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Aurora universities Push to Inspire Inclusion and Accelerate Progress for Women 

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on . Posted in News.

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

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on . Posted in News.

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.  

 

 

 

 

Looking Back at the Aurora Fall Biannual 2023

Written by Niels Hexspoor on . Posted in News.

On October 17th and 18th, Palacký University Olomouc, located in Olomouc, Czechia, hosted the Aurora Fall Biannual 2023. The event served as a unifying platform, bringing together more than 200 participants from 18 universities within the Aurora community and beyond.

The Fall Biannual event centred around reflecting on Aurora’s notable accomplishments as a part of the European Universities initiative. These European developments took centre stage in the plenary sessions and panels:

  1. Aurora Pilot Phase: Aurora Model Alliance?
  2. The impact and role of European Universities on the future of Higher Education in Europe
  3. Alliance Exchange – Balancing Education, Research Innovation and Social Responsibility
  4. Toward student-centred European University Alliances

Rector Tetyana Kaganovska, who was a panel member during the Aurora Model Alliance plenary session, underscored the belief of the Aurora community in Karazin Kharkiv University. This confidence breathed new life into their commitment to advancing online education. The message “our colleagues believe in us” ignites a glimmer of hope, inspiring their community to persevere and celebrate even the smallest triumphs.

Aurora’s commitment to sustainability was also highlighted during the event, with an opening presentation and plenary session dedicated to Aurora’s work on making our community greener and more sustainable.

Collaboration within Aurora was further strengthened by the momentous signing of a Memorandum of understanding on the sharing of research infrastructure, as well as the signing of the second version of the Multilateral Aurora Mobility Agreement (MAMA).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next to the retrospective of Aurora’s remarkable accomplishments, the Aurora community came together to look forward to the exciting prospects that lie ahead. Participants also engaged in thought-provoking Thematic sessions on prominent Aurora topics such as COIL, the Aurora Competence Framework, and Technology Transfer.  

Want to relive the biannual or catch up on any sessions you missed? You can watch the recordings of the plenary sessions below:

🎥 17/10/2023 –  Day 1

🎥 18/10/2023 –  Day 2

The full photo gallery of the biannual can be downloaded here.

Aurora’s MoU on Sharing Infrastructure and Resources paves the way for research collaboration

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

Aurora Fall Biannual 2023 witnessed a momentous occasion on October 17th, with the Aurora Research Infrastructure and Resources Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing. This event marked a significant commitment to research collaboration among thirteen esteemed Aurora universities, including the Aurora Associate partners and Université Paris-Est Créteil.

The purpose of the MoU is twofold. Firstly, it serves as a definitive statement of intent from partner universities to engage in research cooperation, with a specific focus on Aurora’s mission and pilot domains. By doing so, it aims to facilitate seamless access to shared resources for researchers within the alliance. Secondly, these universities aim to fortify their global research standing by working closely together. By promoting international cooperation across a diverse range of research areas, they aspire to exchange research resources and data with fellow research groups.

This collaborative endeavour not only underscores the commitment of Aurora Universities to advance research but also showcases their determination to foster a richer culture of global research collaboration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For those interested in exploring the MoU in detail, a publicly accessible version is available here. This document showcases the commitment of universities to research collaboration and global knowledge sharing. Access the MoU

Aurora welcomes its universities to contribute their research infrastructure resources. By sharing resources and knowledge, you enrich your institution and engage with a global community of research excellence. Ready to join this collaborative effort? Add your research infrastructure resources here.

Fostering Community Building through Blended Intensive Programme at Universität Innsbruck

Written by UIBK on . Posted in Events, News, Trainings.

Foster community building: This was the overarching theme of the first Aurora BIP Staff Week, which took place at Universität Innsbruck from October 2-6, 2023. Participants from almost all Aurora partners – coming from both academia and administration – exchanged manifold ideas with colleagues from Universität Innsbruck to develop new activities and projects.

