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Seven Innovative Projects Selected After First Aurora Call for Incentive and Collaborative Research Projects

Launched in February 2024, Aurora’s first Call for Incentive and Collaborative Research Projects received 26 high-quality applications from all institutions within Aurora, gathering the expertise of 87 research groups from diverse disciplines. Seven projects made the final cut and will receive funding over the next two years. 

The 2024 Call for Incentive and Collaborative Research Projects has been created under Task 5.2 on Academic Collaboration and Community Building of the Aurora 2030 programme supported through the European Universities Initiative by the European Commission. This annual call aims to offer opportunities for young and established academics to further enhance research cooperation within Aurora universities.  

The research proposals funded within the framework of this call have been evaluated on a challenging list of criteria, including their scientific quality, originality and feasibility. Projects also had to demonstrate their added value for the Aurora 2030 programme, in particular their potential to create scientific communities, and, if relevant for their topic, to contribute to the Aurora hubs.

Innovative Projects Make Their Mark 

Following a thorough evaluation process and difficult choices to be made, the Aurora Research Council (ARC) finally selected seven potentially innovative projects for a total available funding of €104,000, counting an average of €15,000 per project. Due to the success of this inaugural call, this amount has indeed been redefined to fund more projects than anticipated. The results of the evaluation have been later confirmed by the Vice-rectors for Research from Aurora universities.    

Funded projects will begin in autumn 2024 and run for the next two years. Without a doubt, success of these projects, and that of the researchers’ scientific work, will enrich the Aurora community and further contribute to the progress within the Aurora hubs. 

Below is the list of successful projects. Detailed information for each project will be made available soon on this website.The results for the Call for Incentive and Collaborative Research Projects 2024 are an encouraging start to fostering tangible, robust scientific and academic collaboration and communities in Aurora universities. Following this initial success, a second call will be launched in early 2025.  In view of the large number of high-quality projects submitted, Aurora hopes to secure more funding for this action in the future.

Get in touch with the office of the Aurora Research Council.

Education and Research in Health and Well-being: A Conversation with Lina Penagos and Pasquale Maffia

During the Aurora Spring Biannual 2024, academics and researchers Barbara Buchenau, Lina Penagos and Pasquale Maffia engaged in a conversation on health and well-being, joint education and how new study programmes can be invented, in which not only students and educators are involved, but also researchers, stakeholders and professionals in the fields for which our students are being trained. They will also discuss how research plays a critical role in creating innovative programmes using a transdisciplinary approach.

This conversation was led by Barbara Buchenau, professor of North American Studies from the University of Duisburg-Essen and Lead for Aurora 2030 Work Package 2 (WP2) for Transdisciplinary European Research-driven Educational Hubs. She interviewed Pasquale Maffia, professor of Cardiovascular Immunology at the University of Glasgow in the United Kingdom and professor of Pharmacology at the Università Federico II of Naples (UNINA). Pasquale leads Task 2.3 on Establishing the Hub for Health & Well-Being within WP2, alongside Co-lead Lina Penagos, researcher in the field of Peace and Development, as well as Project Manager of EUR-LIVE project at the Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC).

Transdisciplinarity in Education and Research in Health and Well-being

Barbara: Today, we’re here with Lina Penagos from UPEC and Pasquale Maffia from UNINA. I’m Barbara Buchenau from the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany. What we have here is a sociologist, someone in the medical field, and me in cultural studies. The three of us are trying to do something in the Health and Well-being hub, trying to improve our education in health and well-being, and trying to wrap our minds around the fact that education in health and well-being is always a national affair.

Although health and well-being do not really care for national borders, our educational systems do. What needs to change in our education and in our research? Lina, what would you say is the most pressing element in what you’re doing right now?

Lina: What we’re facing are complex problems, and it is important to educate and train people in transdisciplinary thinking and methodology. To enable this, we need to combine our forces, which is what we’re doing within this hub. This is a very good example: I’m a political scientist, Pasquale is in pharmacology, and you’re in cultural studies.

