Board category: Aurora Student Council

Matthias Thoma is a third-year political science student at the Universität Innsbruck with practical experience in Austrian and international politics. He is committed to strengthening international university cooperation in order to foster sustainable exchange and mutual knowledge transfer within the Aurora alliance. His focus lies on building institutional bridges between research, teaching and student mobility to connect European universities more strategically and accelerate the uptake of innovation.

Andreea Iorga is an Honours student in International Business Administration at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Alongside her studies, she holds the position of Communication Coordinator of the University Student Council, where she represents over 32,000 students and works to strengthen engagement, transparency, and communication between students and university governance.

As the delegated representative of VU Amsterdam within the Aurora Student Council, Andreea contributes to cross-European student collaboration within the Aurora European university alliance. Her interests lie at the intersection of international cooperation, leadership, and student representation, with a focus on ensuring that student voices shape both local and European higher-education spaces.

Marko Darabos is originally from Croatia, and he is currently pursuing a Master’s in Business Administration at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, specializing in Leadership and Change Management. He looks forward to exchanging ideas, learning from others, and working together so that, within the Aurora alliance, we can help each other grow and let new perspectives come to light.

Anaïs Kaci is a Master’s student in International Negotiations at Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC). As current President of the Student Body at UPEC, she represents over 42,000 students and actively contributes to building inclusive and participatory university governance.

As FOREU4ALL Ambassador for the Aurora Alliance, Anaïs serves as a member of the Aurora Student Council and of the association EvalUE, bringing strong expertise in European affairs, student representation, and higher education policy evaluation. Holding a Bachelor’s in Administration and International Exchanges and completing a second degree in European Fundamental Law, she combines academic knowledge with strategic leadership.

Her vision focuses on strengthening student participation across European university alliances and amplifying the student voice in European higher education. With her international background, she aims to build bridges across cultures and make student representation truly European in both spirit and impact.

Erin Gourves is a MA student at Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC). Previously involved as an Aurora Ambassador, she now aims to strengthen student involvement within the alliance in order to help build an impactful european network. She sees Aurora as a vibrant community to be further developed and connected — a space where collaboration and shared initiatives can truly thrive.

Emelie Schultz is a Swedish MSc student in Economics and Business Administration – People and Business Development at Copenhagen Business School in Denmark. She recently graduated with a dual degree in Business Management and Psychology at the University of Oklahoma in the United States. As a Aurora Student Council Representative, Emelie is very excited to be working together with the alliance to enhance Aurora’s mission and amplify student voices.

Mikkel Andreassen studies at Copenhagen Business School and represents CBS in the Aurora Student Council. Alongside his work with Aurora, he plays an active role in CBS Students, the official student union, where he focuses on academic affairs and student advocacy. Mikkel is passionate about empowering students, strengthening international collaboration, and helping bring the Aurora vision to life at the local level.

Radina Karamfilova is a third year bachelor student at the South-West University “Neofit Rilski”, Bulgaria. She has been a representative in Aurora for two years now. She’s currently studying and focusing on Visual Arts combined with Pedagogy. She believes that in details we find the way to success. Working practices with children and the process of creating had her exploring how both can be a bridge for connecting with others.

Her perspective on education was shaped by past volunteer work with an organisation that supported children in need – an experience that taught her how art and empathy can shift the way we see the world. Alongside her studies, she explored marketing as a way to understand how ideas travel and how to use that perspective to help student initiatives gain visibility, connect with more peers, and most importantly- to strengthen our community.

Katarina Đurčianski is a second-year Master’s student of Psychology at Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice. She represents her university in the Aurora Student Council, actively contributing to cross-university collaboration, student engagement, and intercultural dialogue within the alliance.

Through the Buddy Programme at her university, she supports incoming international students in adapting to academic life, fostering a welcoming environment and a strong sense of community. Katarina is also a member of the FOREU4ALL network and the European Student Assembly, where she works on strengthening student participation and cooperation across European universities.

Her interests include organizational psychology and human resources, student well-being, and empowerment, with a commitment to creating open, inclusive, and supportive academic environments. Katarina sees the Aurora Alliance as a platform for developing student leadership, expanding international cooperation, and contributing to the future of European higher education through student-driven initiatives.