Author: Niels Hexspoor

Aurora Newsletter – March 2024

Written by Niels Hexspoor on . Posted in Newsletter.

Last week, Aurora published its first newsletter of 2024. The newsletter features a wide variety of news and community updates. It includes an interview with UP student Hanus Patera, who has been serving as Aurora Student Council president since July 2023. 

You can read back the Aurora March 2024 Newsletter here! 

Sign up for the newsletter here, so you are among the first the receive Aurora updates!

Also, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter, if you have not done so already!

 

Save the date: International Conference on ‘The Role of Higher Education in Peacebuilding’

Written by Niels Hexspoor on . Posted in Academics, CDS-Network, Events.

The Aurora Karazin University Peace Education Hub invites you to a 5-day International Conference on ‘The Role of Higher Education in Peacebuilding’ hosted by the Unit for Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Innsbruck, from the 17th to 21st of February 2025.

This conference aims to bring together international experts – both academics and practitioners in the peacebuilding sector – with higher education policymakers from the Aurora Universities Alliance and its partners, to discuss how the higher education institutions in Ukraine and elsewhere can become a driver of peace and sustainable development.

More information, including the call for papers will be announced soon! 

 

 

Elevate your conversations about science with our Science Communication Training at AFO!

Written by Niels Hexspoor on . Posted in Students.

During AFO, you are invited to two enganging sessions on science communication! Join us at Fort Science, as Anna Aris and Sem Barendse of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam lead help you improve your science communication skills! 

The first of these sessions, The Art of Dialogue: Improve Your Communication and Facilitation Skills, will take place on 23 April 2024 from13:00 to17:00. It will allow you to discover the openness and humility of a dialogue attitude. With the help of playful improvisation and theatre techniques, you develop dialogue skills to enhance your conversations about science. This includes active listening, perspective taking and co-creating new ideas. The first step is to learn how to participate in meaningful conversations. The next step: design and facilitate dialogue yourself!

Register here for The Art of Dialogue: Improve Your Communication and Facilitation Skills

On the 24th of April, from 9:00 to12:00, join us for the second session:  Science Communication Under Pressure: Scientists’ Survival Guide for the Public Arena. Here, we will focuss on what happens when you enter the public arena as a scientist and how to deal with value-driven discussions, strong reactions, or distrust.  In this workshop, we will explore the possibility of dialogue to engage in meaningful conversations authentically and effectively.

Register here for Science Communication Under Pressure: Scientists’ Survival Guide for the Public Arena

 

These Trainings are intended for PhD and MSc students, as well as academics and researchers.

This event is organised in the framework of the Aurora Research & Innovation for Societal Impact project (Aurora RI) and its Citizen Science thematic module in cooperation with Fortress Science Olomouc and Academia Film Olomouc.

Call for Incentive Research Collaboration

Written by Niels Hexspoor on . Posted in Academics, Featured, Students.

To foster tangible scientific and academic collaboration, this call aims to promote cooperation between researchers, and create new or consolidate existing scientific relationships. Its vision is to build robust scientific communities among the Aurora universities and raise awareness about Aurora on a broader academic level. This call will be repeated on an annual basis for at least four years and supports three key actions: 

Incentive and Collaborative Research Projects

This action supports concrete exploratory research activities by research teams with single or multiple disciplines that put forward the complementarity of competences and approaches.

Thematic Summer Schools

This action supports the organisation of thematic summer schools focused on disciplinary training for early-stage researchers and serves as opportunities for career development, knowledge sharing, and network/community-building.

Short-term Research Secondments for Early-stage Researchers

This action supports short-term mobility in a research laboratory or unit of an Aurora 2030 full-member university.

Submission Process

To submit a proposal for the three key actions, please read the Call for Incentive Research Collaboration and fill out the respective forms listed below: 

Once completed, please e-mail the application to aurora@u-pec.fr with the subject: Submission to Aurora Research 2024 Call_(Name of Principal Investigator)_(University of Principal Investigator). File name: Proposal KA (1,2, or 3)_Name (Principal Investigator)-University (of Principal Investigator)_(project acronym).

The deadline for the submission of proposals is 12 p.m. (CET) on April 30, 2024.

Karazin University Support

Written by Niels Hexspoor on . Posted in CDS-Network.

Karazin University Support

V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University has been participating in the Aurora Capacity Development Programme since the Aurora Alliance’s establishment in November 2020. This activity aims to reduce disparities between the research-leading and research-emerging countries in Europe by assisting universities in Central-Eastern Europe to develop their institutional capacity for academic excellence and societal relevance.

With the Russian Federation’s sudden invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the war that followed with various consequences for Ukrainian society, V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University became directly affected and in need of comprehensive institutional support. In February 2022 Aurora Alliance universities responded by organising an immediate humanitarian response focusing on establishing the coordinated alliance-wide approach:

  • Solidarity actions: The Aurora universities’ leaders condemned the invasion and expressed letters of support and solidarity with Karazin University leaders underlining an explicit wish to – now and in the future – continue to offer any institutional support that we as an Alliance can provide.
  • Karazin University Rector nominated the Aurora CDS program leader as Karazin Support Coordinator.
  • Since March 2022, the Karazin Support Coordinator in close collaboration with Karazin’s leadership 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.
  • Aurora’s unique CDS programme in Central & Eastern Europe was then transformed into a tailormade support scheme to address the needs of the war-affected Karazin University.

