Rector Martin Procházka elected President of the Aurora university network

Written by Michal Zych on . Posted in Featured.

Martin Procházka, Rector of Palacký University Olomouc, will lead the European university network Aurora as of the new academic year. He was elected its president by the Aurora General Council during the Aurora Spring Biannual 2024, which is currently underway in Naples, Italy. More than 170 representatives from 15 participating institutions are attending the meeting to discuss the development of international education, stakeholder engagement, and technology transfer.

The four-day meeting where members of the Aurora European university network are meeting together right now is called Aurora Spring Biannual 2024. Palacký University Olomouc joined the network as an associate member in 2020 and became a full member of the Aurora Network global university consortium in May 2022. After another term of intensive cooperation, UP Rector Martin Procházka was nominated for the position of President-Elect at the beginning of this year.

In yesterday’s election, he received full support from the members of the Aurora General Council, and thus will replace the current president, University of Iceland Rector Jón Atli Benediktsson, in September. During the ceremony, Rector Procházka presented him with a vase made of Bohemian glass to thank him for his service. “Jón Atli, this gift is not only a token of our friendship, but also a symbol of your excellent work for Aurora. Bohemian crystal, renowned for its exquisite craftsmanship, shines with the combination of tradition and innovation that we strive for at Aurora and reflects our commitment to excellence in education and research,” said Procházka.

In his acceptance speech, he emphasised that in his role as President, he wants to give the universities and all members of the community space for expression and the opportunity to shape the future of both Aurora and European higher education together. “My mission is to build bridges – between cultures, institutions, and even the whole of the world. Our commitment is to grow together within this connection, to develop Aurora, and to expand our ambitions with other global partners.”

A key element of Aurora are students. One of its executive bodies is the Student Council, whose president is Hanuš Patera who studies psychology at the UP Faculty of Arts. “The students’ enthusiasm and their ideas are a great inspiration to us all. As President, I will aim to continue working to create a student-oriented and inclusive environment,” underlined Procházka.

The Aurora Spring Biannual 2024 was commenced Monday evening with a welcome reception in the historic premises of the University of Naples Federico II, which celebrates 800 years of its existence this year. In addition to the election of a new president, Tuesday’s programme included a roundtable discussion on the development of joint international study programmes, and lectures on participatory democracy and citizen science. UP Vice-Rector for Strategy and Regional Affairs Michal Malacka was a guest speaker at the Stakeholder Engagement and Social Entrepreneurship in European Alliances roundtable.

In addition to the handover of the presidency, another festive moment of yesterday’s programme was the signing of the Aurora Sustainable Development Plan, which was designed thanks to the work of the Sustainable Campus team led by Palacký University.

The programme of today and tomorrow will be dedicated to a plenary session led by students. This will be followed by breakout sessions of the vice-rectors, executive committees, and individual working groups. These will focus on education, science, and research, as well as other shared themes such as IT development, health and wellbeing, sustainability, and communication. In addition to the members of the Aurora Student Council, there are other student ambassadors at each university who will be able to get to know each other during a special workshop.

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

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

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! 

 

 

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.

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.

Aurora’s European University programme secured continued funding

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

Aurora’s European University programme secured continued funding

Palacký University Olomouc is delighted to announce that the Aurora European University programme has secured a second round of funding under the 2023 European Universities Initiative Call by the European Commission. This ensures that Aurora can deepen its existing cooperation and continue its mission in higher education transformation.

Michal Malacka, Vice-rector for strategy and external relations commented that: “Aurora’s successful continuation to the next phase is a great achievement of the entire Aurora team and community. It is also a great reward to a hard-working Aurora team at UP, and we are excited to continue building our European University with 8 excellent strategic partners.  For UP, Aurora ensures important partaking in the European higher education developments.”

The upcoming Aurora 2030 consortium, led by the University of Iceland, has been granted funding for a four-year period. This programme, which received 90/100 evaluative points from the Commission, builds on the significant progress made during the 2020-2023 pilot phase. Aurora President Jon Atli Benediktsson joyously shares:

“I am delighted that Aurora 2030 has been awarded a four-year continuation grant by the European Commission. This is a strong vote of confidence in Aurora’s mission to equip students with the skills and mindsets needed to address societal challenges. This new grant will allow us to continue working closely with our partners across Europe and beyond.”