In Paris, we have many examples of people in medicine and people working on cultural issues, who need to share their work with others to be able to respond to our societal challenges. For instance, we have students from different disciplines – environment, sociology and medicine – who have successfully worked together by trying to solve specific vulnerability issues.

Barbara: So it’s not that we’re trying to unlearn our disciplinary languages, but that we’re trying to learn to use our disciplinary languages across disciplines to allow them to address a problem together, such as urban developments in Paris, for instance.

Another example is cardiovascular health care. It’s a hugely diversified topic in terms of how it affects women and men, how it is visible in people who are dark-skinned or light-skinned. Very often, people are actually suffering from diseases because patients and doctors cannot properly identify these diseases. Pasquale, can you tell us more?

Pasquale: We’re developing some projects in Africa at the moment where we need to face the issue of working together between different disciplines in a multidisciplinary manner. Also, we need to be as inclusive as possible of the diversity present on the ground. For example, when we’re trying to implement a programme for controlling blood pressure in people living in slums, it’s impossible to have only doctors engaging with them because sometimes, people don’t always listen to doctors. So, we need to engage with local stakeholders and social scientists who can explain to us the diversity and priorities for these specific social settings.

Today, working together within different disciplines and in a global environment is fundamental. Translating all of this at the teaching level and interacting with students is crucial. This is what we are trying to do with the Health and Well-being hub in Aurora.

Workshop on Vulnerability

Barbara: At the Aurora Spring Biannual, we held a workshop where many disciplines, students, and stakeholders came together. How are we able to talk together as professionals in cultural studies, humanities, medical field, and social sciences?

Lina: We’re trying to build things. Together. Building things together requires the participation of everyone – stakeholders, researchers and students. Students are at the heart of what we’re doing. During this Workshop on Vulnerability, we had the opportunity to learn from different experiences from researchers, and students who are studying vulnerability and aging, which is also a societal issue.

It was important to share each other’s experiences in these fields during the workshop. It helped us to understand, first from a scientific point of view, and then, how to collaborate and cooperate in pedagogical elements so that we can build joint programmes and courses together, which is the aim of our activities in the Health and Well-being hub in Aurora.

Barbara: During the workshop, we also organised “lunch trains” as a way to connect people across disciplines and across student, researcher, educator, and practitioner levels. That’s just one of the ways we started conversations. For instance, in the 17th century, “vulnerability” as a concept was used to defend slavery. The term itself thus has a long cultural history that has worked well but that has also damaged a lot of human lives. I think it’s an important concept to address neutrally across the disciplines.

Bridging the Gap to Respond to Sustainable Development Goals

Barbara: Our universities are founded in regions in the middle of urban settings where urban planners find that education must be brought in to bring about positive change. That is one of the major questions for us: can education and can universities bring about positive change and contribute to the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?

Pasquale: We’re trying to address some of the 17 goals developed by the United Nations to make a better world, like health inequalities, better education, and improving health and well-being.

The Workshop on Vulnerability was held in the new building of the Università Federico II of Naples in Scampia, a socially deprived area. This was an initiative undertaken by the university to interact with areas that are less fortunate than the city of Naples. The workshop brought a lot of exchange with the local people.

Lina: UPEC is at the heart of one of the most vulnerable places in the southeast of Paris. Our philosophy is to be aligned with the SDGs. So, all our pedagogical and scientific activities are aligned with good health and well-being, gender equality, as well as the different partnerships we’re organising together.

It’s a very important contribution of us and the participants in the workshop, hoping to build things together from the experiences we share. If we’re trying to address societal issues, we need to begin from shared experiences. This is exactly what we’re doing in Aurora.

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

Martin Procházka Elected as New Aurora President

Martin Procházka, Rector of Palacký University Olomouc, has been elected to be the new Aurora president by the Aurora General Council during the Aurora Spring Biannual 2024. He takes over from Jón Atli Benediktsson, Rector of the University of Iceland, who has held the position of Aurora President for the past four years.

