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Strong Presence Of European Universities Alliances At EAIE 2025: Co-creating To Transform Higher Education

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on . Posted in News.

Over 35 alliances, representing more than 300 higher education institutions, will gather in Gothenburg, Sweden, for the EAIE 2025 Conference, held from 9 to 12 September. More than 20 sessions and a special FOREU4ALL event will highlight the European Universities Initiative’s impact on the future of higher education.

Monday, 1 September, 2025 — How is higher education transforming Europe and fostering new pathways for global collaboration?  This question will be central at the 35th Annual Conference and Exhibition of the European Association of International Education (EAIE), taking place in Gothenburg from 9 to 12 September, 2025.

Nearly double the participation from 2024, a record of 35 European Universities alliances – including Aurora – will come together at this major international conference. Together, they represent over 300 higher education institutions and showcase the evolution and impact of the European Universities Initiative (EUI), a flagship programme of the European Commission launched in 2019, now encompassing a total of 65 alliances and 8 Seal of Excellence alliances.

This year’s EAIE Conference’s theme, Go-Create, resonates deeply with the mission of alliances. Through more than 20 sessions, as well as a dedicated FOREU4ALL event, they will highlight their commitment to innovation and their pioneering work in shaping inclusive and collaborative higher education models across Europe. Specifically, representatives from alliances Aurora, ENGAGE.EU and Una Europa, will be discussing the complexity of shared leadership within alliances under the European Universities Initiative.

This roundtable session “Who is driving your EUI alliance? Perspectives on co-creating shared leadership” takes place on Thursday, 11 September from 14:00 to 15:00 CEST. Speakers include:

Furthermore, Aurora welcomes visitors in their space at the exhibition booth P143, from Wednesday, 10 September at 09:00 CEST to Friday, 12 September at 12:00 CEST. Activities at the booth include:

  • Poster presentation: “seizmic for Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation” by Casper Lindblad Andresen, International Programme Manager from Copenhagen Business School.
  • Poster presentation: “Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) within Aurora and Beyond” by Marina Vives Cabre, International Projects Officer from Universitat Rovira i Virgili.
  • Poster presentation: “Building the Student Community Through the Aurora Student Ambassador Programme” by Niels Hexspoor, Sustainability & Impact Leader from Palacký University Olomouc.

FOREU4ALL and participating alliances will share their approaches, results, and impact in a wide range of activities. The full list is available here.

European Universities Alliances And FOREU4ALL: Creating Value For The Wider Higher Education Sector

As part of the programme, FOREU4ALL – the Community of Practice bringing together all European Universities alliances – will host a special joint session with the European Commission on Wednesday, 10 September, from 13:30 to 14:30 CEST. This session, aimed at institutions not currently involved in the initiative, will explore how the community’s collective knowledge and tools can benefit the broader higher education sector.

The session will feature an interactive World Café format, inviting participants to discuss practical opportunities around micro-credentials, joint degrees, skills development, and new partnership models.

About The European Universities Alliances And FOREU4ALL

European Universities Alliances

Launched in 2019, the European Universities alliances are a flagship initiative of the European strategy for universities. It encompasses 65 European Universities alliances with more than 570 higher education institutions of all types, from all across Europe.

Discover the full list of alliances by country.

FOREU4ALL

FOREU4ALL provides a collaborative and supportive platform where all 65 alliances come together to share good practices, exchange experiences, and strengthen cooperation. The community fosters a deeper collaboration by facilitating learning, joint initiatives, and the dissemination of results – enhancing knowledge, skills, and effectiveness of the entire higher education sector.

Find out more on the FOREU4ALL official website.
Download Flyer FOREU4ALL for EAIE.

About EAIE

The EAIE Conference is the most important event dedicated to higher education in Europe and the second largest in the world. Its recent venues have been Rotterdam (2023), and Toulouse (2024). This year, EAIE 2025 will be held in Gothenburg, Sweden, from 9 to 12 September.

More information about the EAIE 2025.
Discover the EAIE 2025 full programme.
Join the sessions proposed by the European Universities Alliances and FOREU4ALL.

