Group: For Academics

Aurora Science and Society Team Launches Cycle of Workshops, Trainings and Open Seminars

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on 2025-10-23. Posted in News.

Aurora Science and Society team launches a cycle of workshops, training events and open seminars from November 2025 to May 2026. This cycle of events are designed to foster awareness, skills, and discussion on the practical implementation of Open Science and Citizen Science across Aurora universities.

As part of Aurora 2030 Work Package 10 Impact and Dissemination, this series is organised by Task 10.2 Science and Society, and blends structured learning, hands-on training, and thematic debates. Designed for doctoral candidates, Master students, early-career researchers, and academic staff, these events run for seven months during the academic year 2025-2026. The workshops, trainings and seminars aim to empower attendees with the knowledge, competencies, and ethical awareness needed to integrate Open and Citizen Science practices in research and teaching.

Addressing Key Topics in Open Science and Citizen Science

Co-organised by Università Federico II of Naples and Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC), this cycle of events is composed of three types of delivery:

Workshop: Offers a comprehensive overview of best practices in Open and Citizen Science, highlighting exemplary projects, innovative community engagement strategies, and the interplay between Open Science, AI, and research innovation.
Training: Practical sessions on operational and methodological aspects of Open and Citizen Science.
Open seminars: Discussion-based events on broader cultural, ethical, and institutional dimensions.

The events provide attendees exposure to critical topics and skills in FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) data, open-source workflows, ethical and legal aspects, open publishing and peer review, and the role of AI and innovation in Citizen Science.

Save the Dates!

Organised once a month beginning November 2025, the Aurora Science and Society team invites attendees to explore best practices, hands-on tools, and discussion with experts across the Aurora network on the following dates:

Workshop – Best Practices in Open Science and Citizen Science: From Principles to Practice
Date: 4 November 2025 at 09:00 – 11:00 CET
Mode: Hybrid

Trainings (from December 2025 to March 2026)

Training 1: Managing and Sharing Research Data; FAIRness; Ethics in Citizen Science.
Date: 18 December 2025 | Mode: Online
Training 2: Open-source software and workflows; open licencing; tools for collaborative Citizen Science; open peer review simulation; OA platforms; integrating CS in academic publications.
Date: January 2026 | Mode: Online
Training 3: Open Access publishing; Open Peer Review; Citizen Science communication and public engagement.
Date: March 2026 | Mode: Hybrid

Open Seminars (from February to March 2026)

Seminar 1: Open Data and Open Access in teaching; Citizen Science in higher education.
Date: February 2026 | Mode: Hybrid
Seminar 2: Legal and ethical challenges; data protection; open licensing for community-driven research.
Date: April 2026 | Mode: Online
Seminar 3: The role of Open and Citizen Science in AI and innovation; practical examples of AI in CS projects.
Date: May 2026 | Mode: In-person during the Aurora Annual Conference at the University of Duisburg-Essen.

Registration is mandatory for all sessions.

The Aurora Science and Society cycle of events is an initiative to build an active, interconnected community of practice within Aurora, strengthening collaboration, mutual learning, and our shared commitment to transparency, inclusiveness, and societal relevance in research.

Aurora Course Design Retreat Strengthens Collaboration and Innovation in Education

Written by Sharon Feijen on 2025-10-23. Posted in News.

From 15 to 17 October, dozens of academics from across Europe gathered at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam for the Aurora Course Design Retreat and Academic Matchmaking. Over three days, participants worked together to design new joint educational initiatives within the Aurora universities – from campus-based courses and micro-credentials to a Blended Intensive Programme (BIP).

Welcome by Jeroen Geurts, Rector Magnificus at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

The event was one of the initiatives in the broader Aurora 2030 programme, which is part of the European Universities Initiative launched by the European Commission aimed at achieving high-quality education with societal impact. It offered professors a unique opportunity to co-create, exchange ideas, and strengthen partnerships around key themes such as sustainability, digitalisation, health and well-being, culture, social entrepreneurship and innovation, and peace education.

Plenary Session: “Doing BIPs well!”

One of the highlights of the Course Design Retreat and Academic Matchmaking event was the plenary session “Doing BIPs well!”, presented by Marina Vives Cabré from Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV). Leading the Aurora team working on Enabling Mobility and Exchange, she introduced the new Aurora BIP Handbook – a comprehensive guide for designing and implementing Blended Intensive Programmes.

In her presentation, Vives highlighted how BIPs offer unique opportunities for collaboration among Aurora universities. “Blended Intensive Programmes allow us to bring together students and staff from different countries in innovative short learning formats that reflect our shared values and address global challenges,” said Vives.