Following the general council’s decision, Jón Atli Benediktsson passed on the torch in the public handover ceremony during the Biannual.  During this ceremony, Rector Procházka presented his predecessor with a vase made of Bohemian crystal to thank him for his service. “Jón Atli, this gift is not only a token of our friendship, but also a symbol of your excellent work for Aurora. Bohemian crystal, renowned for its exquisite craftsmanship, shines with the combination of tradition and innovation that we strive for at Aurora and reflects our commitment to excellence in education and research,” said Procházka.

In his acceptance speech, he emphasised that in his role as President, he wants to give the universities and all members of the community space for expression and the opportunity to shape the future Aurora and highlighted students as a key element in his vision of Aurora. “The students’ enthusiasm and their ideas are a great inspiration to us all. As President, I will aim to continue working to create a student-oriented and inclusive environment,” underlined Procházka.

Martin Procházka is the first Aurora President elected under a new system of rotating Aurora presidency. By unanimous decision of the Aurora General Council, the Aurora Presidency will rotate between the member universities. This system, inspired by the rotating EU-presidency, will allow all Aurora universities to leave their mark on Aurora’s policy and strategic decision-making.

In this system, the general council elects a rector  to serve on the Aurora board as  president-elect one year prior to them taking the mantle of Aurora President for a one-year tenure. After this year, they stay on the Aurora Board for one more year as Past President, to ensure continuity of governance.

FOR-EU4All: European Universities Alliances Unite to Create Joint Community of Practice

European Universities alliances are joining forces in a project called FOR-EU4All. The project brings together all current and future European Universities alliances—numbering over 60—into a unified, cohesive structure. The goal is to foster a collaborative and supportive environment where best practices and experiences can be shared not only among the alliances themselves but also with the broader European Higher Education (HE) sector.

As flagships of the European Education Area (EEA) and the European Research Area (ERA), European Universities alliances are leading the way in developing new and innovative concepts for deep transnational institutional cooperation to stimulate long-lasting transformation of European higher education as a whole.

Evolution of the FOR-EU Network

The informal alliance network FORum of European Universities (FOR-EU) has been in place since the start of the European Universities initiative (EUI). Alliance experts have been brought together across countries and institutions to form active communities on strategic topics, such as education cooperation, governance, research & innovation dimension of alliances, or student engagement. FOR-EU has currently 20+ subgroups in place and different parallel fora where the coordinators and alliances’ experts meet. Due to the increasingly large-scale nature and impact of the EUI, a merger of all FOR-EU groups is now necessary, and dedicated resources are required.

Formalising Collaboration

FOR-EU4All will reflect the fruitful collaboration and related extensive expertise that exists in FOR-EU. It will merge, formalise, and scale up the informal processes and structures that naturally developed over the past four years, and focus on supporting efficient administration, coordination, communication and dissemination. Moreover, FOR-EU4All will strongly focus on linkages with the wider HE sector, collaboration with existing networks and stakeholder representatives, as well as engagement with decision-makers on both achievements and challenges related to the EUI. This is also reflected in the project name, we simply are stronger together. Outreach activities and the dissemination of good practices and learnings are expected to help bringing transnational cooperation in HE in Europe to the next level.

Commitment to EEA and ERA Objectives

European Universities alliances are committed to contributing to the realisation of both the EEA and ERA policy objectives. In collaboration with stakeholders, this project will furthermore focus on addressing challenges to transnational collaboration that persist in the EHEA to date – ranging from joint educational provision to mobility as well as digital and R&I collaboration. With FOR-EU4All, alliances are committed to working together with each other, with relevant stakeholders and policy-makers to overcome obstacles to transnational collaboration and to realise the long-lasting transformation of European higher education.

The FOR-EU4All project has been awarded 1.8 million euros by the European Commission and should last 48 months, starting on the 1 November 2024. The European University Association – EUA, the European Students’ Union – ESU, the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education – ENQA, the European Association of Institutions in Higher Education – EURASHE and the Erasmus Student Network – ESN are associated partners of the project.