Materials

 

Press contacts

Aniza Pourtauborde
Aurora
aniza.pourtauborde@u-pec.fr

Paula Talero
FOREU4ALL
ptalero@ub.edu

European Commission Proposal For The Next EU R&I and Erasmus+ Programmes Published: First Impressions and Implications

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on . Posted in News.

On 16 July 2025 the European Commission (EC) published its regulation proposals and plans for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) period 2028 – 2034, as well as the next EU research and innovation (R&I) programme called Horizon Europe (HEU), the tightly connected novel programme European Competitiveness Fund (ECF), and the Erasmus+ programme. Although the documents have been published, several details of the budgets and the programmes are still lacking. We need to keep in mind that this is the first proposal, whereas both the Member States and the EP will discuss with the EC in trilogues about the final outcome which should be ready by mid 2027. This op-ed article by Pim de Boer, Senior Policy Advisor, and Ramon Puras, Aurora Secretary General, provides a first insight in some of the details and possible consequences for universities including Aurora universities.

What’s New, With What Budget?

The EC proposed a total 7-year budget for the EU of almost 2 trillion (!) euro, spread over the major headers: “National and Regional Partnership Plans”, the “ECF”, “Erasmus+ and AgoraEU”, “Global Europe”, and “others”.

The ECF is a novel programme consisting of HEU as a separate programme, and a merger of 14 current programmes like Digital Europe, EU4Health, LIFE and the European Defence Fund. AgoraEU is also a novel programme streamlining the EU intervention in the areas of culture, media, equality, citizens, rights and values. It comprises the current programmes Creative Europe and Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV).

A budget of about 409 billion euro is reserved for the new ECF programme, and out of this a 175 billion euro is proposed for the HEU programme. Which is less than the 200 or more billion euro requested for the R&I programme by the EU Member States, the European Parliament (EP) and e.g. the academic sector including Aurora network. Nevertheless, it is almost a doubling of the current HEU budget. For Erasmus+ an increased budget of about 41 billion euro is foreseen, and 9 billion euro for AgoraEU.

These programmes need to address the EU policy priorities: a free and democratic Europe, a strong and secure Europe, and a prosperous and competitive Europe. This includes the themes competitiveness, security, defence, resilience, democratic values, education, social fairness, quality of life, and a global Europe.

Notably, the European Universities Alliances are referenced across all three key publications on the ECF, HEU, and Erasmus+, with their primary anchoring in Erasmus+. This marks a significant evolution from the current programme period and opens promising opportunities for greater synergy between these programmes and associated co-funding schemes. Such alignment would represent a major step forward in integrating research, innovation, valorisation and education through EU funding instruments.

European Competitiveness Fund (ECF)

The ECF will contribute to this focusing on 4 policy priorities:

  1. clean transition
  2. digital leadership entailing AI, quantum, cybersecurity, and digital sovereignty
  3. health, bioeconomy, biotechnology, and agriculture, and
  4. defence, space, resilience and security.

In brief, the ECF will deal with integrated work programmes across these policy windows, including collaborative R&I, scale-up calls, deployment and accelerated interventions. It will integrate HEU results into downstream industrial and market deployment activities, stimulating the flow of results from basic science towards applied R&I and application. How this will interface with the HEU programme has not yet been detailed in full. Funding mechanisms comprise more complex and hybrid (public-private) funding tools (e.g. equity, guarantees, procurement).

For (Aurora) universities the ECF provides opportunities for taking research results and outputs further to start-ups, and their start-ups to scale ups and beyond, in the context of the given policy windows – clean energy, zero waste, digital technologies and applications, health resilience and (bio) technologies, agriculture, deep tech, security, space (including use of satellite data) and defence including dual-use technologies and civil preparedness. In general, this may require collaboration with business partners and other relevant stakeholders. Other opportunities lie within training and skilling students and staff related to (social) entrepreneurship and dedicated job skills and knowledge as mentioned in the Union of Skills.

Horizon Europe 2028-2034 (HEU)

The HEU programme remains the core R&I programme, fundamentally based on academic freedom and openness, and looks familiar to the current HEU programme. However, it does have major changes as shown in the next figure on the proposed structure:

In brief, HEU will retain the ERC and its instruments with evaluation based on the excellence criterion, MSCA, and (new) the Joint Research Centres in Pillar 1. Aligned with our statement on non-directionality in MSCA instruments, the proposal focuses on research, training, interdisciplinarity in an international setting, and retaining talents in line with the “EU Choose Europe” strategy.

