Aurora Communication and Dissemination team recently gathered at Universität Innsbruck for an intensive two-day workshop entitled “Impactful Communication”. Led by experts in the field, the team gained knowledge on communicating with impact, further focused on science communication and citizen science engagement.  

This workshop was part of the activities for Aurora 2030 Work Package 10 on Impact and Dissemination, and more specifically Task 10.1 on Communication and Dissemination. It offered a broad overview of communication best practices – with specific case study examples backed by research – in the areas of science communication and citizen science.  

Aurora Communication and Dissemination team with Universität Innsbruck Aurora Institutional Coordinator Thomas Baumgartner and science communication experts Melanie Bartos and Markus Weiskopf

Communicating with Impact 

Building on the initial phase of the Aurora European university alliance, and in line with the Aurora Communication and Dissemination strategy launched in July 2024, the Aurora Communications team is composed of at least one communication representative from each university in Aurora, called the Trusted Local Communicator (TLC).  

To ensure impactful communications, these TLCs have the responsibility to inform, exchange with, and engage target audiences at their universities and beyond. In addition, TLCs form an advisory committee to the larger Aurora community, and work as key reference persons on all topics related to communication and dissemination.  

The “Impactful Communication” workshop had a two-fold objective: 

• To learn more about guidelines for effective communication, especially when disseminating information and engaging the general public about research and science 

• To brainstorm ways to collectively undertake joint communication actions that, overall, will have an impact on the strategic positioning of Aurora within each member university.  

Strengthening the Foundation for Communication 

The workshop kicked off with Markus Weiskopf, science journalist and editor at Research.Table, who gave an interactive talk on “Science, Media and the Public: Current Trends, Challenges and Opportunities for Universities”. He provided an overview of the current state of science communication, and shared resounding research about the public’s declining trust in science.  

Weiskopf further underlined two key aspects in which impactful science communication can help influence: the polarisation on trust in science and the role of (new) media. He explained how trust in science has been slowly chipped away since the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. The increased proliferation and use of new channels of communication such as social media, also exacerbated the spread of distrust in science.  

At a time when virtual communication continues to rise, science communication professionals are constantly seeking ways to keep abreast, hop on the bandwagon, and attempt to counter misinformation, disinformation and fake news related to research and science.  

From left to right: Uwe Steger, Head of Communications and Melanie Bartos, science communicator at Universität Innsbruck, and Markus Weiskopf, science journalist and editor at Research.Table

Speaker Melanie Bartos, science communicator in the Public Relations Office at the Universität Innsbruck offered some insights on this topic through her talk “Behind the Scenes: Exploring Science Communication at the University of Innsbruck”. Specialist in developing multimedia formats like podcasts, online and social media communication, Bartos touched upon the generational gaps on how people perceive and receive information, bearing in mind the different (virtual) channels through which they are exposed to the information.   

Above all, both Weiskopf and Bartos stressed upon science communication as being a solid bridge between science and society. Science communication, in and by itself, is also a research-based field of communication studies, and is especially critical for difficult topics like climate change, or the coronavirus pandemic.  

Science Communication and Citizen Engagement 

Science communication is a strong lever to make science and scientific findings visible and comprehensible to the public. As part of the “Impactful Communication” workshop, Universität Innsbruck science education specialist Florian Westreicher and doctoral student Friederike Barkmann organised an interactive workshop on Citizen Science. Using the Viel-Falter Butterfly Monitoring Austria project, they exposed the challenges scientists face to communicate about their research and its impact, and to engage citizens in their research projects. 

The Aurora Communications team experienced firsthand the preparatory work behind involving (non-scientific) citizens in research, such as accurate field data collection. Guided by Westreicher and Barkmann, the team underwent a crash training course on identifying diverse species of butterflies before proceeding to count mock butterflies hidden on the walls and windows indoors.   

This experience enabled the Communications team to understand the complexities of participatory research projects involving citizens, especially when considering the communication and dissemination actions prior, during and after experiments are conducted. A debriefing session concluded areas of improvement, such as having sufficient training, adequate equipment and tools, and being informed of research results. 

Florian Westreicher, science education specialist, and Friederike Bartmann, doctoral student at Universität Innsbruck, holding an interactive workshop based on the Viel-Falter Butterfly Monitoring Austria project

Collaboration to Catalyse Impact 

Fresh with the conclusions from expert talks and workshops, the Communications team set to work on creating concrete joint actions, in accordance with the strategy to further strengthen communication and dissemination within Aurora universities.  

Breaking out in smaller groups, each team was given the task to identify at least one achievable communication action that could be undertaken collectively. The objective was to raise the visibility of Aurora and its positioning within each university, and to encourage its communities to engage in Aurora activities.  

The Communications team came up with a list of ten joint actions, categorised by priority and ease of implementation, and a timeline of when these actions should be launched. Some examples include: 

• Social media takeovers by students and staff to share Aurora mobility experiences of learning, training and research across universities 
• Durable Aurora branded items to instil a sense of belonging 
• Aurora chat groups to build communities. 

TLC Workshop 2025 on Impactful Communication at the Universität Innsbruck, Austria

The two-day workshop on “Impactful Communication” left the Aurora Communications team with a deeper knowledge of general communication and dissemination practices, science communication and citizen science. It also reinforced the fact that cooperation and intercultural understanding are essential values to ensure success in an alliance such as Aurora. 