As a result of this coordinated approach and alliance-wide efforts, the following key actions havebeen implemented so far that can be shared as best practices:

  • Protection of Aurora Karazin Colleagues – relocating staff to safety
  • Karazin Donations Fund – Urgent and targeted fundraising to address institutional needs
  • Support Action Plan – jointly devised long-term and structural support plan

Support Action Plan

Our Aurora Karazin University support action plan features seven key actions. 

  1. Whole of Alliance approach – Coordination
  2. Addressing urgent needs- Targeted Fund Raising and saving lives
  3. Structural and Systemic Approach – Support Action Plan
  4. Saving lives and livelihoods & supporting crises management
  5. Continued support to education in exile and capacity building training – International Summer School: Refugee Law & Rights
  6. Creating Karazin Peace Education Hub in Aurora 2030
  7. Inclusion of Karazin University in other Aurora projects

More detail on these actions can be found here.

PDF | Aurora Statement on Strategic Partnerships between European and Ukrainian Universities

Aurora Student Schemes 2023/2024

Written by Niels Hexspoor on . Posted in Students.

Do you want to broaden your horizons? Are you looking to meet students from all over Europe and develop your personal Schemes? 

In that case the Aurora Student Ambassador or Students Champion programme is perfect for you. 

Sign up before December 31st and participate in the activities stretching from January to June 2024. 

Lucky participants will be invited to participate in the Aurora Student Conference in Tarragona, Spain in February. 

1. Student Ambassador

If you want to be a part of an international community of students, the role of Aurora Student Ambassador will be perfect for you.

In this role, you will be given the opportunity to take part in a variety of online and in-person events, together with students from across all Aurora Universities.

You will be offered several international workshops that will boost you personal and professional development.

Your journey as Aurora Ambassador will start at the Aurora Student Conference, where you will learn everything about Aurora, and meet peers from across the world.

2. Student Champion

This role is created specifically for students that want to go the extra mile. Building on what your learned during the Aurora Student Conference, you will directly work on the key Aurora topics, in addition to the joint activities provided to Aurora Student Ambassadors

Students that amass at least 15 hours of combined participation in the joint program and the working groups will be given the certificate of Aurora Student Champion.

Register

Sign up using the link below to gain acces to all the opportunities Aurora has to offer. 

https://forms.office.com/e/UTnFRgMkpK

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

Written by Niels Hexspoor on . Posted in Academics, CDS-Network.

On October 17th, the signing of the Aurora Research Infrastructure and Resources Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was one of the highlights of the Aurora Fall Biannual 2023. Thirteen Aurora universities, including the Aurora Associate partners and the Université Paris-Est Créteil, signed under this significant commitment to research collaboration within the Aurora Alliance.

The MoU serves a clear purpose and has two main objectives. Firstly, the MoU defines the intentions of partner universities to collaborate in research cooperation, focusing on Aurora’s mission and pilot domains. It aims to provide researchers within the alliance access to shared resources at partner institutions. 

Secondly, by working closely together, these universities will bolster their global research standing. They will promote international cooperation across diverse research areas and share research resources and data with research groups.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For those interested in exploring the MoU in detail, a publicly accessible version is available on the official Aurora website. 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 not only enrich your institution but also engage with a global community of research excellence. 

Ready to join this collaborative effort? Add your research infrastructure resources here.

 

Looking back at the Aurora Fall Biannual 2023

Written by Niels Hexspoor on . Posted in Academics, CDS-Network, Events, Featured, Students.

Last month, Palacký University Olomouc hosted the Aurora Fall Biannual 2023 on October 17th and 18th for in Olomouc, Czechia. The event brought together over 200 participants hailing from 18 universities from within the Aurora community and beyond.

Watch the Aurora Fall Biannual aftermovie

The Aurora Fall Biannual focused on taking stock of Aurora’s achievements as part of the European Universities initiative.

These European developments took center stage in the plenary sessions and panels:

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

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 singing 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 suchs 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 back the recordings of the plenary sessions below:

🎥 17/10/2023 –  Day 1

🎥 18/10/2023 –  Day 2

You can find a selection of photos below, the full photo gallery of the biannual can be downloaded here.

Call for Papers: Scholarly Book on Suburban Studies

Written by Niels Hexspoor on . Posted in Students.

We invite proposals for a forthcoming scholarly book on suburban studies. This interdisciplinary book aims to explore the complex, diverse, and dynamic nature of suburbs, their histories, and their futures. The book will seek to engage with a wide range of topics and themes related to sub/urban spaces, cultures, politics, and environments.

