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Archives: Boards

Andreea Iorga

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on .

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

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on .

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.

Alexander Lindemans

Written by rostanetek on .

Alexander Lindemans is Programme Manager of Aurora. Originally from the Brussels region of Belgium, he holds a BA and MA in History from Ghent University and Charles University in Prague, and an MA in European Studies from the University of Amsterdam. He has worked in international education for a while, as an International Student Advisor at VU Amsterdam and as Academic Coordinator and Advisor for the PPE and Philosophy programmes.  
 Outside of work, he enjoys adventurous travel involving camping, bikepacking, and hiking and plays drums and piano.  

Chiara Cardigliano

Written by rostanetek on .

As Policy and Programme Officer, Chiara Cardigliano supports the strategic and operational work of the Aurora Central Office, working closely with the Secretary General and Programme Managers to facilitate the effective implementation and coordination of Aurora’s activities.
Building on her legal background, previous experience in university administration, and the knowledge gained through her work within Aurora, Chiara contributes to the development of procedures, guidance and working frameworks that support both the Central Office and the wider Aurora governance and programme structures. Her role combines programme coordination with a policy and organisational dimension, helping translate strategic priorities into clear processes and practical ways of working.

Anaïs Kaci

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on .

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.

Anna Klas

Written by rostanetek on .

Anna Klas is a Communications Officer at the Aurora Central Office, where she has coordinated communications for the first phase of the Aurora European University Alliance. She coordinates communications and content delivery for Aurora’s EU-funded programmes. Her MSc thesis on social impact measurement was presented at the EMES International Research Conference in Frankfurt and co-published in the Social Enterprise Journal in 2025. Anna holds a BA in International Communications Management and an MSc in Policy, Communication and Organisation from VU Amsterdam. She is fluent in Dutch and English (C2), with working proficiency in Spanish (B1).

Erin Gourves

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on .

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.

Esmee Paques

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Esmee Paques is the Aurora institutional coordinator for the Aurora European university alliance at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. As the coordinating partner, she was part of the management work package for the first bid and has been working as a policy advisor within the international office since 2009. Started as an expert on international admissions, she now has a track record of many completed projects and dealt with numerous policy issues for VU Amsterdam. She was part of the Mastermind Europe project, a project that was set up to respond to the need for better matching of students to master programs, where she developed a toolkit to use personal traits and competencies for better admission decisions. In 2019 she was closely involved in shaping the recent VU Amsterdam strategic plan 2020-2025. She holds a Master’s degree in Culture, Organization and Management.

Emelie Kristina Elisabeth Schultz

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on .

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

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on .

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

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on .

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.

Fanney Karlsdóttir

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Fanney has a MA in International Studies from the University of Brisbane where she was a Rotary Peace Fellow. Prior to joining the University of Iceland, she held positions in the public and private sector linked to sustainability, such as Specialist at the Prime Minister’s Office, Project Manager at the Nordic Council of Ministers, and Sustainability Specialist at Marel.

Katarina Đurčianski

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on .

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.

Dejan Lukovic

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Dejan Lukovic serves as Institutional Coordinator for the Aurora 2030 programme at the Universität Innsbruck. In his capacity as a project manager, he is involved in the coordination and implementation of a range of initiatives, which also included the realisation of the Horizon 2020-funded project Aurora Research and Innovation for Societal Impact. Lukovic was a member of the Senate of Univeristät Innsbruck for several years and has an academic background in Media Studies as well as Comparative Literature. Photo credit © Alina Klinger