Aurora is among prominent universities, associations and research institutions from Africa and Europe to call upon the EU to enhance its strategic commitments to Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs).

We emphasize the importance of more European and national funding as part of the Global Gateway’s fifth investment priority to advance competitive European connections to knowledge societies in the LMICs and address shared challenges in research, innovation, and higher education (e.g. health, climate and digital challenges).

Our recommendations:

• Increased investment by the European Commission, national authorities and the private sector, in research, innovation and higher education – in line with Global Gateway priorities – to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness, resilience and preparedness.
• Europe’s 360-degree approach across all Global Gateway priorities to better integrate research, innovation and higher education to ensure the competitiveness, effectiveness and sustainability of our international partnerships.
• International research collaborations with LMICs to be funded through an excellence-based self-standing successor to Horizon Europe (FP10).
• Establishment of a research-focused advisory group including research-performing organisations and universities, to complement the business, civil society and local authorities advisory groups to the Global Gateway. This will further enhance the scale up of the Global Gateway over the coming years with valuable experience, expertise, coordination and readiness to act.

Read the full statement supported by ARUA, Bavarian Research Alliance, CRUE, ERAsud, EUTOPIA,  DAAD, DSW, The Guild, Slovenská rektorská konferencia, VU Amsterdam, Udice, University of Pretoria and University of Ostrava.

This year, universities in Aurora embarked on initiatives that promote equity, equality and empowerment for women on two major international days: the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on 11 February and International Women’s Day on 8 March.

These initiatives aim to increase awareness on gender inequality, drive inclusion and inspire action by:

• Enabling access to equal rights for women in science
• Highlighting excellence in academia
• Supporting women’s advancement
• Celebrating women whose leadership has left a lasting impact.

University of Iceland (UI)

To celebrate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the University of Iceland organised a panel session featuring women researchers and scientists from Iceland, Sweden and Finland, as part of the larger IUPAC Global Women’s Breakfast (GWB) initiative. This year’s GWB theme is “Accelerating Equity in Science”. The IUPAC GWB initiative unites scientists from around the globe in more than 500 locations to foster collaboration and discuss ways to advance diversity and inclusion in science.

More about the event: IUPAC Global Women’s Breakfast 2025 – Reykjavík

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam)

From the fundraising initiative launched by women in 1932 until today, women have been catalysing positive impact at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. For International Women’s Day 2025, discover the five women showcased this year and learn how their contributions continue to leave a mark on the university.

Read further: Five important women in the history of VU Amsterdam

University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE)

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Anke Hinney held a talk on International Women’s Day as part of a larger awareness and empowerment event hosted in Limbecker Platz, Essen. Anke Hinney is a professor at the University Clinic Essen, in the Department of Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy. An active champion in raising awareness on gender and medicine, Prof. Hinney is a founding member and acting director of the Institute of Gender-Sensitive Medicine.

Università Federico II of Naples (UNINA)

On International Women’s Day, Città della Scienza, in collaboration with Università Federico II of Naples, held the event “Women in Science: Inspiration and Challenges for the Future”. The initiative honored the contributions of women to science, inspired future generations, and promoted gender equality in research and innovation. Distinguished female scientists and experts shared their experiences, highlighting the role of women in shaping scientific progress and addressing the challenges they still face. Special contributions came from UNINA scholars, including experts in mathematics, geophysics, and astrophysics. The event concluded with an open discussion, fostering dialogue on strategies for greater inclusion in science and technology.

Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV)

To celebrate International Women’s Day 2025, SER Tarragona and the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) organised an event called “Amb veu de dona: la perspectiva de gènere a la Universitat” (“With a Woman’s Voice: The Gender Perspective at the University”). This event reflected on the role and empowerment of women at the university. Over the course of two hours, prominent and influential women from the university community shared their experiences and discussed topics such as the Equality Unit, the new Anti-Harassment Protocol, the feminist perspective on architecture, and women’s presence in the STEM field, among others.

Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC)

March is the perfect month to discuss issues of equality, discrimination and the promotion of an inclusive culture within the university community. The programme includes: a roundtable on women’s rights, the celebration of women writers with FEU Festival, and the screening of the documentary “Les filles de Birkenau”. Also on the agenda is a high-level conference on “Supporting Young Women In, And Toward, Scientific Careers” with Anne Potter, President of the Anne and Frédéric Potter Endowment Fund, and Sylvie Retailleau, former Minister for Higher Education and Research.

Find out more: Mois Égalité et Inclusion à l’UPEC

Palacký University Olomouc (UP)

For the International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2025, Palacký University Olomouc held the Breakfast with Science event featuring researcher Michaela Šaradín Lebedíková, recipient of the Masaryk University Rector’s Award for Excellence in Doctoral Studies. Breakfast with Science is an opportunity for researchers to share experiences on how to progress and succeed in the scientific environment.

Learn more: Women’s Science Breakfast

Copenhagen Business School (CBS)

Female entrepreneurs already face more discrimination against their male counterparts when it comes to securing external funding from banks and investors. This research from CBS professor Vera Rocha shows that women entrepreneurs also face challenges from their own internal employees. Entrepreneurial success does not eliminate gender bias.

Read the research: Female Entrepreneurs Face Discrimination From Their Own Employees

Karazin Kharkiv National University (KKNU)

Since the 19th century, Karazin University has played a leading role in expanding women’s access to education, science, and professional activities. To honour the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, KKNU’s Central Scientific Library produced a video highlighting women’s contribution to academic excellence at the university.

