Alliance Members

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is a comprehensive research university, founded in 1880 and aims to contribute to a better world. A world in which justice, humanity, and responsibility for each other and for the world, are central. VU Amsterdam is ambitious in scientific research and education and encourages free and open communication of ideas. The university values academic freedom and independence. This independence is reflected in its name Vrije Universiteit; free from church, state and commercial interests. VU Amsterdam is committed to delivering academic value by developing academic character, embracing diversity and the orientation towards society.

Located at the VU Amsterdam campus in the heart of the Amsterdam business district, VU Amsterdam houses 10 faculties, has approximately 30,000 students of which 3,000 international students, 4,500 staff and offers around 70 international programmes. VU Amsterdam’s education and research are clustered around four interdisciplinary research themes: Governance for Society, Human Health and Life Sciences, Connected World and Science for Sustainability.

At VU Amsterdam, Esmee Paques is the institutional coordinator for Aurora: e.m.paques@vu.nl

The University of Iceland, founded in 1911, is a progressive comprehensive research university, located in the heart of Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland. Great emphasis is placed on strengthening research and educating young people, preparing them for taking an active part in society as well as making their mark on the global community. Currently, there are approximately 15,300 students enrolled, including over 1,500 international students. The University of Iceland is composed of five schools and 26 faculties and offers over 400 different study programs in all major academic disciplines. The University employs a large number of highly qualified academics who are a part of a strong global network within the scientific community. The University of Iceland collaborates with major stakeholders of society, promotes Icelandic culture and history, prioritizes sustainability and diversity, and places a strong emphasis on international collaboration in education and research.

At the University of Iceland, Fanney Karlsdóttir is the primary contact person for Aurora: fanneyk@hi.is, Aurora@hi.is

A research-intensive university, the University of East Anglia (UEA) is ranked one of the United Kingdom’s top 15 universities, one of Europe’s top 100, and is also in the world’s top 100 for research excellence.

Located in the Norwich Research Park (NRP), UEA has 15,000 students (4,000 of them postgraduate) and 25 per cent of students are international. UEA shares the NRP with the research-intensive Institute of Food Research, the John Innes Centre, The Sainsbury Laboratory, the Earlham Institute and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

Specialisms range from environment and climate change, to health and nutrition, exploring issues of family and child policy, economics and business through to creative writing.

The university’s interdisciplinary approach, and the international reach of its research, ensures it’s well placed to continue to address significant research questions and make a real impact on the world.

Founded in 2003 by the merger of two universities in the cities Duisburg and Essen, the UDE is one of the youngest universities in Germany. Located at the heart of the Ruhr metropolis, the university is like the region: dynamic, ambitious, and ever-changing. In the eleven faculties and four interdisciplinary research clusters – Nanosciences, Biomedical Sciences, Urban Systems, and Transformation of Contemporary Societies – the scientists develop ideas with a future. The university deliberately interlocks research and teaching as much as possible to promote exchange of knowledge and perspectives.

At the two campuses at Duisburg and Essen and at the university hospital, you meet 42,000 students from more than 130 countries. The university embraces diversity and strongly supports exchange and collaboration, both regionally – as with the neighbouring universities in the University Alliance Ruhr – and worldwide, as in the network Aurora, and with more than 250 Erasmus partner universities.

At the University of Duisburg-Essen, Petra Günther is the institutional coordinator for Aurora: petra.guenther@uni-due.de

Founded by the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire Frederick II in 1224, the University Federico II is the world’s oldest state-supported institution of Higher Education and Research. Based in Naples, the University is rooted in a challenging and lively socio-economic context and aims at bridging southern Italy to the global scientific community. The University Federico II committed to its public mission, and its laic and pluralistic vocation, supports the independence, openness and inclusivity of teaching, learning and research.

As a comprehensive public university, Federico II offers high-quality courses in all academic disciplines, at all levels, allowing its students to pursue both intellectual development and the acquisition of professional skills. Federico II is also committed to quality research, societal impact and community engagement. The development of interdisciplinary and innovative teaching, learning and research are, therefore, among its priorities.

At Federico II, fundamental and curiosity-driven research as well as applied and out-put oriented researchers are highly praised, placing the University among the most active Higher Education and Research Italian and European institutions.

At the University Federico II of Naples, Alessandro Arienzo is the institutional coordinator for Aurora: alessandro.arienzo@unina.it

The Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) was created in 1991 by the Parliament of Catalonia. From the very first day, the university’s aim has been apparent: to place knowledge at the service of society to contribute to the social and economic development of the surrounding area, as it gradually transforms over time.