Shaping the Path Forward at the Aurora Spring Biannual 2024

Between the 27th and 30th of May, the Aurora community gathered in the historic city of Naples for the Aurora Spring Biannual, hosted by the University Federico II of Naples (UNINA). This biannual combined a historic perspective with Aurora’s transition into its exciting new phase

This year’s biannual event offered the Aurora community a chance to celebrate the 800th anniversary of UNINA, placing Aurora’s ambitions in a grand historical context. The 800th anniversary of UNINA served as a powerful reminder of the importance and transformative potential of our universities. By situating Aurora’s contemporary aims within this historical framework, the biannual meeting in Naples not only celebrated the past but also inspired the Aurora community to continue shaping a better society through collaboration in education and research.

The event covered a range of thought-provoking topics. The plenary sessions featured panels on Joint Education Programs, Stakeholder Engagement, and Student Matters. These were complemented by inspiring talks on Citizen Science and Participatory Democracy that sparked new thoughts and initiatives. Aurora also reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable development, with Aurora’s universities signing a Common Footprint Reduction Plan. This joint commitment is key to making our universities greener and more environmentally sustainable. 

Another highlight of the event was the Presidency Handover. This was an opportunity to thank the University of Iceland Rector Jón Atli Benediktsson, for his tenure as Aurora President. Jón Atli proceeded to pass the torch to the Rector of Palacký University Olomouc, Martin Procházka. Martin wants to continue working closely with our students during his time at the helm: “It will be my goal to continue working on creating a student-centred and inclusive environment within Aurora, where students are truly heard.” 

Work packages and task teams also had time to convene. In these in-depth meetings, our task teams could discuss all our specific activities and develop them further. In addition, the biannual featured workshops on topics such as seizmic, Peer-Learning and Vulnerability.  

As the biannual came to a close, we looked forward to next year’s biannual, which will be organised by the Université Paris Est Créteil (UPEC). We also looked back at a great Spring Biannual that allowed us to appreciate all that Aurora has achieved so far, as well as the exciting journey ahead.

Relive the biannual below:

Photo Gallery:

      

     

 

Join the First Series of Aurora Peace Talks

Join us from September for the first series of Aurora Peace Talks. This lecture series will feature talks by our colleagues from Kharkiv and beyond, and allows them to share their experiences and expertise.

Kharkiv city is one of Ukraine’s most important economic and industrial centres and the second biggest educational center in Ukraine,  known as the city of students and youth.  About 300 000 students (12 000 foreign ones) found their home in one of the Kharkiv’s 11 universities and 38 higher educational institutions, including both public and private universities, academies and specialized institutes.

The city and the region have since 2022 come under heavy attack as one of the initial targets of Russia’s invasion. The city and the region have been bravely fighting off the aggression.

In the last month the city has been experiencing yet another wave of  heavy attacks, with random bombardments of civilian object causing civilian casualties, evacuations and displacements of several thousand of its residents.

Given the location of the city and Khakriv region, the situation for its citizens will remain precarious for a long time ahead. In Aurora, we have been working dedicatedly to provide much needed support, especially to our partners at Karazin Khakriv National University.

The speakers in this lecture series come from Karazin University, but also other universities in Khakriv, as we want  to provide platform for their voices to be heard in these most challenging of times. This first series in particular features talks from Kharkiv Scholars at Risk at Copenhagen Business School.

The Peace Talks lecture series allows our colleagues to speak out, share their experiences but also their expertise as academics in addressing the devastation and future post-war recovery and peace building needs.

Support them by joining the following inspiring Talks, starting form September this year:

  • Between Copenhagen and Kharkiv researching resilience
    • 26th of September 2024, 15.00 CET | Serhii Prokopenko, MSc
    • Zoom Link
  • Energy communities as the key for Ukraine’s energy security
    • 17th of October 2024, 15.00 CET | Albina Dioba, Ph.D.
    • Zoom Link
  • Becoming Part of a Community: The Process of Ukraine’s Accession to the European Union
    • 4th of November 2024, 15.00 CET | Assoc. Prof. Manuele Citi
    • Zoom Link
  • Public Discourse and Academic Research in Representing People Under Occupation: Are war-caused conflicts transformable?
    • 16th of December 2024, 15.00 CET | Prof. Yuliia Soroka, Ph.D.
    • Zoom Link

Aurora Peace Talks – Programme

This lecture series is organized by the Aurora Karazin Peace Education Hub of Work Package 7. For more information on the Aurora Peace Talks lecture series, contact Selma Porobic.