Watch the video: Intelligence, Grace and Greatness

Read the article on International Women’s Day.

Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice (UPJS)

The International Day of Women and Girls in Science was the occasion for a panel discussion on “Women in Science: Stories, Challenges, Visions”. This exchange between the university management and speakers from research, PhD students, female staff, and employees, covered topics such as stereotypes and gender prejudices in science, work-life balance for women scientists, gender equality in science and the mental health of women researchers. To further honour women on International Women’s Day, two initiatives were organised on “Equality in Diversity” and “Discussions on Women, Men, Sex and Gender”.

South-West University “Neofit Rilksi” (SWUNR)

At SWUNR, the university held a “Martenitsa workshop”with its Erasmus+ students. The Martenitsa is a Bulgarian tradition symbolising health, renewal, and the arrival of spring. It consists of red and white threads woven together, representing life, vitality (red), and purity, new beginnings (white). Martenitsa is also a symbol honouring the female beginning and embodies femininity. A perfect event to celebrate women on International Women’s Day 2025.

From February 17 to 21, Aurora hosted its first international scientific conference. The “Aurora International Peace Conference: The Role of Higher Education in Peacebuilding” gathered academics, professionals and students from across the globe to explore one important question: How can education contribute to lasting peace?

Aurora International Peace Conference on The Role of Higher Education in Peacebuilding gathering international experts, scholars, practitioners, policymakers, staff and students from Aurora universities

The Aurora International Peace Conference: The Role of Higher Education in Peacebuilding served as a dynamic platform for discussion, innovation, and collaboration. Against the backdrop of rising global conflicts, threats to academic freedom, and increasing societal distrust in science, the conference aimed to foster new strategies for universities to play an active role in peacebuilding.

With a diverse lineup of speakers, engaging discussions, and participants from over 20 countries, the event not only strengthened academic collaboration but also underscored the urgency of integrating peace education into higher learning institutions.

Aurora Karazin University Peace Education Hub

The “Aurora International Peace Conference: The Role of Higher Education in Peacebuilding” was a joint effort of the Karazin University Peace Education Hub, led by Palacký University Olomouc and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam), Karazin Kharkiv University, the Unit for Peace and Conflict Studies of the Universität Innsbruck, and the Berghof Foundation, a key player in peace education.

Globally, higher education institutions face challenges from conflicts, human rights abuses, and restrictions on academic freedom. Engaged students and faculty demand their university management responds to their calls for solidarity. There is also growing societal distrust in science, just five years before the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals deadline. The 2022 Sustainable Development Goals Report showed concerning progress, indicating that interconnected crises threaten the Agenda and humanity’s survival.

Through the Aurora Karazin University Peace Education Hub, Aurora organized this conference to foster discussions on the global situation and enhance collaborative peacebuilding.

Plenary session on “Universities’ Peacebuilding Practices and Knowledge Diplomacy” with conference participants at the Agnes Heller Haus of the Universität Innsbruck

At the conference, we continued our ongoing support of Karazin University, a key institution on the front lines in Ukraine. Together with our partners, we granted 18 scholars Aurora scholarships to attend the conference. Additionally, Aurora universities assisted Rector Tetyana Kaganovska and her team of Vice Rectors in participating in the conference.

“Reflecting on the conference, we are pleased that it has connected our efforts to establish the Peace Education Hub and support Karazin University with a diverse community of practitioners and policy experts in humanitarian, development, and peace studies. This is vital for our future support to partners in Ukraine and Aurora universities, focusing on academic collaborations while also engaging all stakeholders beyond academia,” said Selma Porobić, Aurora Institutional Coordinator at Palacký University Olomouc.

A Crucial Gathering for Peace and Education

The urgency of the conference was demonstrated by the overwhelming response and attendance of over 300 participants. The conference received over 200 papers submissions, and 147 speakers from more than 20 countries participated in the conference. They ranged from international experts, scholars, practitioners, and policymakers, to students from Aurora universities. The event brought together both longstanding partners and many new and potential collaborators.

The programme featured 10 keynote speakers, 3 plenary sessions, 22 academic panels, 8 roundtables, 18 workshops, and numerous exhibitions and films.

Keynote speakers included Madeleine Rees (former Secretary-General Women’s International League), Beatrix Austin (Berghof Foundation), Frank Geary (Scholars at Risk Europe), Oleksandra Matviichuk (Center for Civil Liberties Ukraine), Ian S. Manzi (Global Children’s Issues), Marko Lehti (Tampere Peace Research Institute), Savo Heleta (South African Peacebuilding scholar), and Norbert Koppensteiner (Kroc Institute).

Opening keynote address by Ian Manzi from Global Children’s Issues at Georgetown University on “Redefining Expertise for Sustainable Peacebuilding”

The conference topics encompassed peace agendas in the most urgent humanitarian contexts, including Ukraine, Palestine, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and the realities of education following global atrocities. Participants examined critical lessons learned and strategies for managing collective trauma and long-term societal recovery from contemporary and historical perspectives.

“The Aurora Peace Conference is a good start showcasing the high importance and emergency of global strategies for peacebuilding initiatives in higher education. We can’t simply “build” peace, but rather need to implement a “culture of peace” as a value through education,” said Oleksandr Khyzhniak, Project Manager at VU Amsterdam.