The handbook provides practical guidelines, tips, and a timeline for developing BIPs, helping institutions strengthen partnerships and enrich their teaching practices.

Marina Vives Cabré launches the Aurora BIP Handbook, a comprehensive guide for developing and organising Blended Intensive Programmes in Aurora universities

Design, Collaboration and Inspiration

During the Course Design Days, participants worked in thematic groups – such as Sustainability and Climate Change, Digital Society and Global Citizenship, and Peace Education – to develop potential inter- and transdisciplinary micro-credentials and joint courses.

There was also room for inspiration: workshops on teaching methods, presentations of successful Aurora course formats, and a contribution from VU Amsterdam’s own A Broader Mind Course, which exemplifies interdisciplinary learning in practice.

Building the Future of European Education Together

The event marked an important step in advancing the Aurora Educational Hubs and followed earlier gatherings in Tarragona and Paris. Participants left Amsterdam with new ideas, collaboration plans, and concrete course designs.

The Aurora Course Design Retreat and Academic Matchmaking event demonstrated how cross-border cooperation leads to innovative education – and how the Aurora community is jointly building a more connected, sustainable, and inclusive future for European higher education.

A Conversation With Larissa Jenewein and Ramon Rispoli: Continuous Learning and Internationalisation in a Changing World

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on 2025-10-21. Posted in News.

Today, internationalisation in higher education extends far beyond the classical models of mobility. In this Aurora conversation, Marina Vives Cabré speaks with Larissa Jenewein and Ramon Rispoli about how blended opportunities, transdisciplinarity, and co-creation are shaping the future of continuous learning in Europe’s universities.

This discussion was led by Marina Vives Cabré, Internationalisation Projects Officer at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili and Lead for the Aurora 2030 Work Package 8 Enabling Mobility and Exchange. She interviewed Larissa Jenewein, Institutional Erasmus+ Coordinator at Universität Innsbruck, and Ramon Rispoli, Associate Professor of Design, Università Federico II of Naples.

Moving Beyond Traditional Models – Beyond the Classical Perspective

For many years, internationalisation in the European context meant long-term Erasmus exchanges, the use of English and English-language training, and physical mobility. But as Vives notes, internationalisation today must be understood as an institutional intentional and ongoing strategy, one that responds to society’s evolving challenges and students’ and professionals’ requests.

This shift is most evident in the rise of Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs), short-term mobilities, and virtual exchanges.

Larissa: It gives us so much more space to include target groups who were excluded before in the Erasmus Programme. They were not really (represented) in their scheme, so I think that was actually the original idea of the European Commission to have some alternatives for the people who are not able to do a long-term mobility – like a typical classical semester mobility as we all know – because of so many reasons: health issues, a disability, because of caretaking duties, because they have to work. But now we are at the point where it goes even beyond addressing underrepresented target groups. Now it’s really central for the strategic perspective of institutions.

Inclusivity and Flexibility

For Rispoli, these innovations provide vital flexibility for both students and faculty members. In his own teaching, Rispoli has designed blended courses combining online theory with in-person workshops. His students—often already internationally mobile—benefit from these compact, impactful opportunities. At the same time, he and fellow academics gain the chance to collaborate across institutions without committing to months abroad.

Ramon: It’s especially good for Master students. With a short-term mobility like a Blended Intensive Programme (BIP), they avoid spending one semester out of four abroad, which would be a big deal.

Transdisciplinarity and Co-Creation

A recurring theme in the discussion is transdisciplinarity, and highlights the crucial distinction from interdisciplinarity. As Rispoli explains, BIPs open up new ways of designing courses.

Ramon: It’s almost impossible to build real transdisciplinarity within a traditional curriculum, while an intensive week of a BIP plus the online part really gives you the possibility of overcoming traditional disciplinary boundaries.

In interdisciplinarity, you put your expertise on the table. In transdisciplinarity, you build new knowledge by learning from others and questioning your own assumptions. BIPs make this possible by bringing together students from diverse fields—design, engineering, social sciences, medicine, and more.

Larissa: Co-creation enriches the experience even further. When we’re thinking about the BIPS for instance, it’s not only about the exchange of students or professors, but also about the co-creation process of the event, lecture or the seminar itself. So, you also gain intercultural skills, for example.

Transforming Institutions and Looking Ahead

Vives links this to the broader concept of comprehensive internationalisation, where governance, staff, academics, and students all play vital roles in creating more connected, flexible universities. For internationalisation to continue evolving, keywords like flexibility, boundary crossing, co-creation, and openness remain essential.

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.