Pillar 2 is about collaborative research. It is unclear for research contributing to the ECF policy windows how this will be governed, which work programmes are acting, or whether early phase collaborative research (at low TRL/SRL) is exempted from the ECF policy windows as we recommended.

Pillar 3 on the EIC and innovative ecosystems retains its current instruments, and possibly new programmatic and extensive instruments like the USA (D) Advanced Research Projects Agencies (ARPA) to support transformative breakthrough projects to provide solutions and applications.

Pillar 4 contains the European Research Area (ERA) policy agenda, research and technology infrastructures, and to widening participation and spreading excellence funding instruments.

Specific aspects: integrating social sciences and humanities (SSH); adhering to Open Science; and simplifying procedures like reduced time to grant, common use of lump sum, and a funding rate of 100% for non-profit and SMEs. Calls will be more open, less prescriptive. In addition, HEU will have an emphasis on international cooperation (hence being connected to Global Europe), new European partnerships will be developed and the programme may “support dual-use actions”.

For (Aurora) universities new opportunities include the less prescriptive nature of calls and potential new types of programmatic financing within the EIC programme. As details on Pillar 2 are not clear yet, we do not know how calls for collaborative research will be developed, with whom, and how this will be governed as well as evaluated, as Pillar 2 apart from “society” is tightly linked with the ECF that has a different governance and separate work programmes. Hence, there is room for improvement as well as co-creation of the programme, its Pillars and work programmes between universities, researchers, and the EC.

Erasmus+ 2028-2034

The Erasmus+ programme will continue to support education and mobility contributing to the resilience and competitiveness of Europe, the green and digital transition, and social inclusion and values. Its goal is to promote high-quality lifelong learning, talent development, and skills for life and jobs. The new structure will contain two pillars:

  1. learning opportunities including via mobility actions and scholarships in strategic fields, and
  2. capacity building with partnerships building on e.g. the European Universities Alliances for cooperation, excellence and innovation, and providing support for policy development and systemic innovation in education and youth.

Other important activities include the European degree and/or label, microcredentials, the Union of Skills and lifelong learning, and synergies with HEU and the ECF. The programme supports the strategic areas mentioned under the ECF. This is substantiated by introducing new strategic Erasmus+ grants in key areas (digital technologies, green economy, AI). As mentioned above, the EU priorities mentioned in the Competitiveness Compass (and the ECF regulation) also include education, skilling & training.

Taken together, the European Commission’s proposals for HEU, the MFF and ECF, and Erasmus+ contain several elements of relevance to Aurora universities, most notably:

  • Increased Erasmus+, MFF and HEU budget with strategic emphasis
  • Continued and visible support for European Universities Alliances through ECF, HEU and Erasmus+ synergies
  • Focus on talent, skills, and lifelong learning
  • Promotion of democratic values and social inclusion
  • Strengthened global dimension through ‘Global Europe’

Discovering Connection and Purpose: My Experience in the Aurora Student Council

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on . Posted in News.

The Aurora Student Council (ASC) is made up of two elected student representatives from each university within Aurora. Its role is to focus, and collectively decide, on priorities for the student population. The ASC ensures that the student voice is heard and integrated in decisions taken in Aurora. Paula Mora, student at Universitat Rovira i Virgili, talks about her year-long experience as Communications Officer for the ASC in the academic year 2024/2025.


Memorable moments with the Aurora Student Council

One day, I opened my inbox and came across an email about joining a student programme called the Aurora Student Council. I wasn’t entirely sure what it was about, but something in me felt drawn to it. A few days later, I found myself filling out an application form, then sitting for an interview and, just like that, I became part of something much bigger than I had imagined. At the time, I didn’t know it would lead to one of the most enriching experiences of my university life.

