Aurora Student Council

Simona Gibalová is fourth year General Medicine student at Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice. As current President of the Aurora Student Council (ASC), she will leverage on her extensive experience as former Aurora Student Representative in the ASC. From collaboration on creating the Aurora Students’ Rights Charter to representing Aurora in the European Student Union, she will bring a unique perspective from an Aurora Associate Partner university to the ASC board for the first time.

Simona’s vision for this year involves deepening student collaboration on a local and European level, improving the Aurora Student Ambassador programme and bringing forward the needs of students from associate partner universities. She believes that the ASC is a unique opportunity for every student involved to gain new, outside-of-classroom knowledge, share good practices and gain growth on both personal and professional levels.

Eliška Karasová is MA student at Palacký University Olomouc. Currently the Vice-President of the Aurora Student Council (ASC), she will focus on ensuring smooth collaboration and communication across the ASC. Passionate about a new Student Ambassador model that values quality over quantity, she is dedicated to promoting equal opportunities for students of all universities within Aurora. She deeply appreciates the system that has already been established and aims to ensure that every university has the chance to fully engage and benefit from all that Aurora has to offer its students. To her, the ASC is a one-of-a-kind space to experience and celebrate cultural diversity.

Kristýna Raimerová is MA Student at Palacký University Olomouc and Secretary General of the Aurora Student Council (ASC). She will be responsible for ensuring that the ASC functions smoothly and efficiently, through a strong focus on organisation, documentation, and internal coordination. Known for her detail-oriented approach and reliability, Kristýna plays a key role in maintaining accurate records, managing Council schedules, and keeping members updated with the latest developments and decisions affecting the Council and the wider Aurora network. Committed to transparency and effective communication, the Secretary General ensures that the Council’s work is well-documented and accessible to both its members and the broader student community.

Benedetta Toledo is PhD Candidate at Università Federico II of Naples. As Communications Officer for the Aurora Student Council (ASC), she will be responsible for promoting the work and initiatives of the ASC across various platforms. Her past experiences as UX & UI Designer and Social Media Manager, helps ensure that students from across Europe stay informed, connected, and engaged. She believes the ASC is an open space for meaningful dialogue, mutual learning, and personal growth. Her role also involves increasing awareness of Aurora, and encouraging more students to be involved in the diverse opportunities it offers. In doing so, the Council continues to promote an inclusive and dynamic environment where student voices are empowered and valued.

Alexandra Valsan is Law student at Universitat Rovira i Virgili and serves as Human Resources Officer on the Aurora Student Council (ASC) Board. She brings a people-centered approach to her role through her strong interest in inclusion, team dynamics, and internal cohesion. In the past, Alexandra was involved in student engagement activities at her home university. She now looks forward to contributing to the ASC’s internal development and support structures. Her priorities include: ensuring a smooth onboarding process for new members, promoting transparent and effective communication within the Council, and creating a safe and welcoming environment where every student feels empowered to contribute. Alexandra also aims to strengthen the sense of belonging among ASC members through well-being initiatives and team-building efforts.

Júlia Bonet is a fourth-year Law student at Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV). Since her first year, she has been deeply involved in student representation, serving as a member of the URV Student Council, the Faculty of Legal Sciences Council, and as a student representative in both the University Senate and the Governing Council.

She has also been part of the Aurora community for two years as a Student Ambassador, contributing to Task Teams 2.1 and 6.2. Now, she is ready to take a step forward and take on a bigger role within the alliance as a representative in the Aurora Student Council. Júlia is passionate about collaboration, sustainability, and innovation in higher education, and believes that every student voice can make a difference.

Gabriel Vernacchia is a PhD Candidate in Philosophy at the Università Federico II of Naples, specialising in History of Political Thought. Visiting Research Student at The London School of Economics and Political Science (Department of Government) and, previously, at Université Grenoble Alpes (Department of Philosophy). He has been part of the Aurora Student Council since June 2024.

Matthias Thoma is a third-year political science student at the Universität Innsbruck with practical experience in Austrian and international politics. He is committed to strengthening international university cooperation in order to foster sustainable exchange and mutual knowledge transfer within the Aurora alliance. His focus lies on building institutional bridges between research, teaching and student mobility to connect European universities more strategically and accelerate the uptake of innovation.

Anaïs Kaci is a Master’s student in International Negotiations at Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC). As current President of the Student Body at UPEC, she represents over 42,000 students and actively contributes to building inclusive and participatory university governance.

As FOREU4ALL Ambassador for the Aurora Alliance, Anaïs serves as a member of the Aurora Student Council and of the association EvalUE, bringing strong expertise in European affairs, student representation, and higher education policy evaluation. Holding a Bachelor’s in Administration and International Exchanges and completing a second degree in European Fundamental Law, she combines academic knowledge with strategic leadership.

Her vision focuses on strengthening student participation across European university alliances and amplifying the student voice in European higher education. With her international background, she aims to build bridges across cultures and make student representation truly European in both spirit and impact.

Erin Gourves is a MA student at Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC). Previously involved as an Aurora Ambassador, she now aims to strengthen student involvement within the alliance in order to help build an impactful european network. She sees Aurora as a vibrant community to be further developed and connected — a space where collaboration and shared initiatives can truly thrive.

Radina Karamfilova is a third year bachelor student at the South-West University “Neofit Rilski”, Bulgaria. She has been a representative in Aurora for two years now. She’s currently studying and focusing on Visual Arts combined with Pedagogy. She believes that in details we find the way to success. Working practices with children and the process of creating had her exploring how both can be a bridge for connecting with others.

Her perspective on education was shaped by past volunteer work with an organisation that supported children in need – an experience that taught her how art and empathy can shift the way we see the world. Alongside her studies, she explored marketing as a way to understand how ideas travel and how to use that perspective to help student initiatives gain visibility, connect with more peers, and most importantly- to strengthen our community.

Katarina Đurčianski is a second-year Master’s student of Psychology at Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice. She represents her university in the Aurora Student Council, actively contributing to cross-university collaboration, student engagement, and intercultural dialogue within the alliance.

Through the Buddy Programme at her university, she supports incoming international students in adapting to academic life, fostering a welcoming environment and a strong sense of community. Katarina is also a member of the FOREU4ALL network and the European Student Assembly, where she works on strengthening student participation and cooperation across European universities.

Her interests include organizational psychology and human resources, student well-being, and empowerment, with a commitment to creating open, inclusive, and supportive academic environments. Katarina sees the Aurora Alliance as a platform for developing student leadership, expanding international cooperation, and contributing to the future of European higher education through student-driven initiatives.