Nine Innovative Projects Selected After Second Aurora Call for Incentive and Collaborative Research Projects

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on 2025-10-14. Posted in News.

Launched in December 2024, Aurora’s second Call for Incentive and Collaborative Research Projects received 29 high-quality applications from Aurora universities , gathering the expertise of at least 129 researchers from diverse disciplines. Nine projects were selected to receive funding over the next two years.

The 2025 Call for Incentive and Collaborative Research Projects was undertaken within the framework of Aurora 2030 Task 5.2 on Academic Collaboration and Community Building. The objective of this annual call is to further grow research cooperation within Aurora universities, for both young and established academics.

Research proposals were evaluated based on a challenging list of criteria, which includes scientific quality, originality and feasibility. In addition, projects must reflect their added value in their potential to build scientific communities, and, if relevant for their topic, to contribute to the Aurora Research-driven Educational Hubs.

Innovative Projects Take Center Stage

Following a thorough evaluation process, the Aurora Research Council (ARC) selected nine innovative research projects for a total available funding of €125,000, counting an average of €14,000 per project. Results of the ARC’s evaluation were then confirmed by the Vice-rectors for Research from Aurora universities.

Funded projects will begin in autumn 2025 and run for the next two years. Below is the list of successful projects. Detailed information for each project will be made available soon on this page.

Reinforcing Future Collaboration in Research and Innovation

The results for the Call for Incentive and Collaborative Research Projects 2025 demonstrate the continuous effort to foster tangible, robust and durable scientific and academic collaboration in Aurora universities. Success of these projects and the value of researchers’ scientific work, will enrich the Aurora community, contribute to progress within the Aurora hubs, while also sparking positive impact in response to societal challenges.

Following the success of the two calls, Aurora hopes to secure more funding for this action in the future. The Board of Rectors, with strategic input from the Vice-Rectors for Research and the Vice-Rectors for Education, is actively exploring options for continued institutional support, including the potential allocation of university resources to finance future calls.

Furthermore, strengthening the integration of research and education has been identified as a priority in line with Aurora’s mission. To this end, the next call, planned for 2026, will be more closely aligned with the Aurora Research-Driven Educational Hubs, reinforcing Aurora’s commitment to research-informed teaching and sustainable institutional transformation.

Contact the office of the Aurora Research Council

DUAL Conference 2025: Dichotomies in Urban Agendas and Logics

Written by Rosanna Napolano on 2025-10-06. Posted in News.

On 29 and 30 September 2025, the Università Federico II of Naples (UNINA) hosted the Aurora Academic Conference DUAL: Dichotomies in Urban Agendas and Logics, bringing together distinguished scholars, researchers and practitioners. Jointly organised by the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE) and UNINA, the conference reflected Aurora network’s commitment to collaborative research and dialogue across European institutions.

Held at the Department of Humanities, the two-day event explored the complexities of urban design, cultural identities, and social well-being. It provided a unique forum for dialogue on how cities embody and negotiate contrasting dynamics between branding and dissent, identity and transformation, and aesthetics and functionality.

The opening session was introduced by Alessandro Arienzo, Aurora Institutional Coordinator and UNINA. His introduction was followed by Francesca Scamardella, Coordinator for Aurora 2030 task team on the Aurora hub for Cultures: Identities and Diversities. For the purpose of the conference, Scamardella framed the upcoming discussions within the broader context of establishing this Aurora hub.

Rich Transversal and Transdisciplinary Sessions

Over the two days, the conference covered four major sessions, and included a keynote lecture that set the tone on the multiple dichotomies existing in cities and urban spaces, that cut across its material, social, political and symbolic dimensions:

Urban Design and Dichotomies

Chaired by Ramon Rispoli, Associate Professor of Design at the Department of Architecture, and Benedetta Toledo, doctoral candidate from UNINA, Session 1 examined “Urban Design and the City’s Dichotomies”. The session opened with a reflection on the “Napoli experience. Between city branding and aesthetics of dissent” (Rispoli and Toledo). The conversation highlighted Naples as a living laboratory where urban narratives are continuously redefined by its cultural and social tensions.

Humanities Perspectives in Dialogue

Session 2 was chaired by Zohra Hassan-Pieper, Aurora 2030 Work Package 2 Project Manager from UDE. It explored “Humanities Perspectives on Urban Dichotomies”, beginning with the thought-provoking introduction “Urban Dichotomies in the Arts”. Their interdisciplinary approach emphasised the centrality of culture and artistic expression in shaping collective urban imaginaries.

