be specific attention on tools and platforms for virtual mobility and online joint courses.

The Aurora Spring Academic event will be hosted on the Gatherly platform, which allows you to freely move and chat with participants in groups of two’s or three’s or more.

Info-desks

Before and after the sessions, you may visit info desks on the various tools and platforms developed in the Aurora European University Alliance programme; see below under the programme description.

You can stop by the info desks of your interest and get in touch with the colleagues involved.

Take-aways

So what can you expect as takeaways from this event?

  1. Meet, discuss and arrange follow-up contact with peers on your issues and concerns in the transit from analogue to high-quality digital education and/or students’ international opportunities
  2. Find out about existing good practices in high-quality digital education and virtual international experience
  3. Learn about useful Aurora tools and platforms for these challenges and meet the experts who can help you use them.

Please view the full programme of the event here.

Follow this page for updates on this event.

International Learning Lab

Written by rostanetek on . Posted in Events.

On the 17th of June 2021, the Aurora Service Learning Toolbox (SL Toolbox) will be launched at the International Learning Lab and will take place from 15:30 to 18:00 CEST.

The Toolbox will provide relevant tools/resources to interested teachers and students to learn about SL. These tools could further strengthen existing SL courses and can provide inspiration to teachers on how to transform an existing course into an SL one. It will also have resources for both teachers and students to learn about the essential concepts of SL including participation, reflexivity, and community engagement.

The event is open for students, teachers and experts from the Aurora universities and other national/international guest Universities for a wider discourse on service learning.

The event will include talks from international SL experts: Prof. Robert Bringle (Professor Emeritus, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, USA), Prof. Wolfgang Stark (Professor Emeritus, Universität Duisburg Essen, Germany), and Prof. Marjolein Zweekhorst (Professor, Athena Institute, VU Amsterdam).

The event will also include presentations of students from Interdisciplinary Service Learning (iCSL2) – an “Aurorised” course open to Master students from any discipline/program across Aurora universities.

Click here for more information and access to the zoom meeting ID and password.

Digital Society, Social Justice and Academic Education

Written by rostanetek on . Posted in Events.

Date and time: Tuesday, March 23, 2021, at 5:00 p.m. (17:00) Central European Time (UTC+1) Panellists: Saa Dittoh (UDS, Ghana), Narayanan Kulathuramaiyer (UNIMAS, Malaysia), Anna Bon (VU Amsterdam, the Netherlands) Moderator: Hans Akkermans (w4ra.org, the Netherlands) An important open question of Digital Humanism is how ethical and social aspects of digital technologies and associated matters of human values and social justice can be handled appropriately in academic research and education. A possible approach is to create interdisciplinary courses on ethics and philosophy of technology such as “Tech Ethics”. This panel investigates approaches that have their roots in direct collaboration from academia with outside (underprivileged, marginalised) communities as an integral element of research and education. Case examples and experiences from three different continents are discussed, giving some perspective on the simultaneous universality and contextualises of human values and social justice.

TALKS:

Knowledge for Service: Digital Technology Positives and Negatives in African Rural Societies Saa Dittoh

Many decades ago (and possibly now in some areas) in rural Africa, communal methods of information sharing were not always face-to-face; some were virtual, through high-pitched voices and loud sounding “talking drums” that gave “coded information”. No wonder that many African rural societies have no reservations about adopting appropriate modern digital technologies. The rapid advance in digital technology has been positive in many ways. Still, several harmful and damaging aspects threaten the values, cultures, and even the very existence of some African rural societies’ very existence. In this talk, I discuss those threats and suggests ways to counter them. This talk further highlights how knowledge can be put to service and how university students can be engaged in this.

Digital Sociotechnical Innovation and Indigenous Knowledge Narayanan Kulathuramaiyer

In this talk, I will discuss how university research and education on digital technology can empower under-served communities. I particularly describe the eBario program as a long-standing university-community partnership between the rural Kelabit community, one of Borneo ethnic minorities, and the University Malaysia Sarawak. This program to bridge the digital divide started in 1998, with the indigenous Kelabit community taking on the information and knowledge creation pathway as a way forward. Over the past two decades, the program has evolved to become recognised as a living laboratory, influencing practice and policy, with, for example, a role in poverty reduction. eBario, as an ICT for Development model, has been replicated to cover eight other sites across the Peninsula and East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak. However, the biggest achievement resides in the development of community scholars and the community-led life-long-learning initiatives that go on till today.