European Commission Awards Grant for seizmic Doctoral Network

Leading academic institutions within Aurora universities, and associated partners from diverse sectors, were recently successful in their grant application to the European Commission’s Call for MSCA Doctoral Networks 2023.

Led by Professor Kai Hockerts at the Copenhagen Business School (CBS), the seizmic doctoral network (seizmic DN) is a collaborative effort that aims to research the scaling of social enterprises. Despite the recognized potential of social enterprises to drive significant societal change, their scaling processes – critical for broadening their impact – remain poorly understood. The seizmic DN addresses this gap by developing a coherent interdisciplinary theoretical framework that studies how social entrepreneurship ideas are replicated and imitated.

“As we launch the seizmic doctoral network, our aim is not only to fill a critical gap in our understanding of how social enterprises scale but to fundamentally reshape the landscape of social entrepreneurship education,” says Dr. Kai Hockerts, Professor of Social Entrepreneurship at CBS and academic lead of the seizmic doctoral network. “This grant from the European Commission empowers us to pioneer a model that brings robust academic rigor and practical insights together, setting a new standard for doctoral training in Europe.”

seizmic Doctoral Network for Social Entrepreneurship

Central to the mission of seizmic DN is a robust doctoral training programme, designed around three doctoral summer universities. These will be hosted by members of Aurora universities the University Federico II of Naples, Copenhagen Business School, and the University of Iceland, to prepare candidates for leading roles in both academia and practice. The programme offers a dynamic research environment where doctoral candidates study complex real-world examples of social entrepreneurship cases under the guidance of 22 experienced supervisors. The seizmic doctoral trainings span interdisciplinary research methodologies and include significant exposure to the non-academic sector, facilitating a practical understanding of social entrepreneurship.

“Being part of the seizmic doctoral network is a unique opportunity to bridge theory and practice in a transformative way,” explains Dr. Anne-Karen Hüske, Aurora Institutional Coordinator at CBS. “Our interdisciplinary approach is designed to equip doctoral candidates with the skills necessary to drive and influence the future of social enterprises. Through this initiative, we are committed to developing leaders who are not only scholars but also change-makers in the social economy.”

Innovation, Social Impact and Sustainability

The doctoral network combines divergent research streams across four disciplinary areas: business model design, finance, education, and digital ecosystems. It seeks to equip a new generation of researchers and practitioners with the innovative tools needed to expand the reach and effectiveness of social enterprises. This effort is particularly pertinent as it aligns with Europe’s sustainability goals and the broader vision of the European Action Plan for the Social Economy.

As seizmic DN progresses, it encourages engagement from the academic community, industry stakeholders, and the public. For those interested in the intersection of innovation, social impact, and sustainability, the doctoral network offers numerous opportunities for collaboration and professional development. The seizmic DN is more than just a research initiative: it is a vibrant community of scholars and practitioners dedicated to a better understanding of social entrepreneurship scaling.

Aurora Executive Committee Drives Key Actions for Aurora 2030

The Aurora Executive Committee convened recently at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam to discuss the strategy and critical actions moving forward in Aurora 2030, the second phase of the Aurora European university alliance.  

Following the European Universities Coordinators’ Meeting in February this year, the Aurora central office organised a three-day seminar for its Executive Committee. The seminar gathered Institutional Coordinators and experts from nine Aurora member universities, as well as representatives from the central office leadership team. On the agenda were important topics marking the way forward for Aurora universities. 