As the Aurora International Peace Conference demonstrated, higher education has a vital role in shaping a just and lasting peace— where knowledge, collaboration, and resilience drive meaningful change beyond the walls of academia.

Aurora is co-signatory of the Open Letter on the next research and innovation (R&I) policy and programming period to European Commission President von der Leyen, European Parliament President Metsola, European Council President Costa, and Polish Prime Minister Tusk. As such, Aurora strongly supports the call for a powerful and ambitious R&I policy and R&I programme FP10. We emphasise the critical role of scientific excellence in Europe’s future competitiveness and call for increased investments in FP10. No national R&I programme can replace or match EU’s scientific excellence that is needed for Europe’s prosperity, economic growth and competitiveness, health, addressing societal challenges and geopolitical strength.

Main points in this Open Letter include:

1. Strengthening Europe’s capacity in complex technologies, health and life sciences, advanced materials, and democratic resilience through sustained research funding;
2. Maintaining the excellence principle at the core of FP10, ensuring the integrity of the programme and fostering groundbreaking ideas;
3. Expanding and safeguarding key research funding mechanisms such as the European Research Council (ERC) and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) while reinforcing the autonomy of their governance structures;
4. Supporting an autonomous European Innovation Council (EIC) to help translate breakthrough knowledge into innovation and valorisation;
5. Enhancing international collaboration and science diplomacy, leveraging partnerships with closely associated countries and global allies to strengthen Europe’s research ecosystem; and
6. To achieve this, a substantially increased and ring-fenced budget for FP10 to support scientific excellence and societal advancement is needed.

Led by LERU and The Guild, this Open Letter is signed by more than 100 Presidents of European universities, and over 20 networks and national rectors conferences. Read the full Open Letter and support the call for a strong European Research & Innovation policy and FP10.

During the Aurora International Peace Conference 2025 hosted by Universität Innsbruck, academic and researcher Rina Alluri unpacked the meaning of peace and peacebuilding in today’s global context. She further showcased how higher education institutions can play a significant role in writing the narrative in promoting the culture of peace through educational initiatives, activities and policies.

This conversation was led by Niels Hexspoor, Aurora Sustainability and Impact Leader at Palacký University Olomouc and Lead for Aurora 2030 Work Package 7 (WP7) Capacity Building and Community Engagement. He interviewed Rina Alluri, Assistant Professor in Peace and Conflict Studies at the Universität Innsbruck, and UNESCO Chair for Peace Studies. She was also part of the organising committee for the Aurora International Peace Conference 2025, an event coordinated under the Aurora Karazin University Peace Education Hub.

Setting the Stage: The Meaning of Peace

Niels: We are here today at the Aurora International Peace Conference on “The Role Of Higher Education And Peace Building” hosted by the University of Innsbruck as part of the Aurora Karazin University Peace Education Hub. Peace is a very loaded and concurrent topic. Could you give some examples of the meaning of peace, especially in the context of today’s world?

Rina:  We often think that peace is a sort of this end goal, a destination, this utopian place that we are all supposed to be somewhat striving for, or moving towards. While I do believe that there is something to strive for and move towards, we need to understand peace and peacebuilding as an ongoing lifelong learning process. As individuals, but also as societies, institutions, universities, we must think about how we’re building different forms of peace everyday.

Unfortunately, we are living in turbulent times. I try not to be a pessimist, but we need to be aware of the different realities: at the moment, there are a number of countries, contexts, and communities around the world that are facing threat, risks, insecurity, and that are fearful for their everyday lives.

So when we look at peace and peacebuilding, it’s a matter of acknowledging the reality of war, conflict, genocide, mass atrocities, and humanitarian crises, but also always keeping in mind the opportunities for building everyday forms of peace.

The Role of Higher Education in Peacebuilding

Niels: How do you think universities in higher education institutions, such as those within Aurora, play a role in creating academics and students that can positively contribute to raising this awareness and this sense of peacebuilding?

Rina: There’s an element of also being aware of the possible negative role that education has played historically in some cases. This is something that I feel is very important when we speak about our students. I co-lead a Master’s programme in Peace and Conflict Studies. Although I’m not a historian, I’m a political scientist, and I think that political histories are important to be aware of. In order to find ways for universities to contribute to peace and peacebuilding, we must also be aware of how they have contributed to conflict, and how often education has been part of colonisation, imperialism, et cetera.

Finding the way for universities is also being very aware of the potential of education, how it can be used as a tool – and is being used as a tool in some contexts today – for oppression, manipulation, indoctrination, erasure, and revisionist policies and approaches. When we begin from that starting point of how education and universities have been used as negative tools, and we come into the conversation with that absolute clear awareness, we can then begin to consider the potential opportunities.

We see examples of this all around the world. For little girls in Afghanistan and Pakistan historically, education has been a tool for resistance. We see in the cases of higher education institutions that offer scholarships to students from the global south and conflict-affected context in the global north, how these opportunities would only exist through scholarships and educational spaces.

We can also see today, being together in a conference that gathers scholars, activists, practitioners, students, to talk about the role of higher education and peace building. Through this contact and meeting with each other, we speak a common language of cooperation, community, and how to find ways to work together. Developing peace hubs, Erasmus exchanges in the context of Europe, but also being aware of the challenges that students and scholars at risk face around the world and trying to identify ways to support each other through it.