Digital Divide, Inclusion and Community Service Learning Anna Bon

Community service-learning (CSL) is an educational approach that we have further developed in collaboration with universities and stakeholders in the Global South into a research and education model dubbed: ICT4D 3.0. This model combines problem-solving and situational learning with meaningful service to communities and society. In computer science and artificial intelligence education – traditionally purely technologically oriented – ICT4D 3.0 integrates CSL’s societal and ethical principles with user-centred design and socio-technical problem-solving. Being exposed to complex, societal real-world problems, students learn by exploring, reflecting, co-designing in close interaction with communities in a real-world environment. This type of education provides a rich learning environment for “Bildung”.

To participate via Zoom with password: 0dzqxqiy. The talk will also be live-streamed and recorded on YouTube.

For further announcements and information about the speakers, see here.

Spring School on Transferable Skills for PhD and Master students

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Are you thinking about the next step in your career? This 2-day online Spring School will focus on developing skills in grant and CV writing and how to get a faculty position. We will give an overview of the breadth of interviews that can be expected on your interview journey and provide a space to practice interview questions. We will discuss team management and gender equality in academia and research and how games may improve your work-life.

The Spring School is free and will be held online on Zoom on the 4th and 5th of May 2021. The School is open to all Master and PhD students of UNINA and the Aurora network from the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) area. The School is organized by the Internationalization Committee of the Department of Pharmacy in collaboration with the University of Glasgow (United Kingdom).

Organizers:

  • Valeria Costantino, University of Naples Federico II (Internationalization Dean for Erasmus)
  • Pasquale Maffia, University of Naples Federico II/University of Glasgow (Chair International Committee Department of Pharmacy)

To register, please send an email to internationalfarmacia@unina.it by the 1st of May. A link to the event will be sent to all participants.

Teaching in an International Classroom

Written by rostanetek on . Posted in Events.

This series of two one-day online workshops are designed for academics to enhance their intercultural skills and broaden the scope of pedagogical competencies of teaching internationally diverse classrooms.

Outcomes and Highlights:

  • Increased understanding of how culture influences our teaching and learning;
  • Pedagogies respecting different learning styles, needs, and supporting student engagement;
  • Creating inclusive classrooms for all, both international and domestic students;
  • Enhancement of academics’ intercultural skills;
  • Designing international courses with global learning objectives and well-built syllabi.

Cost: 5,500 CZK (210,- Euro)

SCHEDULE:

  • 1st-day session: the 23rd of April 9:00–12:15, 13:00–16:15
  • 2nd-day session: the 11th of June 9:00–12:15, 13:00–16:15

For detailed information, see: https://iei.upol.cz/trainings/

For registration email: eva.janebova@upol.cz (official registration is closed)

Aurora COVID Student Conference

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The University of East Anglia (UEA) are delighted to be hosting the second Aurora COVID Student Conference on 7th May from 14:00-17:00 (BST). This is a free virtual conference for students from across all Aurora Universities to hear from, and engage with, experts working at Aurora partner institutions who have been active in responding to and researching the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Confirmed speakers are Prof Helena Gillespie and Prof Yoon Loke (UEA), Ingibjörg Magnúsdóttir and Anna Bára Unnarsdóttir (University of Iceland), with Dr. Kelly Edmunds and Prof Neil Ward (UEA) also available for questions.

This conference should be of particular interest to students who are interested in infectious diseases or who are considering a project or dissertation related to COVID-19. The conference will close with a discussion of the key themes that emerge during the plenary sessions. To register your interest in joining this free conference, please email Maria.Fox@uea.ac.uk before 13:00 May 7th 2021.

 

Conference schedule

14:00 Opening Remarks by Prof Neil Ward (UEA)

14:10 Counting the harm from COVID – an inexact science by Prof Yoon Loke (UEA)

14:50 The Icelandic COVID-19 National Resilience Cohort – preliminary results for students by Ingibjörg Magnúsdóttir and Anna Bára Unnarsdóttir (University of Iceland)

15:30 Break

15:45 Internationalisation and Study Abroad After Covid by Prof Helena Gillespie (UEA)

16:25 Conference Discussion / Questions from attendees Chaired by Prof Neil Ward

17:00 Conference Close

#covidWISE Social Business Model Ideation Awards

Written by rostanetek on . Posted in Events.

What can you do with 3000 dollars to address the economic and social after-effects of the Covid crisis? All students enrolled at a university in the Aurora network are welcome to apply.