The new programme will feature both a continuation of existing, as well as completely new Aurora activities. UP has significantly increased the role it will play in this new programme, with UP Aurora Institutional Coordinator, Selma Porobic commenting:

“I am very pleased to announce that UP has increased its leadership in a number of activities in the next Aurora programme, including Capacity Building and Community Engagement Work focusing on CEE countries and Ukraine, Engaging Regional Ecosystems and Stakeholders, Aurora Sustainable Campus, Aurora Student Community, and overall Sustainability of Aliance 2030+. We have also secured co-leadership in Education for Sustainable Devlopment, Innovative pedagogies, Academic collaboration, Social entrepreneurship and Innovation, Communication and dissemination, as well as Student services.”

More information on Aurora’s goals and priorities for this renewed commitment can be found here.

The Czech National Agency for international education, Dům zahraniční spolupráce, was also happy to congratulate UP being among the select Czech universities awarded continued support by the commission. They provided an overview of continuing and newly funded European University Alliances with Czech members here.  

About Aurora
The Aurora 2030 consortium comprises the University of Iceland (UIce), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VUA), University of Innsbruck (UIBK), University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE), Copenhagen Business School (CBS), Palacký University Olomouc (UP), Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), Université Paris Est Creteil (UPEC), and the University of Napoli Federico II (UNINA) as well as seven associated academic and non-academic partners including University of East Anglia (UEA), South-West University “Neofit Rilski” (SWUNR), Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice (UPJSK), the University of Tetova (UT), Kharkiv National University, European Forum Alpbach, Information Centre on Academic Mobility and Equivalence (CIMEA) who together span 13 countries.

 

Aurora Fall Biannual at Palacky University Olomouc

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

Join us at the Palacký University Olomouc on October 17th and 18th for the highly anticipated Aurora Fall Biannual 2023 in Olomouc, Czechia.

More information on the biannual can be found here.

Experience a retrospective of Aurora’s remarkable accomplishments and delve into the exciting prospects that lie ahead. Engage in thought-provoking high-level panel discussions on the future of European Higher Education and connect with colleagues from across Aurora and much more.

Don’t miss this opportunity to be a part of something truly extraordinary. Register now to claim your spot at the Aurora Fall Biannual 2023.

Pre-register Now!

Connect with us on social media using #AuroraBiannualUP

International Summer University Programme at Copenhagen Business School

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

We are happy to inform you that Copenhagen Business School will be organizing International Summer University Programme (ISUP) in Summer 2023.

As part of the ISUP, two Aurora courses will be offered, each for 7,5 ECTS:

 

Bachelor

An Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship

BHAAI1097U

https://kursuskatalog.cbs.dk/2022-2023/BA-BHAAI1097U.aspx

Graduate

Social Entrepreneurship and Business Model Innovation

 CCMVI2115U

https://kursuskatalog.cbs.dk/2022-2023/KAN-CCMVI2115U.aspx

 

Duration of the courses: 27 June – 13 July 2023

Exam period: Home assignments written in parallel with the course: 27 June – 14 July 2023.

Please note that in order to help students get the maximum value from ISUP-courses and to jump-start the learning process before the start of classes, students are expected to do a preliminary assignment – eighter a generic test/assignment that will be developed concerning “Nordic Nine” for all bachelor/undergraduate courses or an assignment prepared by the course coordinator & instructor for the graduate courses. The workload is approx.. 20 hours.

 

Application process:

Application period will start on 7 February 2023 at 12.00.

Students will have to fill out an online application through www.cbs.dk/isup

You can read more about the application and student categories here: https://www.cbs.dk/en/study/international-summer-university/application-and-fees

 

The students are asked to tick the AURORA student box and selecting their home university when applying for exchange. Each Aurora Alliance university can nominate up to 6 students to apply and to participate during the programme.

 

Palacký University students who will want to participate need to follow below mentioned procedure:

  • Students needs to register at the application website between 7 February and 14 February 2023 – applications will be accepted on first come, first serve basis
  • At the same time, students must inform about their application (until 15 February the latest) the Aurora Mobility Coordinator on e-mail lyckova@upol.cz

 

Finances:

Students accepted to the programme can apply for Aurora student mobility scheme. Financial fee should cover accommodation, travel and allowance. From January 2023, the new Aurora student mobility scheme will be as follows:

  • Travel allowance: 200 EUR
  • Accommodation etc.: 1-14 days 160 EUR/day, 15-30 days 140 EUR/day

 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Admission requirements

 

Housing

  • Accommodation/housing will be available for international students.
  • Link to the application for housing will be sent to students by e-mail in April 2023.
  • Move-in date: 23 June 2023 at 12:00 noon (CET) the earliest.
  • Housing must be financed by the student; however, the home institutions should have mobility money from the Erasmus+ project Aurora Alliance to cover housing and travel costs for their student.