Full house at the Aurora International Peace Conference 2025 for the plenary session on “Universities’ Peacebuilding Practices and Knowledge Diplomacy”

The Transformative Power of Education

Niels: You’d mentioned some of the more practical ways that were touched upon in this conference and, ways in which universities can use this transformative power for good rather than for bad. Could you perhaps give some concrete and practical examples to how this can translate to everyday life?

Rina: As I mentioned, I co-lead a Master’s programme in Peace and Conflict Studies. One of the challenges that we often face is students from conflict-affected contexts or from global south contexts, look to opportunities for education.

Here we need to be better. We need to be better at ensuring that not only are we offering scholarships for students to come here, but also how we are supporting them once they are here. How are we ensuring that they have – from a technical level – access to visas, housing, communities? How are we offering a sense of belonging?

Peacebuilding is that step: how are we offering spaces of belonging that people are not just studying in a room together or in a big institution, but that they are also having meaningful – sometimes difficult – conversations, and allowing those conversations to be had.

In the last few days, we’ve been inspired with some incredible keynote speakers. One of them spoke about bringing ourselves into the classroom. As an educator and professor, we have a responsibility to bring ourselves into the classroom. So not just expecting students to show up, with vulnerability, ideas, and questions, but also ourselves to show up with vulnerability, ideas, and questions. For us to be aware of, and aim to, dismantle power hierarchies that exist between students and professors.

We should also question our pedagogy. We speak of all different types of pedagogy, whether it’s decolonial, intersectional, anti-racist, democratic, civil-centered, global citizenship, student-focused, et cetera. All these pedagogies are great on paper, but how are we actually bringing them into the classroom and ensuring that classroom spaces can enter into dialogue with one another?

That’s just a classroom space, which is one option, but another is through meaningful exchanges. Aurora universities, and peace hub platforms, offer such exchange between students. I don’t want to diminish contact theory here, as I believe the opportunity for students to meet each other, to meet people who might actually have different backgrounds, opinions, perspectives, to allow for that pluriversal conversation, is really crucial.

Keynote speakers, from left to right: Ian Manzi, Beatrix Austin, Madeleine Rees, Frank Geary, Marko Lehti, Oleksandra Matviichuk, Savo Heleta and Norbert Koppensteiner

Adapting Knowledge Development for Sustainable Peace

Niels: You mentioned bringing oneself into the classroom, both from the perspectives of an educator and a student. Could you elaborate on what that could look like, for example, in relation to the different layers of interaction and lasting impact of peace and conflict?

Rina: One of the biggest challenges that we face in knowledge creation, knowledge development and knowledge extraction at the moment, is that very often we still fall back into that idea that knowledge is supposed to be rational. That it’s supposed to be neutral, void of voice, and void of identity.

While that may be relevant, particularly in certain disciplines, that may also require a certain type of neutrality from a technical point of view. In the social sciences and the humanities, and peace and conflict studies, we cannot pretend that this is the case. If we are engaging in conflicts – whether these might happen at a personal, internal, interpersonal or relational level, but also exposure to actual, armed conflicts and war zones – we can’t pretend that our own identities and ideas are not also entering into that space.

I’ll give you a very concrete example. I’ve been doing my PhD in postdoc research in, and on, Sri Lanka and post-war Sri Lanka, in the immediate place. As a researcher being also from the Asian continent, I have to be aware of how, if I step into a room – in the case of Sri Lanka – how that has relational impact. My identity as an Asian, but also as a woman, as someone who has been raised in the global north and the global south, has an impact on how I’m allowed to ask questions, if I even get an interview at all, and how that person responds to those questions.

We often think that, we can just create a semi-structured interview guide: you email someone, you have an interview, you ask questions, you leave, you analyse your data, you write your academic research. When we’re working in conflict-affected context, when we’re dealing with also vulnerable realities, trauma, we have to be so sensitive to how those interactions actually work, and how access to persons and stories, are also so vulnerable to change.

This is one of the aspects I want to bring in here. As researchers, pedagogues, and educators, we need to be aware of how who we are does have an impact, even if we don’t want it to, even if we would hope that someone enters a room and is neutral of identity, race, gender, class, cast, et cetera, it’s very often not the case.

So this is, for me, an invitation. An invitation to be aware of who we are and how we affect those around us. How that influences how we ask questions, how we engage in conversation, but also how we practice peace.

If we’re not aware of that reality and we assume neutrality and rationality, then we’re also not aware of the impact that that may have on persons that we’re engaging with.

This conversation is part of a series called “A Conversation With…” undertaken within the framework of the Aurora 2030 programme supported by the European Commission. It is an interview format that focuses on a specific topic and is meant to inspire its readers to reflect on and catalyse positive impact. The exchange is available in its original format on the Aurora YouTube channel.

Universität Innsbruck, in cooperation with Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II (Italy) and Palacký University Olomouc (Czech Republic) and representatives of the Université Paris-Est Créteil (France), successfully convened a hybrid working meeting to launch the hybrid Joint Master’s Programme entitled “Digital Society, Social Innovation, and Global Citizenship”.

This innovative joint programme aims to address the pressing challenges, but also the opportunities, of increasing digitalisation through a collective effort. 42 colleagues from all involved universities and participating organisations took part in this intensive working session, either on-site or online.