Holism, Wellbeing, and Case Studies

The second day opened with a keynote lecture by Bertram Niessen, President and Scientific Director of cheFare. Entitled “Heaven, Hell and the Microcosms. Dualism and holism in metaphors and imaginaries of the City”, Niessen’s contribution invited participants to reconsider the metaphoric and symbolic dimensions of urban life.

Session 3 further deepened the discussion with an introduction by Martina Bosone and Francesca Nocca, both from the Department of Architecture at UNINA. They presented “Wellbeing and not-wellbeing in Naples: the community’s perspective. Development of a collaborative map”. Giovan Giuseppe Monti from UNINA followed with a historical perspective through “The Republic of Venice in the 17th century as a case study”.

In the final session, all themes from the first three sessions and the keynote lecture converged to bring “Grounded Dichotomies: Case Studies”. Chaired by Martina Bosone and Giovan Giuseppe Monti, the session underscored the importance of case-driven research for understanding how dichotomies manifest in specific urban contexts and how they can inform policy, planning, and community engagement.

Closing Reflections

The conference concluded with final remarks by Francesco Casalbordinio and Maria Fierro of UNINA, who emphasised the collaborative spirit of Aurora in fostering interdisciplinary and transnational dialogue.

Numerous abstracts from researchers and student presentations enriched the conference, spanning diverse themes and institutional affiliations, and exploring the many fascinating dichotomies of urban life. All contributions—both abstracts and full papers—will be collected and published in the conference proceedings, ensuring that the insights generated during DUAL remain accessible to the broader academic community.

The DUAL conference reaffirmed Aurora’s mission to integrate diverse perspectives and methodologies, advancing research and education that respond to the challenges of contemporary urban life. Through the contributions of chairs and speakers, the event highlighted the power of academic cooperation in addressing the complexities of our cities, making visible the tensions and opportunities that shape the future of urban societies.

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 2025-07-08. 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.

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

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on 2025-06-25. 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.

Aurora Research Council Met to Evaluate Call Submissions

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on 2025-06-19. Posted in News.

On 5 and 6 June, members of the Aurora Research Council (ARC) met in Palacký University Olomouc (UP) to evaluate the submission of proposals for the second edition of the Aurora Call for Incentive Research Collaboration.

The call aims to strengthen the Aurora scientific community by fostering closer collaboration in research and innovation between Aurora universities. This year’s call was very competitive and attracted high-quality proposals on a wide range of topics. Over fifty research projects have been submitted for review for this second call, across three key actions: Collaborative research projects, Thematic schools, and Research secondments for early-career researchers.

Aurora Research Council meeting in Palacký University Olomouc, Czech Republic

Cross-collaboration in Research and Innovation

In Olomouc, members of the Aurora Research Council were welcomed by the UP Vice-Rector for Science, Creative Activity and Knowledge Transfer, Jiří Drábek, who stressed the importance of research collaboration within Aurora, and this call in particular.

According to Marie Jadrnickova, Aurora Research Officer at UP and host of the ARC meeting, success of the meetings went beyond merely evaluating the proposals. She said, “The in-person meeting in Olomouc further solidified the community of Aurora Research Council members. I see the creation of this expert body equally valuable as the appeal for cross-collaborative research across Aurora.”

The Aurora Research Council will present their findings and recommendations to the Aurora Vice-Rectors for Research Board, who are expected to decide on the final results in July.

Challenges in Europe: Student Conference at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Written by Benedetta Toledo on 2025-06-12. Posted in Courses, Events.

Organised within the activities related to Aurora educational hub Cultures: Identities and Diversities, this third edition of the course on Challenges in Europe culminated with a Student Conference from 4 to 6 June 2025 at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

Challenges in Europe is one of the two courses that make up Understanding Europe, a joint educational programme offered within Aurora. This year, it was realised in cooperation with the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE) and the Università Federico II of Naples (UNINA), and was highly appreciated by participating students.

Instructors, staff and students in the Challenges in Europe course at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Addressing European Issues Through Challenges in Europe

The main objective of the Challenges in Europe activities was to present and have students address some of the most relevant challenges that Europe is facing and will face in the near future. To meet this objective, the course is subdivided into two tracks on Sustainable Tourism instructed by UDE, and Imag(-ing) Cities instructed by UNINA. The course started on 14 April 2025 with an introductory lecture on the general objectives of the course and specific thematic in-depth studies. It further included a didactic phase consisting of 6 online lectures, and concluded with in-person activities organised from 4 to 6 June 2025.

To this end, students had the opportunity to choose a track related to a specific United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), with a focus on SDG 11. Sustainable Cities and Communities and SDG 12. Responsible Consumption and Production. They were then able to delve deeper into the topic and analyse diverse case studies of contributions from different disciplines.