A Space of Possibilities

The Aurora Student Council (ASC) is a space where students from all Aurora universities come together to represent their communities, share perspectives, and work on joint initiatives to improve the student experience across the alliance. Through monthly meetings and events, students engage in real discussions about inclusion, mobility, and participation in higher education, contributing to a more connected and student-driven European university landscape.

At the beginning, everything felt new and slightly overwhelming. I was stepping into a space full of possibilities, an entire network of universities, projects, and people, but I wasn’t entirely sure how to find my place in it. However, after just a few meetings and thanks to the support of both the team at my university and the rest of the Council, I gradually found my rhythm. The sense of community made all the difference.

The Power of Dialogue and Meaningful Engagement

One of the most enriching lessons I’ve learned during my time in Aurora is the power of dialogue. There is something truly special about sitting at a table with students from different countries, fields of study, and cultural perspectives, and realising how much we can learn from one another. Every conversation opens a door to new ways of thinking, and that kind of exchange is something I’ll always carry with me.

Aurora Student Council at conferences in Palacký University Olomouc (Czech Republic) and Université Paris-Est Créteil (France)

Another key lesson has been about the value of meaningful change. With the right tools and the right environment, it is possible to create small but impactful improvements. Aurora, in this sense, is an essential tool. It connects universities in a way that allows ideas and best practices to circulate across borders. That connection creates a kind of collective intelligence, a system where solutions can be shared, tested, and improved together.

I’ve also learned the importance of clarity and communication when working in international teams. Expressing ideas, making space for others, being flexible and proactive, these are skills I’ve strengthened through my experience in the Council. Aurora gives you a space where students can take initiative and learn by doing, all the while being supported by others who care just as much as you do. At the end, student voices are powerful when they are heard, and even more powerful when they are united.

Another realisation has been how closely student engagement is tied to real-world impact. Many of my peers in Aurora are not only students, but also passionate individuals who follow politics, care about climate, education, inclusion…and who want to be part of the solutions.

Unforgettable Opportunities and Shared Moments

Of course, I’m also deeply grateful for the many travel opportunities and people I’ve met along the way. I’m fully aware that travelling is a privilege, and I feel lucky to have attended events like the Aurora conferences in Naples and Paris, and the Student Conference in Palacký University Olomouc. These are not just destinations, they’re memories shared with incredible peers. With Aurora, you don’t just discover new places, you discover them alongside ambitious and open-minded people. It’s hard to explain how many ideas we’ve exchanged around those tables, how much I’ve learned just by listening.

Shared moments with student representatives and members in the Aurora Student Council

Looking back, Aurora has been an incredible experience; one that I wholeheartedly recommend to any student. I leave with my backpack full of stories, lessons, and unforgettable moments. But more than anything, I leave with hope. Hope, because I’ve seen that there are entire generations of students across Europe committed to working for a better, more connected future.

Aurora Emphasises Need For Early-phase Collaborative Research In FP10

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on . Posted in News.

With the new EU funding programmes starting in 2028, the preparations for the legislation and the outlines of the respective programmes is ongoing.

For research and innovation, the next framework programme FP10, Horizon Europe, several drafts have been published. Based on this, the academic sector shares its wishes, needs, recommendations and concerns over the plans. Among the concerns is the fear that early-phase, pre-competitive and collaborative research will not remain embedded bottom-up in the research programme but in the new European Competitiveness Fund (ECF). This would imply that this type of research falls under the ECF policy priorities and rules strongly connected to applied research, start-ups, scaling up, deployment and marketable activities.

Therefore, in this statement together with other academic associations, the Aurora network conveys its recommendation to the European Commission, Member States and the European Parliament, to leave early-phase collaborative research fully under Horizon Europe rulings. This joint statement is co-signed by: Coimbra Group, EU-Life, Yerun, ECIU, Aurora, European Alliance for Social Sciences and Humanities (EASSH), European University Association (EUA), Initiative for Science in Europe (ISE), All European Academies (ALLEA), Marie-Curie Alumni Association, UNICA and European Children’s Hospitals Organisation (ECHO).

Read the full statement.

Meet the Aurora Student Council Board 2025/26

Written by Benedetta Toledo on . Posted in News.