Managing Expectations for the Future 

Recommendations from the DG EAC (Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture)

Sabine Sainte-Rose, Aurora Programme Director, shared key recommendations from the DG EAC. These include a focus on the evolution of a blueprint for a European Degree and the conclusions following six experimentation projects with 90 higher education institutions. She also highlighted the Council’s recommendation on the development of a quality assurance and recognition system for European university alliances that can be adapted to countries with a more institutional approach in this matter. The Executive Committee further exchanged on the Council’s advice to develop incentives for higher education institutions. Among these incentives is to create transnational initiatives to promote attractive and sustainable careers within this sector.

Expectations from the EACEA (European Education and Culture Executive Agency)

The expectations from the EACEA was one of the major takeaways from the European Coordinators’ Meeting in Brussels. Impact measurement is a key denominator of success for European university alliances. The methodology used and the metrics required to measure impact are non-negligible. Both must take into consideration the actual impact of alliances’ activities on the lives of students, staff and academics, beyond just mobility statistics. Markers of success integrate best practices for educational offers and the European inter-university campus experiences that demonstrate embeddedness, seamless mobility and recognition, all of which highlight the European values of inclusion and plurilingualism.

In addition, Sabine highlighted the rich and thought-provoking exchanges shared with colleagues from other European university alliances in the following areas:

  • National developments and progress in higher education, such as the recognition of microcredentials offered through a course by a partner institution.
  • The perception and acceptance of the joint European Degree by the ministries and institutions of higher education.
  • The foundational elements that contribute to a better structure and visibility of our course offerings.
Alessandro Arienzo, Aurora Institutional Coordinator at University Federico II of Naples, moderates discussion on Aurora governance
Aurora Executive Committee and Central Office representatives

Structuring a European University Alliance 

Clémentine Perdriau from the Aurora central office, delivered her findings from the study that she had carried out on the governance models in European universities. She underlined that there was no “one size fits all” model: each European university alliance has specificities that result in a diverse set of governance models.

Following this presentation, the Executive Committee discussed possible scenarios that could be developed as the governance structure for Aurora in this second phase between the years 2023 to 2027. They further established an initial base for a more long-term structure to ensure the sustainability of Aurora universities beyond the year 2027.

Moving Forward in Aurora 2030 

The Executive Committee seminar continued with updates in the development of the following Aurora 2030 work packages (WP) and task teams (TT):

TT10.1 on Communication and Dissemination 

Building a solid foundation is part of TT10.1 strategy for communication and dissemination in the Aurora 2030 project. Two fundamental elements supporting this objective are the development of the official Aurora Brand and Design Guidelines and the Institutional Trusted Local Communicator (TLC) role standardisation for communication representatives of each institution within Aurora. These were presented by Aniza Pourtauborde, Aurora Communications Manager and Anna Klas, Aurora Communications Officer, both of whom are part of the TT10.1 leadership team.

Aurora Executive Committee and Central Office Representatives
Aurora Executive Committee workshop on communications
TT10.3 on Holistic and Strategic Approach for Impact 

Ilyas Kenadid, Head of Strategic Projects at Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC) and TT10.3 Lead, reported on the different methodologies in managing, monitoring and measuring the impact of Aurora within the nine member institutions, their immediate stakeholders and the wider ecosystem.

TT6.1 on Aurora IT Development and Services 

Thomas Baumgartner, Institutional Coordinator for Universität Innsbruck, spoke about the progress of the Aurora Virtual Campus, led by his university under Work Package 6 for Green and Digital Campus. He focused in particular on the Course Catalogue as a one-stop shop for all opportunities for students from Aurora universities. Topics covered consisted of the definition of an Aurora course, the digitalisation of credentials and the creation of a committee of transversal expertise in education, mobility and communications.

WP8 on Enabling Mobility and Exchange 

Joan-Miquel Canals, Institutional Coordinator for Universität Rovira i Virgili (URV), shared initiatives encouraging international learning experiences among students, staff and academics. Through increased joint mobility opportunities between Aurora member institutions, demand is high for short-term courses.