In total, the course had 7 instructors, with two coming from UDE (Florian Freitag and Zohra Hassan-Pieper) and 5 from UNINA (Francesca Scamardella, Benedetta Toledo, Giovan Giuseppe Monti, Francesco Casalbordino, Maria Fierro). 12 students from five Aurora universities UDE, UNINA, Universität Innsbruck, Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC) and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, attended the course.

Presentation on the Imag(-ing) Cities track instructed by UNINA

Students from Aurora universities attended Challenges in Europe course held at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Diversity In Learning Approaches

Under the supervision of the instructors, students first developed their own research projects on their chosen topics. Then, they carried out a workshop activity with the aim of working together by sharing new approaches and methodologies across the diverse topics. The combination of support from Aurora universities, lecturers and the active participation of students ensured that the course resulted in high-level training, knowledge acquisition, and growth in personal development. The course was also an important moment of international networking, where multicultural and transdisciplinary approaches allowed critical, unprecedented and stimulating perspectives to be opened up for the challenges ahead.

Planting the Seeds for the Education of Tomorrow: Looking Back at the Aurora Annual Conference 2025

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on 2025-06-02. Posted in News.

From May 19 to 22, 2025, the Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC) hosted the Aurora Annual Conference 2025, bringing together thought leaders, experts, academics, staff, and students from Aurora universities and beyond. The event fostered dynamic exchanges around education, research and innovation, sustainability, and societal impact.

The conference began with an opening ceremony at the historic Amphithéâtre Liard in La Sorbonne, with welcome remarks by Prof. Martin Schwell, Vice-president European Affairs and Aurora Institutional Coordinator at UPEC. The President of UPEC Prof. Jean-Luc Dubois-Randé gave a resounding opening address. He highlighted the essential role of European universities like Aurora in preserving and enriching knowledge through new forms of European integration, such as the creation of joint degrees and intercultural experiences.

“Aurora’s commitment to, and impact on, society and the environment, are powerful vectors for the creation and sharing of knowledge and, by extension, for profound transformation,” said Prof. Jean-Luc Dubois-Randé.

Prof. Jean-Luc Dubois-Randé, President of Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC) addresses a full house at La Sorbonne, Paris
© Ciprian Olteanu

In his opening speech, Dr. Ramon Puras, Aurora Secretary General, added that the transformative power of Aurora also lies in its ability to harness strong collaboration and harmonise systems across its member universities.

One of the major highlights of the Aurora Annual Conference was the ceremonial handover of the Aurora presidency. Through a symbolic “passing of the baton” from Prof. Martin Procházka of Palacký University Olomouc to Prof. Veronika Sexl of Universität Innsbruck, this change in leadership marks a new chapter for Aurora and its universities.

Nurturing deeper academic reflections, Nobel Laureate Elizabeth Blackburn delivered a fascinating keynote address on her groundbreaking discoveries in the field of cellular biology, which have had profound implications for aging, cancer research, and cellular biology.

European Universities for Research, Education, Students’ Rights and Sustainability

Throughout the week, the conference featured engaging plenary sessions on a range of topics from the future of the European Universities Initiative and building scientific communities in Aurora, to students’ rights and representation.

Next to the plenary programme, the Aurora Annual Conference featured many additional workshops, strategy sessions, and task team meetings throughout the week. These gatherings enabled further cooperation and progress on topics in Aurora relating to research support network, educational hubs, international mobility, and citizen science.

Beyond the formal sessions, there was also ample space for networking, culminating with the Gala dinner and reception at the stunning Musée national de l’histoire de l’immigration, and its aquarium in Palais de la Porte Dorée, Paris. During the dinner, two prominent Aurora events took place: the seizmic Awards 2024 ceremony, featuring winners Team thisAbility from Copenhagen Business School (CBS) and runners-up Team Synergy Hydrogen Solutions from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. The second event was the 3MT competition pitches by winners Stéphanie Chedid and Juliette Direur from UPEC.

The three-day conference also saw the rise of the first-ever Aurora Sustainability Summit. The summit spotlighted Aurora’s impressive achievements in developing best practices for sustainable campuses. Furthermore, it brought to light the challenges ahead in the creation of greener, more sustainable universities. The summit featured plenary sessions, followed by interactive workshops exploring key themes such as futures literacy, climate action, and biodiversity.

The Aurora Annual Conference 2025 served as a window into Aurora’s progress thus far. It provided an insight into its ever-growing community as actors of change planting the seed to shape a more inclusive, greener, and sustainable European higher education landscape.