This June, during the Aurora Open 2025 in Innsbruck, the Aurora Student Council (ASC) members came together to vote in the annual ASC Board elections. A new board has officially been elected to represent the Aurora student body for the 2025/2026 academic year! From fresh ideas for student events to stronger communication between students and staff, the newly elected council is ready to bring positive change.

For the first time a new role has been introduced in the board: the Human Resources Officer, who will be responsible for the onboarding process of new ASC members throughout the academic year.

Curious who’s leading the way this year? Meet the new Aurora Student Council board — full of energy, ideas, and spirit!

Simona Gibalová (4th year General Medicine student at Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice) as President, will be at the forefront of the student council for the upcoming year. Using her extensive experience working within ASC in the past few years, from collaboration on creating the Aurora Students’ Rights Charter to representing Aurora in the European Student Union, she will be bringing a unique perspective of an associated university to the ASC board for the first time. Her vision for this year involves deepening the student collaboration on a local but also European level, improving the Aurora Student Ambassador programme and bringing forward the needs of students from associated universities. She believes that the ASC is a unique opportunity for every student involved to gain new, outside-of-classroom knowledge, share good practices and gain growth on both personal and professional levels.

 

 

 

Eliška Karasová (MA student at Palacký University Olomouc) will take on the role of Vice-President with a focus on ensuring smooth collaboration and communication across the Aurora Student Council. She is passionate about a new ambassador model that values quality over quantity and is dedicated to promoting equal opportunities for all Aurora members. She deeply appreciates the system that has already been established and aims to ensure that every member has the chance to fully engage and benefit from all that Aurora has to offer. For her, the ASC is also a unique space to experience and celebrate cultural diversity.

 

 

 

 

Kristýna Raimerová (MA Student at Palacký University Olomouc) as Secretary General, will be responsible for ensuring the smooth and efficient functioning of the ASC, with a strong focus on organisation, documentation, and internal coordination. Known for her detail-oriented approach and reliability, she plays a key role in maintaining accurate records, managing council schedules, and keeping members up to date with the latest developments and decisions affecting the Council and the wider Aurora network. Committed to transparency and effective communication, the Secretary General ensures that the Council’s work is well-documented and accessible to both its members and the broader student community.

 

 

 

 

Benedetta Toledo (PhD Student at Università Federico II of Naples), as Communication Officer, will be responsible for promoting the work and initiatives of the ASC across various platforms, ensuring that students from across Europe stay informed, connected, and engaged. She has previous experiences as UX & UI Designer and Social Media Manager. She believes the ASC is a special space for meaningful dialogue, mutual learning, and personal growth. Her role also involves increasing awareness of the Aurora network and encouraging more students to take part in its diverse opportunities. In doing so, the Council continues to promote an inclusive and dynamic environment where student voices are empowered and valued.

 

 

 

 

Alexandra Valsan (Law student at Universitat Rovira i Virgili) will serve as Human Resources Officer on the ASC Board for the upcoming year. With a strong interest in inclusion, team dynamics, and internal cohesion, she brings a people-centered approach to her role. Alexandra has previously been involved in student engagement activities at her home university and now looks forward to contributing to the ASC’s internal development and support structures. Her priorities this year include ensuring a smooth onboarding process for new members, promoting transparent and effective communication within the Council, and creating a safe and welcoming environment where every student feels empowered to contribute. She also aims to strengthen the sense of belonging among ASC members through well-being initiatives and team-building efforts. 

Congratulations to the newly elected team!
Stay connected with the Aurora Student Council.

Members of the UDE Aurora Community sit at a long table to meet, talk, and exchange ideas

UDE Aurora Community Meet-Up

Written by Mayannah Dahlheim on . Posted in Events, News.

On July 7, 2025, members of the Aurora UDE Community came together for an informal meet-up to connect, exchange ideas, and welcome new faces. Colleagues from various Aurora work packages based at the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE), as well as several Aurora student ambassadors, took the opportunity to share insights about their work and their experiences, and learn more about each other’s activities within the Aurora network. The gathering provided an open space for networking, questions, and inspiration, particularly for newcomers interested in contributing to Aurora’s mission of combining academic excellence with societal impact.