During the meeting, the Vice Rector for Teaching and Student Affairs at Universität Innsbruck, Univ.-Prof. Dr. Janette Walde, emphasised the need for a unified curriculum that effectively combines the diverse offerings of the three degree-awarding universities and for optional practical phases involving companies and small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Aligning University Structures Into A Cohesive Programme

The complexity of aligning three different university structures into a cohesive programme was acknowledged as a significant challenge, but the commitment of the staff involved paved the way for future collaboration, moderated by the responsible Dean of Studies assoz. Prof. Mag. Dr. Nikolaus Umlauf and Christina Raab.

Key issues discussed included the development of scholarship opportunities, student enrollment processes, and key elements for the successful implementation of the Joint Master’s Programme. The selection process will be coordinated by Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II. It was also agreed that each university will publish information about the Joint Master Programme and a call for scholarships, specifying the criteria and stipends, so that eligible students can apply. The aim of this initiative is to increase accessibility and to attract a wide range of students from different fields of study.

Participants also discussed in detail the creation of a comprehensive website to promote the Joint Master’s Programme. The proposed website will serve as a landing page with key information, including the application process. It is planned that the website will be ready for public access by the end of March 2025. In the meantime, the institutional information pages of the three degree-awarding universities will provide information and, of course, link to this page in the near future.

Launching of the Joint Master’s Programme

Looking ahead, the launch date for the Joint Master’s Programme is set for October 1, 2025. The universities expressed their collective commitment to address remaining challenges and completing the necessary accreditation and administrative processes in preparation for this date. The next steps will involve continued faculty and administrative collaboration, with a follow-up meeting scheduled to review progress and finalise outstanding issues.

The Joint Master’s Programme “Digital Society, Social Innovation, and Global Citizenship” aims to prepare students to become leaders capable of managing global citizenship in a digital society while fostering social innovation; at the same time, it is a demonstration of the added value and feasibility of international cooperation in higher education.

The Aurora Student Conference is a unique occasion for students from Aurora universities to meet in-person and exchange on topics addressing the opportunities and challenges for our students. The 2025 edition took place between 27 and 29 January 2025 at the Palacky University Olomouc (UP) in the Czech Republic. It welcomed 50 Aurora Student Council (ASC) members and Student Ambassadors across Aurora universities on the Olomouc campus. Throwback to the two-day intensive, student-led and student-focused programme by Ari Ljunggren, Bachelor degree student from Copenhagen Business School (CBS) and second-year Aurora Student Ambassador.

There’s something special about returning to a place that once opened your eyes to new ideas. Two years ago, I arrived in Olomouc for the first time to take a course called Sustainable Social Enterprises at UP. In hindsight, this experience was more than just an academic course. It broadened my perspective on how businesses can rethink their priorities to create real, meaningful impact. Collaborating on a business idea with fellow students from CBS and UP made me realize that, with the right mindset, entrepreneurship can be a powerful force for positive change.

Fast-forward to today, now nearing the end of my bachelor’s degree, and I find myself back in Olomouc. This time, I’m here as Student Ambassador for Aurora, proudly representing CBS at the Aurora Student Conference 2025.

Day One: A Warm Welcome and a Grand Introduction

The conference began on Tuesday with an institutional welcome in a stunning, frescoed room on campus. The conference had two main goals: strengthening the European alliance’s community and collaborating on creative ways to enhance Aurora. The room was filled with students from nearly every Aurora partner university. I saw some familiar faces from past events, but also many new ones I was excited to meet.

The day kicked off with an Introduction to Aurora, outlining what makes this alliance unique among other European university networks. We explored its core mission, ongoing strategic initiatives, and the distinct opportunities it offers students. Having been part of Aurora for some time, I particularly appreciated and agreed with the speaker’s focus on Aurora’s well-structured events, a strong sense of community, and tangible opportunities for collaboration.

After a short coffee break, we jumped straight into the Aurora Student Council’s Open Session. This was an in-depth discussion on the role of the ASC, the impact it has had so far, and ways for students to shape its direction. The conversation highlighted key student-led initiatives, reinforcing how much influence we, as students, have within the organisation.

In the afternoon, we also attended a session on the Aurora Student Ambassador Programme, which focused on student leadership within Aurora, followed by the Beliefs, Events, and Values Index (BEVI) Workshop. In the Ambassador session, we explored how ambassadors act as a bridge between their home universities and the broader Aurora network, fostering engagement at both local and international levels. The BEVI workshop, on the other hand, was a thought-provoking experience that encouraged deep introspection about our own personal and collective values.

After the workshops and talks, we took a guided tour of the city. Although I had explored Olomouc before, I was once again struck by its charm and even picked up a few new facts from our guide, Jan. The university buildings are architectural gems, preserving their rich historical beauty. Throughout the city, Baroque fountains, a Soviet-era astronomical clock, and centuries-old spires stand in stark contrast to the sleek, functional designs of modern cities.

After the official programme ended, a few of us unleashed our competitive sides at a local go-kart track that evening. It may seem like an unusual post-conference activity, but it was a fantastic icebreaker. Cheering each other on (and occasionally bumping into one another’s karts) brought out everyone’s fun side. We ended the night with dinner at a traditional Moravian restaurant, where we had the chance to connect and share stories over the local cuisine.