With more than 50 members of staff, the first Aurora Staff Week at Universität Innsbruck was a great success. In different formats and settings, the main topics of Transformative Education, Innovation Management, Societal Engagement, and Internationalization were explored in depth over several days. Best practices from Universität Innsbruck and the Aurora partner universities served as the basis for the exchange, stimulating a mutual dialogue in the sense of peer learning and opening space for creativity and new ideas.

“Personal encounters are incredibly important for a network like Aurora to be filled with life,” emphasises Rector Veronika Sexl, who is responsible for international affairs at Universität Innsbruck. “I am very pleased that so many colleagues, both in-house and from the Aurora partner universities, have actively taken up the invitation to exchange ideas and that new projects are already in the pipeline.” The “matchmaking sessions” were particularly fruitful, where concrete new activities, such as the development of joint courses, could be discussed in individual smaller settings.

First Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) hosted by Universität Innsbruck

The Aurora Staff Week, which was funded and organised as an Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP), took place in Innsbruck after a virtual exchange of participants in September. For the first time, the Universität Innsbruck served as a hosting institution for the event. The Aurora Staff Week will conclude with a virtual follow-up meeting at the end of October.

BIPs are teaching/learning formats jointly run by several universities and combine virtual components with physical short-term mobility (“blended”). BIPs are a new mobility format embedded in the Erasmus program, implemented as part of the Erasmus program generation 2021-2027. Within Aurora, the general goal is to develop more joint BIPs between Aurora partners in the coming years. These can be used for training as well as teaching purposes.

Advancing Research Management in European Universities Alliances: Insights from the Aurora Universities Network

Written by Anna Klas on . Posted in News.

The recent workshop organised by the CIVICA European Universities Alliance brought together various European Universities Alliances and associations, including TORCH, EUt+, 4EU+, UNA Europa, Unite!, FIT FORTHEM, SEA-EU, ECIU, and the Aurora Universities Network, to explore research management practices within European Alliances. With a focus on understanding the development, implementation, and challenges encountered in research management at the alliance level, the workshop aimed to provide valuable insights and suggestions for improvement.

Context
The workshop took place in the context of ERA Action 17, a European Research Area policy action co-led by the Aurora Universities Network, which aims to strengthen the research support capacity in public research organisations. Some of the key findings of the workshop include:
Collaborative research support offices have proven to be highly beneficial for some alliances, as they offer valuable services such as training for research management, support staff, and early career researchers. Additionally, they provide an interoperable digital platform with local databases, primarily focusing on publications. While not all alliances have been able to establish joint research support offices, they are actively working on strengthening their research support activities and collaborations.

Most alliances have made a concerted effort to engage the broader research community of research support and management administrators (RSMA), including grants advice, knowledge transfer, open science, data stewardship, science communication, and research policy advice. However, there are still obstacles to overcome in the pursuit of a common research agenda. These challenges include late engagement of research support and management staff in proposal writing, different types of organisations involved in research support, varying resource allocations, and a lack of incentives for participation.

To address these challenges and improve the research support landscape, several recommendations can be made:

  • Early engagement of researchers, particularly early career researchers, should be emphasized in research management activities.
  • Co-creation principles should be adopted when developing research management activities to foster collaboration and inclusivity.
  • High-level university management should limit their involvement in the operational details of development and implementation, allowing research support professionals to take the lead.
  • Incentives, dedicated time, and adequate resources should be provided for researchers to participate in research support and management activities within alliances.
  • Awareness at all levels within universities about the roles and functions of research managers and research support and administration officers should be enhanced.

By implementing these recommendations, alliances can work together to create a more efficient and effective research support environment, ultimately benefiting the entire research community.

Vision for the Future
The workshop concluded with an inspiring vision for the future of research support and management activities in alliances. Pim de Boer, the EU Liaison representative from the Aurora Universities Network, shared an encompassing presentation that addressed many of the discussed aspects, highlighting the collective goals and aspirations of the participating alliances.

By fostering collaboration, early engagement, and effective resource allocation, European Universities Alliances have the potential to test and enhance research management practices and drive meaningful advancements in research support within the European higher education landscape.