Thank you to everyone who joined and made the exchange so enriching. The Aurora Community at the UDE looks forward to continuing these conversations and strengthening connections across disciplines and departments

For further inquiries about the UDE Aurora Community, please contact the Aurora Alliance Office here.

Aurora Student Council: Empowering Student Leadership Across Europe

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on . Posted in News.

The Aurora Student Council (ASC) is the representative body of students within Aurora, bringing together voices from all partner universities to ensure student perspectives remain at the heart of Aurora’s strategic direction. Through monthly meetings and continuous collaboration, the Council enables students to engage in joint discussions, share experiences, and contribute actively to Aurora’s development as a European university alliance.


Aurora Student Council at the Aurora Annual Conference 2025 in Paris

As part of this ongoing work, the ASC met in-person during the Aurora Annual Conference, hosted by Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC) in May 2025 in Paris. The meeting served as a space to review progress, exchange ideas, and continue working on several key initiatives.

Strengthening European Collaboration: Aurora and the ESU Candidacy

One of the main points discussed was Aurora’s potential candidacy to become a member of the European Students’ Union (ESU), an umbrella organisation representing over 20 million students across Europe. Membership in the ESU would allow Aurora to increase its visibility within the broader network of European university alliances, foster collaboration on shared student issues, and take an active role in shaping policies relevant to higher education at the European level.

Aurora Students’ Rights Charter: Establishing Shared Standards

The central focus of the Paris meeting was the development of the Aurora Students’ Rights Charter (ASRC). This charter is the result of joint work by the ASC to define the fundamental rights students believe should be respected across all Aurora universities. Once adopted, the ASRC will serve as a reference document, an example of shared commitment that universities can uphold to ensure transparency, protection, and student empowerment throughout the alliance.

Supporting International Students: Exchanging Best Practices

Building on the year’s strategic focus on the integration of international students, the ASC revisited a previous proposal to collect and share examples of best practices related to student mentoring, buddy programmes, and welcoming systems. During the Paris meeting, students presented their contributions and discussed initiatives currently in place. One recurring topic was the implementation of buddy programmes, with several universities already recognising student participation in these initiatives with ECTS credits, an approach that highlights the value of peer support and community building.

Aurora Student Council members working on the initial proposal for the Aurora Students’ Rights Charter

Preparing the Next Elections: Ensuring Fair Representation

The ASC also discussed the timeline for the upcoming elections of the Student Board, which consists of the positions of President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Communications Officer. This year, these roles were held by Mathilde Chaumont, Sören Daehn, Andréa Gaucher and Paula Mora, respectively.

As in previous years, a democratic voting process will be held to select new representatives for the upcoming academic year, ensuring continuity and fair representation for all students within Aurora.

Reflections and Local Reports

Each university delegation was invited to share a brief report on their activities over the past academic year. These reflections highlighted achievements at the local level while also identifying areas for improvement. The exchange allowed students to learn from one another and helped the Council assess its collective progress in key areas of student engagement and communication.

Student Representation in the Plenary Session

As part of the conference programme, Student Council members also participated in a plenary session on the topic: “Empowering Voices: Advocating for Students’ Rights Across Europe”, followed by a round-table discussion on “The University of Tomorrow”. These sessions provided a valuable opportunity for students to present their perspectives to the wider Aurora community and receive constructive feedback from academic and institutional stakeholders.

The discussion focused on the potential impact of the Aurora Students’ Rights Charter, the challenges encountered during its development, and the varying national contexts that shape student experiences across Europe. Participants also explored future avenues for cooperation with student organisations from other European alliances, underlining the importance of building stronger links at both the international and local levels. Strengthening these connections is seen as a key step toward sharing good practices and amplifying student engagement within and beyond Aurora.

Left to right: Mathilde Chaumont (UPEC), Simon Westhoff (VU Amsterdam), Sören Daehn (Copenhagen Business School) and Simona Gibalová (Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice)

The Aurora Annual Conference in Paris was both productive and dynamic. In addition to advancing shared goals, students enjoyed moments of connection, informal conversation, and laughter. After all, when students from different fields, ages, and countries come together around the same table: just imagine the conversations that can spark.

First-Ever Aurora Open a Smashing Success

Written by Niels Hexspoor on . Posted in Events, News.