Day Two: Workshops, Reflections, and Future Plans

The second day began with a peer learning workshop focused on mental health. We openly discussed ways to destigmatize mental health struggles and how different cultures approach these challenges. Hearing such a diverse range of perspectives was eye-opening. Everyone brought personal experiences, and by the end, we had a deeper understanding of how to support one another.

After lunch, we reviewed our collective BEVI results before moving into an afternoon public speaking workshop led by a fellow Swede. Public speaking has always been a challenge for me, but practicing in a supportive setting made all the difference. We received useful advice, tested new techniques, and encouraged each other. By the end, I felt more confident about tackling future presentations, whether in a classroom setting or at a conference.

To conclude the official program, we had a cultural exchange where each ASC member brought a unique treat from their home country to share. Students from across the alliance contributed a variety of specialties—Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC) students brought macarons, Universität Innsbruck students offered wafer cookies, and the University of Iceland students presented dried fish chips (which, I must admit, I have yet to gather the courage to try!).

Looking Ahead

As the conference came to a close, I felt a mix of excitement and sadness. There’s something incredibly energizing about being surrounded by passionate students from across Europe, all working toward meaningful change in our communities and institutions.

Thankfully, I know this isn’t the end of my journey with Aurora–just another step forward. Over the past two years, I’ve seen the alliance evolve into a more streamlined, collaborative network, and I’m eager to stay involved. Perhaps I’ll contribute through the student council, especially given the growing momentum behind Aurora’s initiatives.

For those unfamiliar with Aurora: if you’ve ever thought about joining an Aurora project or conference, take this as your sign to do it! You’ll gain fresh perspectives, friendships that cross borders, and a deeper understanding of what’s possible in higher education.

A huge thank you to our generous hosts at UP, and to Aurora for constantly pushing us to think bigger, collaborate more, and challenge the status quo. I’m already looking forward to what’s next—if it’s anything like this experience, it’s going to be incredible.

The new Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) will begin in 2028, setting the stage for the next seven years of EU financial priorities. The European Union is also expected to introduce its next Research and Innovation (R&I) framework programme (FP), currently referred to as FP10. Pim de Boer, senior policy advisor EU affairs at the Aurora Central Office, reflects on the developments and outlines the opportunities and challenges ahead for Aurora universities.

The Road to FP10

The process of shaping FP10 began nearly two years ago with the midterm review of Horizon Europe (HEU) programme. This review marked the first step in what has become a complex and multi-layered procedure. The European Commission (EC) is responsible for driving this process, and universities have significantly contributed to its direction. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Aurora have provided recommendations for FP10. These inputs were aligned with national and European higher education organizations. Concurrently, the Council of the EU and the EC commissioned expert analyses on key issues. Enrico Letta examined the state of the EU single market, Mario Draghi assessed the European Union’s global competitiveness, and the High-Level Expert Group led by Manuel Heitor evaluated Horizon Europe while proposing recommendations for FP10.

Political continuity has also played a role in these technical and policy-oriented efforts. Ursula von der Leyen’s reappointment as Chairwoman of the European Commission brought the new policy brief for 2024–2029. The appointment of commissioners focused on start-ups, R&I, skills and jobs, highlights the importance of research, innovation and education in the coming years.

Key Reflections from Expert Reports

The recently published reports from Letta, Draghi, and Heitor offer valuable insights into the direction FP10 might take. Letta’s report emphasizes the “5th freedom”, which promotes the mobility of knowledge, R&I, and education within the EU. Draghi’s analysis highlights the EU’s lagging competitiveness compared to global powers like the USA and China. His recommendations include stronger R&I efforts, better collaboration between universities and industry, increased private investments, and leveraging European University Alliances (EUNs) as key drivers of innovation. Heitor’s report, which Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam provided input for, focuses on simplifying grant procedures and more strategic steering of collaborative research, mainly through HEU Pillar 2. He proposes the establishment of two new Councils, one for competitiveness and the other for societal challenges, to guide these efforts.

All three reports advocate for a higher R&I budget—at least €200 billion—and stress the importance of supporting excellent research through mechanisms like the European Research Council (ERC), Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), and research infrastructures, as well as innovation and application through European Innovation Council (EIC)-like mechanisms.

Universities as Stakeholders in FP10

FP10 presents both opportunities and challenges. A priority will be to secure maximum funding for research that covers the range from fundamental to applied research and innovation. This means ensuring support for low-TRL (Technology Readiness Level) or (SRL) Societal Readiness Level , collaborative, challenge-driven research while avoiding a widening gap between excellent research and applied, EIC-type projects.

Additionally, the link between education and R&I must remain central to FP10. The Directorate-General for Education (DG EAC) has assured stakeholders that Erasmus+ will not be integrated into the competitiveness fund. This offers universities an opportunity to strengthen the connection between education initiatives and research programs at the EU level, creating synergies across funding streams. As mentioned by both Ursula von der Leyen and her Commissioners Minzatu (skills, education) and Zaharieva (R&I) the European University alliances may play an important role in this.

Meanwhile, the European Parliament’s ITRE (Industry, Research and Energy) committee published a draft report reflecting on these previously mentioned reports. ITRE supports several ideas recommended by the Heitor report. Informally there is support from ITRE and DG RTD to the higher education sector to avoid splitting HEU Pillar 2 into two under different Councils. Rather, continuation in the chain of research from fundamental to applied research is a necessity to contribute to societal challenges, innovation, valorisation and competitiveness.