Aurora Networking: Universität Innsbruck and Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II successful joint meeting

Written by UIBK on . Posted in News.

From March 28th to March 30th, 2023, the Aurora facilitated a meeting of quantum physicists from the University of Naples Federico II (UNINA) and Universität Innsbruck (UIBK). The purpose of this gathering was to share insights into their respective research fields, explore synergies, and establish the foundation for future collaborative projects.

The three-day event, hosted by UIBK, began with a warm welcome from Professor Francesca Ferlaino, an alumnus of UNINA. Vice Rector for Research and fellow physicist Gregor Weihs also extended his greetings to the delegation on behalf of UIBK.  Thomas Baumgartner and his Aurora Alliance Office team in Innsbruck introduced the structure and focus of the Aurora Alliance, highlighting successful cooperation initiatives, including joint courses, micro-credentials, and staff mobility opportunities. This set the framework that guided the researchers in their discussions and brainstorms over the following days.

Day two of the event featured in-depth discourse on each delegation’s research fields, laboratory visits at UIBK, and lively debate on potential joint projects. These exchanges allowed the participants to better understand each other’s expertise and identify areas of mutual interest.

During the last day, in the pleasant and stimulating environment of the Claudiana, a hall that links Italy and Austria with its history, the participants enthusiastically discussed short- and long-term goals. These, thanks to the participation of Alessandro Arienzo and Dejan Lukovic from the Aurora offices in Naples and Innsbruck respectively, were immediately considered in terms of feasibility.

With the groundwork laid for collaboration, the first joint initiative is slated to commence this summer. This promising partnership between UNINA and UIBK is poised to foster impactful advancements in the field of quantum physics, benefiting both institutions and the scientific community at large.

 

 

Aurora thanks former Vice-Chancellor of UEA, Professor David Richardson

Written by Anna Klas on . Posted in News.

The Aurora community would like to express our gratitude and appreciation to one of the founding fathers of the Aurora Network, Professor David Richardson. Professor Richardson has been a pillar of the Aurora community and has played a vital role in the development of the Aurora Universities Network since its creation in 2016. Although he stepped down two weeks ago as Vice-Chancellor of the University of East Anglia, and therefore no longer represents his institution as a Board member of Aurora, his legacy and impact on Aurora remains strong beyond his tenure.

Professor Richardson has an impressive Aurora record of service. The University of East Anglia (UEA), under Professor Richardson’s leadership, was one of the founding institutional members of the network. He was also the Chair of the Aurora Board for four years from 2016-2020, and was recently re-elected again in 2022, serving as Board Treasurer. His belief in the added value of Aurora never wavered, including during the challenging period leading up to Brexit and the resulting changes this meant for higher education in the UK in the area of international cooperation and mobility. Despite these challenges, UEA remains committed  to the Aurora Alliance as an Associate Partner in the new funding bid for the Erasmus+ European Universities Initiative.

“It has been a pleasure to work with David Richardson ever since we first started discussing establishing a new university network in 2016,” Aurora President Jón Atli Benediktsson states. “The Aurora Network thrived under his leadership and dedication. David was a strong supporter of Aurora expanding and applying to become one of the European University Alliances as he recognized the tremendous opportunities this would provide for our students, staff, and wider community.

David is a great friend and working with him has been a privilege. We very much appreciate his contribution to Aurora.”

Mirjam van Praag, President of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, said:

“As one of the founding fathers of Aurora, David is a long-time and dear friend to us. He excelled in keeping us all on track, from the start of the Network through the phase of forming the Alliance. With him on board, the road ahead was suddenly clear for everyone, redirecting us to more productive alleys whenever we went astray, looking at issues from a new angle, and all of that he seemed to do effortlessly.”

As the Aurora community, comprised of ten research-intensive universities, continues to strengthen our international cooperative partnership, we will carry forward Professor Richardson’s legacy through our continued commitment to academic and research collaboration, innovation in teaching and learning, positive student development and transformation.

First Aurora micro-credential “Sustainability & Climate Change” awarded

Written by UIBK on . Posted in Events, News.