The Aurora Open 2025 made its debut this year, bringing together volleyball, and international student community-building. Hosted by Universität Innsbruck (UIBK) in collaboration with the Universitäts-Sportinstitut Innsbruck (USI) and Palacký University Olomouc, the event marked the beginning of what will hopefully become a valued tradition within Aurora.

A Vibrant Start

Aurora students from across Europe came together in Innsbruck for an unforgettable combination of academic engagement, sport, and cultural exchange. The event began with a relaxed and welcoming evening by the lake, offering students the chance to connect informally before the official start.

The following morning featured interactive sessions at UIBK, featuring exchanges between the Aurora Student Council. The conference continued at the USI Sports Campus with a keynote lecture on Health & Well-Being: The Role of Sports & Mental Health, exploring the vital connection between physical activity and mental resilience in student life.

In the evening, participants joined the UIBK Summer Festival, a yearly celebration with live music, food trucks, games, and plenty of opportunities to meet, network, and enjoy the summer atmosphere.

   
Students from Aurora universities experienced formal and informal opportunities of learning and intercultural exchange

Sport, Collaboration, and International Spirit

On 27 and 28 June, the Aurora Open continued with two full days of Beach Volleyball Tournaments, offering an exciting and active component to the programme. Alongside the matches, students also took part in the Peer Learning Activity entitled “Together We Learn, Together We Rise”, facilitated by the Aurora Student Council. The session highlighted Aurora’s philosophy of peer learning as a tool for international community building.

The tournament itself was designed to celebrate Aurora’s dedication to Health & Wellbeing and fosters teamwork and international engagement. Students competed with great spirit and sportsmanship, forming connections that extended well beyond the games.

The tournament featured teams from five Aurora universities:

Evenings were dedicated to the social programme, including a relaxed burger party where students and organizers came together to celebrate the end of the academic year, and the successful first edition of the Aurora Open.

Beach volleyball tournament continued over two days against the beautiful backdrop of the Tyrolian mountains.

And the Winners Are…

After two exciting days of competition under the intense Innsbruck sun, the beach volleyball tournament concluded. The final results showed the diversity of the Aurora student community, but above all emphasized the unifying power of sports.


Aurora Open beach volleyball competition players from Aurora universities

In the Women’s tournament, the results were as follows:

  • 1st Place: Czech it Out!, Palacký University Olomouc
  • 2nd Place: Jamonas, Universitat Rovira i Virgili
  • 3rd Place: Die Unselleriösen, Universität Innsbruck

In the Men’s tournament, the winners were:

  • 1st Place: Team URV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili
  • 2nd Place: JBG, Universität Innsbruck
  • 3rd Place: Bananenflanken, Universität Innsbruck

The level of play, and fair-play across all matches was truly impressive. Thanks and congratulations go out to all the teams for their commitment, energy, and collaboration throughout the event, which will hopefully be the first of many more Aurora sports events to come.

Aurora Summer School 2025 at UPEC Dives Deep Into Futures Literacy

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on . Posted in News.

From 2 to 13 June 2025, Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC) hosted the second edition of the “Emerging Futures” Summer School, designed and coordinated by Felipe Koch, Vice-Dean of AEI International School. As part of Aurora, the summer school brought together students from five partner universities to explore key topics for understanding, imagining, and transforming societies, when the future is anything but certain.


UPEC Summer School 2025 participants at the Certificate Award ceremony

A Summer School to Reflect on the Futures of A Changing World

During the two-week summer school, students were invited to explore innovative approaches to anticipation, develop skills in Futures Literacy, and engage with tools applied in strategic foresight, systems thinking, and social innovation. In the first week, led by Professor Felipe Koch, students participated took part in the Futures Literacy Lab, an immersive experience that raised awareness of multiple temporalities and anticipatory biases. They explored forecasting techniques with Professor Philippe Frouté and were guided through a strategic foresight exercise by Anika Keils, a PhD candidate from the seizmic MSCA doctoral network.