 

Arrival service

Arrival service will be arranged.

 

Social programme

  • Social programme will be available for students.
  • Social programme will be announced in spring 2023 – it is a wonderful opportunity for international participants to get to know each other, Copenhagen, and the Danish culture through specially arranged activities such as guided city tours of Copenhagen, Danish folk-dancing, comedy night as well as a weekend trip around Denmark.

 

Introduction meeting

Date: 26 June 2023. Students will get important information about different aspects of ISUP such as studying at CBS, courses and exams, library resources etc.

 

Electronic transcripts

Electronic transcripts will confirm the courses taken and grades received. We do not issue certificates of attendance, and we do not indicate failing grades on transcripts.

 

Extra information

Please check our websites at www.cbs.dk/isup and the aurora webpage www.cbs.dk/aurora for further information.

The contact person at ISUP for Aurora partners is Casper Lindblad Andresen, and the contact e-mail regarding Aurora courses for both partners and students is aurora@cbs.dk

 

European Universities Forum at Palacký University Olomouc

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

On the 1st and 2nd of December, Palacký University Olomouc will organize the European Universities Forum. This high-level event, organized in the light of the Czech EU presidency, will provide an opportunity to discuss and assess the role of European Universities Initiative pilot phase in the Czech higher education context and within the European aims of building the Higher Education Area.

This event will be an incubator for new ideas on the mobilisation of universities, in the broadest sense, to promote shared European values and a strengthened identity, and also to improve the quality, attractiveness and international competitiveness of Europe’s higher education establishments.

This forum will be opened by the Czech Deputy-Minister for Education, and brings together the participating universities from various Member States, the European Commission and of course all of the relevant stakeholders, in particular the alliances of European universities.

The two-day programme features:

  •       Two high-level panel sessions addressing the priorities of the European Universities’ ambitions
  •       Three “Alliance workshops” intended as spaces for exchanging best practices between Czech alliances and their top management focusing on research and education developments, offering initial feedback on their pilot phase in order to contribute to developing the next steps
  •       A closing session, reporting on the panels and thematic sessions to contribute to Czech national and European level on the future of European universities in Higher Education.

For more information on the event, take a look at euf.upol.cz.  

Open Aurora Courses at the Universität Innsbruck.

Written by R N on . Posted in Academics, Events, Featured, Students.

Open-Aurora-Courses_WiSe22_23_Universitat-Innsbruck_

 

On the Universität Innsbruck Aurora Homepage the students can find all necessary information about the application process and the registration link. Below you will find a list of courses for WiSe 2022 / 2023. In particular, we would like highlight the first course listed, as it is part of the Joint Programme: Understanding Europe.

 

This course is the first part of the Joint Programme: Understanding Europe, formed by the Pilot Domain 3.4.4 – Cultures: Diversity & Identity.  

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAK_2d7-VuE

This course introduces students into studying the visions and challenges of Europe and European integration in the making. Trans-European conflict, cooperation and integration is addressed from a historical and contemporary perspective: We look at the historical constitution of Europe, its political institutions, societal objectives and symbolic representations in media, film, literature, popular culture and arts. In six learning units, we will cover:

  • The European Union: History and Current Challenges
  • Migration and Mobility
  • Philosophical and Political Concepts of Europe
  • War and Conflict in Europe
  • Imagined Others and Memory Cultures
  • Narratives of Europe in film, literature and arts

Although the official deadline is September 4th, students can still apply and their details will be processed manually.

 

 

Should you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact the Aurora Innsbruck Office team: Aurora@uibk.ac.at / www.uibk.ac.at/international/aurora/

Aurora Student Schemes

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

We are pleased to announce that you can now apply for the Aurora Student Schemes for the upcoming Academic year 2022/2023. Become part of an international community of students by taking on one of the following two roles:  

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. At the end of the year, you will be invited to participate in the Aurora Student Conference, where you will meet your fellow ambassadors.

Student Champion

This role is created specifically for students that want to go the extra mile.  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.

Program

The program for the student ambassadors and champions will take place between October 2022 to July 2023. In October, a first joint online session will serve as an introduction to the scheme and Aurora in general and you will be given information on the various working groups and activities you could join. 

More detailed information on the program for the academic year 2022/2023 will be announced soon! 

Application

The application is open from July 1st to September 18th, 2022.

Applying is simple, just sign up through the application form below.

Aurora Student Schemes – Application Form

If you have any questions, you can contact your local Aurora Office, or aurora.up@upol.cz.

 

Aurora Student Schemes 22-23 – Flyer

Aurora Student Schemes 22-23 – Poster

 

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