Exciting developments are underway in Aurora international education, thanks to the newly launched EURIDICE project. Officially initiated at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and co-led by the University of Naples Federico II, EURIDICE brings together representatives from European institutions, companies, and universities.
EURIDICE – short for European Inclusive Education for Digital Society, Social Innovation, and Global Citizenship – commenced with a dynamic meeting at VU Amsterdam. Gathering a diverse group of 25 partners, including universities, research centres, cultural and scientific institutions, and companies, the event saw 30-40 attendees on-site and an additional 27 participants joining online from 10 countries worldwide.
Building Digital Society and Global Citizenship
Expanding Aurora’s pilot domain on Digital Society and Global Citizenship, EURIDICE aims to advance Europe toward a digital future by nurturing the next generation of innovators and leaders. These individuals will be equipped with advanced digital skills tailored to societal transformation and global citizenship.
Attendee Dr. Michal Malacka, Vice-Rector for Strategy and Regional Affairs at Palacký University Olomouc, commented, “Aurora has long been dedicated to the Digital Society and Global Citizenship. Initially starting with a common educational module, the project evolved into a comprehensive master’s study program. The complexity of this initiative requires innovative solutions, incurring increased costs. To expand our efforts towards reaching these goals, we have utilized the Digital Europe program of the European Commission to secure funding for the EURIDICE project and facilitate the preparation and implementation of study programs.“
EURIDICE’s objectives are two-fold:
- To establish an international, interdisciplinary, and collaborative master’s degree program (a Joint MA Degree) focusing on digital society, social innovation, and global citizenship.
- To enhance the teaching competencies of educators in higher education by developing a programme for professional training and lifelong learning.
Interdisciplinarity At the Heart of EURIDICE
EURIDICE’s interdisciplinary essence revolves around advanced digital technologies, encompassing fields such as AI, Machine Learning, Data Science, and Cybersecurity. Beyond technical skills, the project integrates perspectives from law, humanities, social sciences, and business/economics to understand the digital landscape comprehensively.
Dr. Pietro Nunziante, Associate Professor in Industrial Design at the Department of Architecture, University of Naples Federico II, was one of the main speakers during the first day of the EURIDICE launch. Providing insight into collaborative learning design, he explained the concept with a particular focus on blended and remote learning.
The consortium driving EURIDICE is robust, consisting of eleven universities across Europe, two independent digital research centres of excellence, two cultural institutes, six small-medium enterprises, and four associated universities, three of which are from the Global South. The project seamlessly integrates ongoing academic digital research into education programs, fostering strong connections with industry and societal institutions. This collaborative effort promises to shape the future of inclusive digital education and innovation in Europe and beyond.