Supported by Abacus Medicine and the Innovation Foundation, Copenhagen Business School (CBS) is hosting this spring the #covidWISE Ideation Awards. #covidWISE is a project initiated by Copenhagen Business School, funded by the Danish Innovation Foundation. The project develops and supports emerging social entrepreneurs with innovative business models, aimed at addressing the economic, social and health consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic.

You can submit your idea using an easy and effective ideation tool. CBS offers in-depth feedback on your idea from their #covidWISE mentors and if the jury of social entrepreneurs likes your submission you can even win 3,000 dollars to develop your idea further. You can pre-register for the competition via this link.

 

Here is what else you need to do:

1) Create a Babele user account: www.babele.co/cbs

2) Start a new project and make sure to ask yourself: Do you clearly state who your beneficiaries are? Is the social problem clearly linked to the Covid crisis? Do you have a convincing solution?

3) If you need feedback and support you can apply for #covidWISE mentorship.

Award nominees and final winners will be announced at the Copenhagen Impact Investing Days on the 10th of June 2021. View the list of speakers here and the programme here.

 

UEA student spoke in House of Commons about diversity in the curriculum  

Written by rostanetek on . Posted in News.

A student from the University of East Anglia (UEA) spoke in the House of Commons after her petition to integrate diversity into the school curriculum reached 88,000 signatures.

Cynthia Ashlyne Muthoni who is 22 and studying MSc Climate Change and International Development at UEA presented via video link to a joint session of the Petitions Committee and Women and Equalities Committee on Thursday (5 November).

She is classed as vulnerable to COVID-19 and therefore was unable to physically attend protests over the death of George Floyd in the USA and calls for racial equality in the UK in June, so as an alternative method of protest she started the online petition. Within 48 hours of Cynthia setting up the online petition it gained 10,000 signatures, the necessary amount needed for the Government to respond, and it has steadily grown to just over 88,000 signatures.

Cynthia has experienced and witnessed racism throughout her life. She believes that the key to preventing it in education, healthcare, employment and other parts of society is to actively teach anti-racism to children in schools, so the next generation doesn’t become perpetrators or victims.

She said: “I remember being in school and always being called by the name of another black pupil despite us looking completely different. Teachers were angry to the point they would begin yelling at me for not responding and were later embarrassed by their actions. Sadly, this isn’t the only time I have been subject to racism.

“I would like teachers to be given appropriate anti-racism training, so they feel knowledgeable, confident, and empowered teaching such topics as well as when providing advice and assistance with any incidents of racism.

“Seeing the response to the petition is heart-warming, knowing so many people are co-signing and advocating for your idea because they recognise its importance. It gives you more confidence in your beliefs, it encourages you, and your determination becomes unwavering.

“It’s an honour to appear in parliament in any sense, but to be given the privilege to voice your ideas to people who have the power to affect real change is truly incredible. I feel prepared to combat this argument and demonstrate the necessity of education on racism and diversity being made mandatory.

“My aim is to have this idea transformed into legislation so that a significant portion of the curriculum is dedicated to deconstructing ideas of racism, providing children with tools necessary to combat racism, to become anti-racist and an ally.

“Instead of diversity (racially, ethnically, and culturally) being something children are told to tolerate, it should be something they are taught to celebrate. Diversity isn’t just acknowledgement of differences it’s the empowerment of the elements that make us different.”

Catherine McKinnell MP, Chair of the Petitions Committee, said: “I am pleased that the Petitions Committee is able to hold this joint evidence session with the Women and Equalities Committee and members of the Education Committee on such an important issue. This joint work allows us to delve deeper into concerns to petitioners that cut across policy areas.

“In the last few months, petitions calling for greater diversity in the National Curriculum have seen more than 390,000 signatures. Although the Government’s response to one of these petitions states that the curriculum provides teachers with ‘opportunities…to teach about Britain’s role in colonisation and the transatlantic slave trade’, many petitioners feel this does not go far enough in ensuring that students experience a fully diverse education all year round.”

Caroline Nokes MP, Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee added: “To tackle racism and create a more equal and just society, we must understand and learn from the past. That starts in schools, with a more inclusive history curriculum. The sheer number of signatures these petitions have received show the strength of feeling on these issues. The Woman and Equalities Committee wants to work with the Petitions Committee and colleagues on the Education Committee to explore this in more detail.”

To view the petition, visit: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/323808