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News Production & Citizenship

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on .

In an age of misinformation, polarised opinions, and shifting media landscapes, understanding how information is publicly shared as news has never been more important.

In this blended course at VU Amsterdam, students will examine the powerful role of journalists, sources, and the public in shaping what becomes newsworthy. You’ll explore how digitisation is transforming news production processes and analyse howpublic debates develop around everything from global conflicts to cultural events like the Eurovision Song Contest.

This course is offered in a blended format, with both online and in-person sessions:

  • Online from 1 September to 24 October 2025
  • In-person from 13 to 24 October 2025.

How to Apply

Interested students can send an e-mail to shortmobility@vu.nl with the following details:

  • Name
  • Home university
  • Current Master programme
  • Obtained Bachelor Degree.

The target group is Students in Social Sciences. However, students outside this field of study are welcome to apply with an additional short motivation letter.

If you are interested, please reach out to the Aurora representative at your own university. They can also tell you more about the Aurora funding opportunities in order to pay for other costs such as short-stay accommodation and travel expenses.

Download the course flyer: News Production & Citizenship.

Global English

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on .

Discover how English became a truly global language and what that means for societies around the world.

In the lectures, we will examine the spread of the English language around the world. We will begin with regions in the world where English is spoken as a first language (England, the Celtic countries, the U.S., Australia, etc.). We will then move on to regions where English is spoken as a second language (Africa and Asia), and from there to regions where English is used as a foreign language or a lingua franca (e.g. The Netherlands, Europe, China, and so on).

We will explore different issues in the global spread of English. These include: linguistic issues (variation in English, World Englishes), social issues ( language and identity, language and power, language death, linguistic exclusion and discrimination), and literary concerns (the use of English in postcolonial literature). Some of the lectures are presented by guest lecturers from Scotland, Australia, Uganda and Japan.

How to apply

Interested students can send an e-mail to shortmobility@vu.nl and request the application form.