TT5.2 on Academic Collaboration and Community Building 

Martin Schwell, Institutional Coordinator for UPEC, outlined recent advances following the Call for Incentive Research Collaboration launched in mid-February this year. He spoke on developments in the creation of the Aurora Research Council (ARC) comprised of cross-institutional and cross-disciplinary representatives from all Aurora member universities.

Building on the foundation created during the first phase of Aurora, and leveraging on this experience, have enabled the Executive Committee and the Aurora central office to offer a holistic and visionary approach to the Aurora 2030 project.

Aurora universities Push to Inspire Inclusion and Accelerate Progress for Women 

On International Women’s Day 2024, Aurora universities set a leading example by fostering an environment that nurtures inclusivity and celebrates women’s pivotal roles in driving innovation, scientific discoveries, and societal advancements.

These initiatives and activities spearheaded by Aurora universities are aligned with United Nations’ theme “Accelerate Progress: Invest in Women”, and the International Women’s Day (IWD) theme, “Inspire Inclusion”. Both focus on expediting women’s rights, achieving gender equality, inspiring women from all walks of life, and challenging barriers that historically impeded women’s progress.

 

University of Iceland 

As part of a larger conference called “Science and Society”, the University of Iceland (UI) organised an event on the gender gap that remains an issue within the business sector, and especially for women in top management positions. Notable people from the university, business, and also the Parliament, including Iceland‘s Prime Minister, Katrín Jakobsdóttir, gathered to discuss how the government could help reduce this gender gap. 

Read more about the event (in Icelandic): Hverjir geta dregið úr kynjabilinu í stjórnendastöðum í atvinnulífinu.

 

 

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Did you know that women are the reason that Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam) exists today? On this International Women’s Day, VU Amsterdam commemorates the fundraising initiative launched and organised by women since 1932. The objective of this collective effort was to build a medical faculty, physics and chemistry laboratories, and also to improve hospital accessibility and development aid abroad. Today, this country-wide initiative has come under the name of “Women VU Aid”.  

Read the story in detail: Women are the reason VU exists. 

 

University of Duisburg-Essen 

Gender studies have a long track record at the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE). During the International Women’s Day 2024, UDE celebrated the 25th anniversary of its Essen Center for Gender Studies. The university also kicked off its new Institute for Gender-Sensitive Medicine, to strengthen gender research even further. These special occasions called for an interview with Dr. Maren A. Jochimsen, Professor Dr. Anke Hinney and lecturer Dr. Andrea Kindler-Röhrborn.  

Read the interviews (in German): Pionierinstitutionen der Geschlechterforschung. 

 

 

Universität Innsbruck  

For this special occasion, Universität Innsbruck organised an interactive poster (re)design exhibition to raise awareness on gender equality as the fifth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of the United Nations. The exhibition was created by communication designer Elisabeth Kopf and is part of the UniNEtZ project to support Austria in the implementation of the SDGs by providing specialist know how: Universities make their social and natural science, technical and artistic expertise available and in this way take responsibility for a sustainable transformation – in an ecological, economic and social sense. 

Watch the video of the interactive exhibition.

 

Copenhagen Business School 

Is gender equality in the labour market still an issue today? Research from Copenhagen Business School (CBS) highlights the challenges that women face at different levels in their professional development. From job loss to women in top management to bias against women entrepreneurs, these studies explore in depth, the reasons behind enduring inequality, its consequences, and the actions taken to move towards a more equal future for women.  

Delve into the research: Exploring Equality Challenges in the Job Market.

  

 

University of Naples Federico II  

In one of its initiatives to celebrate International Women’s Day, University of Naples Federico II (UNINA) brought to light the discrimination and prejudice against women working in the marine sector. In collaboration with Oceanitalians, UNINA organised an exchange with three female professionals working in oceanographic research, Professor Flegra Bentivegna, Dr. Angela Landolfi, Dr. Sara Biancardi, and psychologist-psychotherapist Anna Pisterzi. 

Watch the replay of this discussion (in Italian): Donna Nella Scienza 2024. 