Located approximately 100 km south-west of Barcelona on the Mediterranean coast of Catalonia, the URV trains future professionals under the precepts of European harmonization, as a way of opening doors to a world of work without frontiers. With this aim, we currently provide over 130 different programmes of study in all areas of knowledge and at all levels, courses which are now enjoyed by over 14,000 students, with 34% of our 2,700 postgraduate students being international. The university has a staff of 2,900 members.

The special emphasis that the URV places on research allows it to play a leading role in regional development, especially in those areas that are closely linked to the region’s economic strengths: namely, Chemistry, Energy and New Materials, Nutrition and Health, Wine-making, Tourism, Housing, Heritage and Culture, ICT & Digital Economy.

At the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV),  Joan-Miquel Canals is the Institutional Coordinator for Aurora: jmcanals@urv.cat

Founded in 1669, Universität Innsbruck is the largest research and education institution in western Austria, with more than 27,000 students and 5,000 staff and faculty members. Located in the heart of the Alps, Universität Innsbruck is a research university comprising sixteen faculties and 81 departments. Its research activities are organised along with six main research areas, namely physics, mountain regions, cultural encounters – cultural conflicts, scientific computing, molecular biosciences and digital sciences. Furthermore, four interdisciplinary research platforms and 46 research centres shape our research profile, organised in a structure designed to promote inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration among our staff.

International higher education rankings regularly prove that Universität Innsbruck plays a distinguished role as an education and research institution in the European higher education area and enjoys an outstanding reputation in many fields of research. Universität Innsbruck strongly believes that the knowledge it generates is not only meant for the few but should benefit society as a whole.

At Universität Innsbruck, Thomas Baumgartner is the Institutional Coordinator for Aurora: thomas.baumgartner@uibk.ac.at

Palacký University Olomouc is a university with a long-standing tradition. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest university in Moravia and the second-oldest university in the Czech Republic.

Today it is a modern higher education facility with a wide range of study programmes and copious scientific and research activities. In 2019, more than 22,000 students studied in accredited study programmes, exchange programmes and lifelong learning programmes at eight faculties. Palacký University Olomouc is one of the very top Czech universities, and ranks among the best universities in the world, according to international rankings.

The mission of the University is to promote the involvement of students in all areas of research, to cultivate their critical and creative thinking, and to provide high-quality university education in a broad range of natural, medical, and social sciences and humanities on the Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral levels.

Our active partnership with both the regional community and the global community contributes to the development of the intellectual wealth of the society and its sustainable scientific, technological, cultural, and social development.

At Palacký University Olomouc, Selma Porobic is the Institutional Coordinator for Aurora: selma.porobic@upol.cz

Copenhagen Business School (CBS) was established in 1917. Today CBS is one of the 8 Danish universities, with more than 21,000 students and 1,500 employees – faculty, PhD-students and administrative staff.

CBS is Denmark’s largest educational and research institution within business administration and economics in a broad sense. The university is committed to providing business-related education programmes and continuing education for the public and, in particular, the private sector.

Programmes are based on a strong and internationally renowned research base that CBS consistently strengthens. CBS has a Center of Excellence, funded by the Danish National Research Foundation, and has received five European Research Council Grants.

CBS is committed to communicating knowledge and new ideas to tomorrow’s business leaders and society. Its main contribution in this field is research and research-based education, and investment in research and high academic standards is crucial to CBS’s contribution to society.

Being a government-financed private institution, CBS receives most of its funding from the government. Government grants to the university sector mainly consist of an activity-based educational grant and a basic research grant that is, in essence, historically determined for each university. As a result, slightly under two-thirds of CBS’s income originates from educational activities. Today CBS is regulated by the Danish Universities Act 2003 under the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Higher Education.

With 14 faculties, schools and institutes, 1 observatory and 33 research laboratories, Université Paris-Est Créteil has been active in all fields of knowledge since 1970. Each year, UPEC trains over 42,000 students and working professionals of all ages.

A major player in the dissemination of academic, scientific and technological knowledge, the university offers more than 350 training courses in all disciplines and at all levels. UPEC offers personalized support for all successes, thanks to undergraduate and graduate training, recognition of prior learning and lifelong learning opportunities. Furthermore, the university runs a growing number of apprenticeship programs in order to stimulate entrepreneurship and ease professional integration.

Université Paris-Est Créteil has built its strategic plan around three strategic orientations: UPEC is an engaged university that aims to match academic excellence with societal relevance. It encourages and supports all paths of students’ success with dedicated programs. UPEC masters its trajectory and is a university open to the world and its diversity.

At the Université Paris-Est Créteil, Martin Schwell is the institutional coordinator for Aurora: martin.schwell@u-pec.fr.