On 2 February 2023, Universität Innsbruck awarded the first micro-credential certificate to Giusi Merola from Università Federico II di Napoli. The micro-credential, part of the Aurora joint programme on “Sustainability & Climate Change,” was awarded for Giusi’s completion of 10 ECTS credits.

Giusi is the first student, not just at Federico II but throughout the Aurora European University Alliance, to receive a micro-credential, making her the trailblazer for a new era in higher education within Aurora. A micro-credential is a record of the learning outcomes acquired after a short course of study. The courses are designed to provide students with specific knowledge, skills, and competencies that meet societal, personal, cultural, or labour market needs. Micro-credentials are portable and can be shared with potential employers or higher education institutions.

Giusi’s experience with the micro-credential was overwhelmingly positive. She shares, “During the lessons, we learned about climate change from various perspectives: anthropological, social, cultural, and scientific. We were given the tools to identify the realities that truly care about sustainability. As a final test, we wrote a report identifying companies close to receiving the B-Corp certification and developed a social start-up project which was presented at the European Forum of Alpbach in Austria to hundreds of students and investors. The experiences enriched me as a person, added valuable skills to my CV, and created numerous online and offline connections.”

The “Sustainability & Climate Change” micro-credential is a unique and innovative approach to learning that aligns with the European Council Recommendations. The micro-credential allows participating universities to share the latest research results with students in real time through research-led teaching and challenge-based learning. The certificate not only strengthens opportunities for inclusive international learning but also engages all partners in the Aurora Alliance to provide quality education. Moreover, the micro-credential certificate represents the effort for interoperability of the Aurora universities’ IT systems and connection to common European interfaces and platforms, such as Europass and European Digital Credentials for Learning. This is a further step to help overcome recognition problems that still exist in some places, often due to national study laws.

Universität Innsbruck’s issuance of the first micro-credential certificate demonstrates the potential for a new and innovative approach to learning across Aurora universities. The “Sustainability & Climate Change” micro-credential provides students with a unique opportunity to gain specialized knowledge and competencies while simultaneously addressing the challenges posed by climate change.

Aurora’s work on Eastern Partnership presented at ACAs “What’s New in Brussels?” Seminar

Written by Niels Hexspoor on . Posted in News.

On the 2nd and 3rd  of February, Selma Porobic was invited to ACA’s (Academic Cooperation Association) seminar “What’s new in Brussels? – Recent Developments in European Policies and Programmes”  to introduce Aurora’s Capacity Development Support (CDS) programme with special focus on its institutional support to the V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University in Ukraine.

After two consecutive years online, ACAs flagship seminar “What’s new in Brussels?” was this year organized in-person in Brussels, providing its speakers and participants with the full networking experience and overview of the latest developments regarding the European Higher Education Area in a global perspective.  The 2023 agenda gathered various European Commission representatives as well as a variety of policy advisers and experts in the International Education thus offering a wide range of thematic sessions and panels: from the latest policy developments and priorities such as Diversity and Inclusion, to prospective projects involving the Eastern Partnership, Western Balkans, Sub-Saharan Africa & South Mediterranean.

In her session, “Working with Global Regions – Eastern Partnership“, Selma Porobic shared the results of the Aurora’s unique CDS programme in Central & Eastern Europe, and how it was transformed into a  tailor-made support scheme to address the needs of the war-affected Aurora associate partner, V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University.  Since  March 2022, as Ukraine Support  Coordinator in Aurora, and in a close collaboration with Karazin’s leadership, she has been fully managing the emergency response as well as designing and implementing the long-term, systemic and institutional support for this partner university in Ukraine.

In this panel, Selma also introduced the continuation of this engagement in the next phase of the Aurora Alliance’s programme as part of the work package Capacity Building and Community Engagement. During the next four years, another dedicated task team, Karazin University Peace Education Hub, led by Palacký University Olomouc, plans to work  towards further strengthening of the Karazin University’s capacity for education and training in conflict transformation, and peace building within the wider Kharkiv region.