 

 

Palacký University Olomouc

In line with its long-term vision, Palacký University Olomouc (UP) has committed to equal opportunities through initiatives such as its “Gender Equality Plan”. In addition, the university has also recently featured several female scientists in a series of podcasts. These interviews aim to break down barriers for women in scientific fields, and to inspire other women to consider career possibilities in scientific fields.  

Listen to the podcast (in Czech): Žena ve vědě.  

 

 

Universitat Rovira i Virgili

Every year for International Women’s Day, the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) coordinates a number of activities through its Unitat d’Igualtat (Equality Unit) and in collaboration with other URV Departments and Services. One of the highlight events this year was the ceremony awarding the founders and pioneers of the Bloc Feminista de Tarragona established in the 1970s, with the Maria Antònia Ferrer i Bosch Distinction. They led the way in organising the fight against the lack of rights for women in Tarragona. Thanks to these visionary leaders, today they are able to have open discussions on labour discrimination, gender equality in education and employment.

Find out more (in Catalan): La URV commemora el 8M amb activitats que posen en relació la discriminació de les dones amb altres desigualtats.

 

Université Paris-Est Créteil 

This year at Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC), the whole month of March is dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusivity. All month long, UPEC organises conferences, workshops, thematic stands and exhibitions tackling issues such as gender equality, sexual discrimination, prejudice against the disabled, and violence against women, to name a few. Spotlight on a conference by female scientist Fahimeh Robiolle, who shared her trials and tribulations as a female Iranian living in Teheran under the rule of Mohammad Reza Chah Pahlavi. During the conference, she shared her story of emancipation and how she became one of the first women to study nuclear physics in Iran.  

Discover other activities at UPEC during this special month (in French): Mois de Mars, Mois de L’égalité et de L’Inclusion à l’UPEC. 

Aurora Welcomes Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC) As New Member

Aurora Associate Partner since May 2022, Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC) officially joins as Aurora Full Member and becomes part of the Aurora 2030 project within the framework of the European Universities Initiative launched by the European Commission.   

The Aurora 2030 project brings together nine research-intensive higher education institutions and five associated academic partners across 13 countries, working towards a common strategic vision: Matching academic excellence with societal relevance. UPEC’s entry into this alliance of European universities, further contributes to the collective commitment in achieving sustainable impact through education, research and innovation.  

“We are very pleased and proud to welcome UPEC as a full member of Aurora Universities Network,” says Jon Atli Benediktsson, President of Aurora and Rector of the University of Iceland. “The emphasis at UPEC on high-quality education and research for societal impact makes UPEC an excellent and important partner of Aurora.” 

As a university engaged in being a service to its region, UPEC aims to redefine its university model and strengthen its actions to address key societal and environmental challenges. This also includes supporting further European integration in higher education and research through collaboration with other member institutions within Aurora. 

Shared Coordination and Expertise 

The Aurora 2030 project consists of ten work packages and 33 task teams, coordinating collaborative actions in identifying and tackling common goals in the fields of diversity, sustainability, research, innovation, education and student engagement. These actions include, but are not limited to, green and digital campus initiatives, research assessment, inclusion and student mobility.  

“UPEC’s institutional strategy is well-aligned to Aurora’s five hubs: Sustainability & Climate Change, Digital Society & Global Citizenship, Health & Well-being, Cultures: Diversities & Identities, and Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation,” says Martin Schwell, Vice President, European Affairs and Aurora Institutional Coordinator at UPEC. “Furthermore, UPEC’s integration into Aurora enables opportunities for our students, staff and academics that go beyond international borders and disciplines.” 

As a new member integrated into this programme, UPEC will be playing an active role in Aurora’s  work for the next four years by co-leading two strategic work packages, on the one hand Enhancing Quality of Research through an Aurora Research and Innovation Community, and on the other hand Impact and Dissemination. 

Dedicated Representation  

Being part of Aurora  goes beyond cooperating within the work packages and task teams of the Aurora 2030 project. UPEC’s commitment to this alliance is also demonstrated by the representation of its community of students, academics and administrative staff in opportunities aligned with the university’s mission: sustainable campus, student life, and science with and for society.