The second week featured renowned international experts such as Riel Miller (former Head of Foresight at UNESCO), Fabio Scarano (ecologist and curator at the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro), Mayra Fonseca (University of Brasília), Ramon Rispoli (Università Federico II of Naples), and Rocco Scolozzi (University of Trento). They shared their complementary approaches to anticipatory systems and processes, regeneration, social technologies, speculative design, and systems thinking.

Taught entirely in English, the programme incorporated reflection on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, with the objective of linking global challenges with local dynamics and collective capacity for action.

Classroom sessions with group preparations and presentations on Futures Literacy

An International Conference Becoming A Landmark Event

The Summer School concluded with an international conference that has become a flagship event in the Aurora calendar. The theme, “Decision-Making under Deep Uncertainty”, created a bridge between academics, institutions, and civil society. The day brought together diverse stakeholders to discuss anticipation, governance, and knowledge in an uncertain world.

Three key perspectives structured the conference:

  • A conversation on pandemic management, hosted by Cecilia Gabizon, with Janet Diaz from the World Health Organisation (WHO), and Fernando Bozza from Fiocruz in Brazil;
  • Financial market resilience, with Olivier de Bandt from the Banque de France, Mohammed Chahad from the European Central Bank (ECB), Patrick Guézais from the Ecole Supérieure d’Assurances (ESA), and Thomas Houy from Télécom Paris;
  • Emerging knowledge for societal transitions, through a 100% female panel with Kwamou Feukeu from the Max Planck Institute, anthropologist Mayra Fonseca from the University of Brasília, futurist Julie Ezan-Zecca from Eranos consulting firm, and Apoorva Arya from the Circular Innovation Lab.

Landmark international conference on “Decision-Making under Deep Uncertainty”

Highlight moments also included:

  • The opening lecture by Riel Miller on Futures Literacy and the diversity of anticipation regimes;
  • A powerful talk by sociologist Stéphane Hugon on the need to reinvent consulting practices in an unstable world;
  • The certificate award ceremony for students from Iceland, The Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Denmark, Italy, Colombia, Brazil, and France.

An Academic, Intercultural and Human Experience

Building memorable connections at the Emerging Futures Summer School 2025

Beyond theoretical learning, this summer school offered a truly intercultural exchange and a vibrant collective experience, strengthening the sense of belonging to an engaged academic community. The intensive and collaborative format fostered lasting connections among students and instructors, in a spirit of experimentation, listening, and dialogue.

This momentum, also supported by the ERASME programme of UPEC, aligns fully with the strategic vision of our institutions, reaffirming our commitment to an open, inclusive university focused on Europe and the future.

No Directionality in MSCA: Research community urges the EU to preserve MSCA’s bottom-up approach

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on . Posted in News.

Aurora signs joint statement warning that introducing directionality in MSCA would risk undermining the programme’s success.

European research organisations, led by Coimbra Group, EU-LIFE and YERUN, have issued a joint statement calling on the European Commission and Member States to preserve the bottom-up structure of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). The statement responds to a proposal to introduce directionality in the 2026–2027 Work Programme by steering project calls toward predefined areas.

The signatories stress that MSCA’s success lies in its openness to all fields and topics, driven by researchers’ initiative and scientific excellence. Imposing thematic restrictions risks narrowing the scope of innovation and limiting opportunities for early-career researchers.

MSCA in its current state already delivers significant contributions to strategic areas even before any political prioritisation is envisioned. More than 1,000 ongoing projects focus on artificial intelligence, backed by nearly €1 billion in EU funding under Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe. Over 170 projects address quantum technologies, and thousands of MSCA researchers are involved in work related to the EU Missions.

Also notable is that the demand for MSCA continues to grow, while the budget has seen only marginal increases between funding cycles. While the primary message is about preserving MSCA’s model, the signatories also encourage a significant funding boost in the next Framework Programme (FP10) to match the programme’s expanded impact and address the structural challenges that research careers face.

The joint statement is currently supported by: YERUN, Coimbra Group, EU-LIFE, ALLEA, Aurora Universities Network, CESAER, EASSH, ECIU, EUA, Eurodoc, Initiative for Science Europe (ISE), LERU, MCAA, PolSCA, SPARC Europe, The Guild, UNICA.

Any other organisation wishing to support this initiative is welcome to help raise awareness by sharing the statement.