Call for Papers: Scholarly Book on Suburban Studies

We welcome proposals from scholars across various disciplines, including but not limited to literature, sociology, history, anthropology, urban studies, geography, geoinformatics, urban planning, environmental studies, and cultural studies. We are interested in contributions that critically examine suburbs as spaces of social, economic, and political inequality and exclusion, as well as spaces of creativity, innovation, and resistance. We encourage authors to engage with debates and discussions around issues such as suburbanization, gentrification, racial and ethnic segregation, environmental sustainability, and suburban history, cultures, and identities.

Proposals may address, but are not limited to, the following topics:

  • The literary reflection of suburban culture
  • The histories and genealogies of suburbs
  • The social and cultural practices of suburban life
  • The politics and governance of suburban spaces
  • The environmental impacts of suburbanization
  • The racial and ethnic dynamics of suburbanization
  • The cultural production and consumption of suburban spaces
  • The relationship between suburbs and the urban and rural landscapes
  • The future of suburban spaces and their potential transformations

We welcome proposals for individual chapters. Please submit an abstract of no more than 500 words along with a short biography (no more than 250 words) and contact information. The submission deadline for chapter abstract is October 31st, 2023. Accepted proposals will be notified by December 31st, 2023. Full chapters will be due on July 30th, 2024.
Please send your proposals to pavlina.flajsarova@upol.cz. If you have any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Editorial board:

  • Pavlína Flajšarová Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic,
  • Jiří Flajšar, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
  • Vít Voženílek, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
  • Florian Freitag, Universität Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
  • Becky Nicolaides, San Diego State University, San Diego, USA
  • Andrew Wiese, San Diego State University, San Diego, USA
  • Mauricette Fournier, Université Clermont Auvergne, France

The book is co-financed by the Erasmus+ programme under the project Urbanism and Suburbanization in the EU Countries and Abroad: Reflection in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts (2021-1-CZ01-KA220-HED-000023281).

CALL FOR PAPERS: Transdisciplinary Conference on Sub/urban Studies

Written by Niels Hexspoor on . Posted in Academics.

We invite scholars and researchers from various disciplines to submit papers for an upcoming interdisciplinary conference on Suburban Studies that takes place on May 13-14, 2024 at Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic. The conference aims to explore the intersection between various scholarly fields and the suburban experience, and how literature and other media have portrayed, shaped, and reflected suburban life and its evolution.

Transdisciplinary Conference on Sub/urban Studies 

Suburbanization has been a dominant trend in global urban development in the past century, with urban spaces and suburbs becoming the residence of choice for millions of people around the world. This transformation has had a profound impact on the social, cultural, economic, and political dynamics of urban areas. Literature, history, sociology, psychology, geography, geoinformatics and other disciplines have provided the methodology and research that has been important for the examination, critique, and celebration of the modern suburban experience, from its inception in the early 20th century to the present day.

We welcome papers that address various aspects of suburban studies from the perspective of diverse scholarly discipline, including but not limited to:

  • The representation of suburbs in literature
  • Suburban identity, history, and culture
  • Suburban sprawl and environmental issues
  • Class, race, and gender in suburban spaces
  • The impact of suburbanization on urban development
  • The influence of suburban literature on popular culture
  • Suburban fiction and the coming-of-age narrative
  • The portrayal of domesticity and family life in suburban literature and media
  • Suburban architecture and design
  • The role of suburban communities in civic engagement and politics
  • Periphery vs. centre

Submissions may be in the form of individual papers, panel proposals or round tables. Individual papers should be no longer than 20 minutes in length, and panel proposals should consist of three to four papers. Please include an abstract of no more than 250 words for individual papers, or 500 words for panel proposals, along with a brief biography and contact information.
The conference will take place on May 13-14, 2024 at the Arts Centre of Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic, and will feature keynote speakers, panel discussions, workshops and round-tables. Selected papers will be published in a scholarly monograph by a major international publisher.

Conference language: preferred English, possible French

Please submit your proposals by October 30th, 2023 to pavlina.flajsarova@upol.cz. Notifications of acceptance will be sent by December 31st, 2023. We look forward to your contributions to this exciting and interdisciplinary conference on Suburban Studies

Conference organisers and committee:

  • Pavlína Flajšarová Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic,
  • Jiří Flajšar, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
  • Marie Voždová, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
  • Vít Voženílek, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
  • Jaroslav Burian, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
  • Jakub Žejdlík, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
  • Florian Freitag, Universität Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
  • Becky Nicolaides, San Diego State University, San Diego, USA
  • Andrew Wiese, San Diego State University, San Diego, USA
  • Mauricette Fournier, Université Clermont Auvergne, France

Fees:
BA/MA/PhD students 50 Euros
Post-docs 80 Euros
Academics 100 Euros
Guests 25 Euros
Participants from project universities (Palacký University, Duisburg-Essen, Université Clermont Auvergne) FREE

The conference is co-financed by the Erasmus+ programme under the project Urbanism and Suburbanization in the EU Countries and Abroad: Reflection in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts (2021-1-CZ01-KA220-HED-000023281).