In addition to this, the European Commission has also published the “Competitiveness Compass”, a strategic document outlined the necessity of Europe being more competitive and how to get there. Among the simplification rules for companies for innovation and scaling up, the several ways to increase public and private funding, focusing on areas like technologies (digital and AI, biotechnology), clean energy, advanced materials, cybersecurity and defence, the Compass also refers to skilling people and lifelong learning (creation of a Union of Skills), as well as reforming the EIC into big programmatic approaches and aligning ERC and EIC to achieve competitiveness results. The latter point is worrying as the independence of the ERC, fundamental and curiosity-driven research, and agility of research are at stake.

Furthermore, the Compass has a strong focus on technology leaving out inclusion of social sciences and humanities-driven research and knowledge and also lacks a focus on addressing societal challenges via low TRL/SRL type challenge-driven collaborative research. Referring to the Union of Skills, an emphasis on the relation between (higher) education, research, innovation and collaboration with society should also have been addressed in order to train and skill our students to being able to contribute to the higher level of European competitiveness. Finally, the Compass does not mention any role of university alliances in this.

Aurora, in collaboration with umbrella organisations like the European Universities Association (EUA) and universities like Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, are actively shaping FP10 through policy discussions with the EC, European Parliament, and other stakeholders. These efforts include supporting campaigns such as ResearchMatters!, contributing to sector-specific recommendations, and engaging in sector-wide deliberations on the co-creation of FP10.

Looking Ahead

The EC internal timeline suggests that the EC will publish a new regulatory proposal for FP10 in the second half of 2025, after the publication of the draft multiannual financial framework in July. In the meantime, developments remain fluid. Drafts of the new MFF structure suggest the inclusion of a competitiveness fund, though details are still being debated.

By continuing to advocate for robust R&I funding, fostering synergies between education and research, and engaging in collaborative policy discussions, universities can help shape FP10 into a framework that drives innovation and competitiveness across Europe. As these efforts progress, our commitment to excellence and collaboration will ensure that we remain at the forefront of these developments.

Learning about how European counterparts work within a particular job is part of the staff mobility schemes available through the Erasmus+ programme, as well as through Aurora.

One of the key benefits of the collaboration between Aurora universities is the availability of such professional development opportunities for staff members across nine universities within Europe. These opportunities can include teaching and/or research assignments, job shadowing and specific competence-building training within Aurora.

Job shadowing in Aurora occurs when participants spend a determined period of time hosted by their colleagues at an Aurora partner university in another country. The objective is to observe their counterparts, understand their work practices and the challenges they face in their work environment. This observation opens minds to novel ideas and diverse best practices in a different cultural context. It enables intercultural exchange and interaction with peers and experts at the host university.

Thanks to the strong relationship among Aurora universities, two staff members from Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC) had immersive experiences at the heart of Copenhagen Business School (CBS) in Denmark and Universität Innsbruck in Austria.

Sustainable Development For A Greener Campus

Léa Chambaudet, Sustainable Development and Corporate Social Responsibility researcher at the Department of Transformation in UPEC, shares her experience at the Green Office at Copenhagen Business School in Denmark.

“The Green Office at CBS is home to five staff members, whose scope of expertise covered an extensive, cross-disciplinary range of activities geared toward concrete action in sustainability and sustainable development.

When I arrived, I was pleasantly surprised by the modernity, peacefulness and conviviality of the campus grounds. I was further inspired by the commitment of CBS university management and students, and all the effort taken to pave the way for the school’s successful ecological transition.

For instance, a student association manages its own waste recycling. In addition, there is an additional internal tax on activities that generate high carbon footprint such as flying or eating meat. These additional taxes are then reinvested in meaningful activities, such as the rehabilitation of biodiversity through permaculture or increasing skills by training students to enable them to act for positive societal impact through their future career development.”

Following Léa’s job shadowing experience, the CBS Green Office team also visited UPEC to discover how their colleagues in France manage the sustainable development topic at the university. They learnt about UPEC’s work in relation to the national framework to attain the DD&RS (Dévéloppment durable et Responsabilité sociale) label, the ERASME (Education & Research to Advance Societal Missions through Engagement) programme and the Student Citizens’ Convention.

Social Media Management In A Volatile Era

Jean-Philippe Mignaton took the opportunity to spend three days at the Universität Innsbruck in Austria as part of an individual international exchange programme for UPEC staff members.

“Thanks to UPEC being a full member of Aurora, I was able to undertake a job shadowing opportunity at the Universität Innsbruck. I chose this university mainly because of its size and organisational structure, both of which are very similar to those of UPEC.

The objective was to meet with my counterparts and other social media experts, who are working on the university’s social media platforms. I wanted to compare our strategies, methodologies, processes, and tools.

It was a very enriching stay, both professionally and personally, adding real value to my role and allowing me to gain a concrete understanding of social media management in both the local and the European context. I realised that, despite being in different countries, our challenges in terms of social media communication were often quite the same… .”

Seamless Mobility Opportunities for Staff in Aurora Universities

Aurora strongly encourages staff members from its universities to actively participate in the international mobility opportunities made available and further facilitated through the close collaboration between its universities. Being part of a European university alliance such as Aurora can only increase the scope for peer learning, continuous professional and personal development, and an enriching intercultural experience.

Discover participation opportunities in Aurora.