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

 

Aurora Spring Biannual a great success for Palacký University

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

The Aurora Spring Biannual which took place in Innsbruck between the 10th and the 12th of May was a great success for Palacký University, looking back on our achievements so far and paving the way for the road ahead.  

Palacký University Olomouc has been elected to become a full member of the Aurora Network, now giving us full access to decision-making within Aurora.  

Palacký University Olomouc was awarded this improved position due to our excellent contribution to the Aurora European University Alliance programme, leading by example in its implementation.

The Aurora Network is focused on fulfilling the global mission of Aurora, stretching beyond the borders of Europe and the European Universities Initiative. Its various tasks include lobbying, international outreach, and collaboration with non-European partners in the field of education and research.    

JUDr. Mag. iur. Michal Malacka, Ph.D., MBA, Vice-Rector for Strategy and Regional Affairs and UP’s Aurora Strategic Manager: “We are really pleased with the great success of our entire UP team in paving the way towards becoming a full member of the Aurora Network after one and half year of intense Aurora Alliance collaborations. Network membership guarantees the full potential of our university to accelerate towards becoming global leaders in innovative education, research, and sustainable growth.”

During the biannual special consideration was given to the horrendous aggressions faced by our Ukrainian colleagues at V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. Tetyana Kaganovska, the president of V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University made the perilous journey from Kharkiv to Innsbruck to show appreciation for our support raising a substantial amount of money  and support to Karazin University’s continuing academic mission.

Other important takeaways of the Biannual are UP signing a Letter of Intent with our Aurora Partners to create an innovative European Master’s degree in Digital Society & Global Citizenship. “Palacký University’s contribution to the development of this European Degree is a great opportunity for us to be at the forefront of these cutting-edge developments” according to Vit Zouhar, Vice-rector for Education. This interdisciplinary joint-degree will be developed in the months to come.

Student participation is at the heart of Aurora’s mission and goals through Aurora Student Schemes. Starting this summer, they are being led by Palacký University. A call for application will be published at the end of June.

Sustainable growth and development, one of the main topics of the biannual, remains an important priority for all Aurora Universities.  Zuzana Hunkova, Palacký University’s Coordinator for Sustainable Development: “We have proposed to the Board of Presidents that each university will count their baseline CO2e emissions, implement Aurora travel codex, and set and publish at least three targets from eight areas defined in the Sustainable Campus Action Plan.”

For more information on the excellent work of the Aurora Universities, and our continued collaboration offering opportunities to our students make sure to visit our renewed website aurora-universities.eu or aurora.upol.cz

CALL – Aurora International Traineeship Programme

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

Do you like to discover new things? Do you enjoy accepting challenges and want to test your knowledge and practical skills in the field? Then it is time to start preparing for your traineeship abroad.

An international traineeship will offer you the chance to learn how to communicate and work efficiently in a multicultural environment, developing your foreign language skills. During your traineeship you will have the opportunity to build up your CV and grow your professional network, while also strengthening your self-confidence and independence.

The AURORA European Universities Alliance is here to extend the offer of relevant student traineeships abroad and to increase their impact through the implementation of four AURORA pilot domains (Sustainability & Climate Change, Digital Society & Global Citizenship, Health & Well-being, Culture: Diversity & Identity), Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation element, research and Service Learning.

  • Your traineeship shall take place in one of the countries involved in the AURORA European Universities Alliance, i.e. Austria, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and United Kingdom.
  • Its duration is minimum 6 weeks and maximum 5 months during the period September 2021 – August 2023.
  • Preference will be given to traineeships related to any of four AURORA pilot domains listed above, Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation element, research or Service Learning.
  • We can help you to find a relevant host organisation or you can search for it through our associate partner AIESEC. Of course, you can also find a suitable traineeship provider by yourself.
  • You will be supported with a grant covering your subsistence and travel costs in the amount of 750 EUR per month.
  • For more information on conditions of participation, financial support, application process etc., please click here. To learn more about AIESEC opportunities, please take a look at the current AIESEC offer.

If you are interested, please contact Soňa Duchoňová or Zuzana Hanelová to discuss your traineeship plans.

  • Your traineeship shall take place in one of the countries involved in the AURORA European Universities Alliance International Traineeship Programme, i.e. Austria, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, and Spain.
  • Its duration is minimum 6 weeks and maximum 5 months during the period September 2021 – August 2023.
  • Preference will be given to traineeships related to any of four AURORA pilot domains listed above, Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation element, research or Service Learning.
  • We can help you to find a relevant host organisation or you can search for it through our associate partner AIESEC. Of course, you can also find a suitable traineeship provider by yourself.
  • You will be supported with a grant covering your subsistence and travel costs in the amount of 750 EUR per month.
  • For more information on conditions of participation, financial support, application process etc., please click here. To learn more about AIESEC opportunities, please take a look at the current AIESEC offer.

If you are interested, please contact Soňa Duchoňová, or Zuzana Hanelová to discuss your traineeship plans.

 

Documents:

Information For Financial Support Applicants

Financial support application EN

Financial support application CS

Recommendation letter EN

Recommendation letter CS

Letter of admission EN

Things to Remember

Become part of the pool of potential AURORA Doctoral Committee Members!

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

Reviewer, counterspeaker, committee member wanted for a doctoral thesis? Become part of the pool of potential AURORA Doctoral Committee Members! Gain international experience in doctoral education and establish contacts with reseachers from AURORA partner institutions for further collaborations. Sign up at the link below: https://eveeno.com/aurora-doctoral-committee.

CALL – Aurora Alliance Joint Courses on Sustainable Development Goals

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

If you are an academic enthusiastic about teaching on SDGs from the perspective of your discipline, or a current research theme relating to one or more SDGs, this is a call for you!

Join our academic community in the making of fellow academics passionate about the SDG perspective. by expressing your interest to teach together with colleagues from other Aurora Alliance universities. 

The make SDGs more prominent in the teaching offer of the Aurora Alliance, we aim to organize a series of joint lectures and a joint introductory course on Sustainable Development Goals. The latter, taught fully online, will already start the upcoming Fall semester.

If you would like to be involved in this community and help set the teaching standards and develop these curricula, we invite you to contact Miroslav Syrovátka (miroslav.syrovatka@upol.cz), currently collecting this information as UP representative concerned with Aurora’s SDG-offer. 

In your email, make sure to include:

  • The title of one or more proposed lectures
  • Short one-paragraph outline(s) explaining to which SDG (one or more) it relates  

 The lectures are intended for master level students and we invite non-technical, introductory, and interdisciplinary contents.

If you are keen and ready to teach from an SDG please make sure to contact Mr. Syrovátka. We will be open to receive your general expressions of interest throughout April and May.

We are very pleased to already announce latest list of Palacký University Aurora SDG-Lectures.  This list will be updated as more lecturers join our Aurora SDG-teaching community!   

Join an Aurora Short Program or Summer School

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

Ready to make the most of your summer? Want to study in another part of Europe?

Learn a new skill, develop new knowledge to enhance your degree studies and graduate prospects?

All Aurora university students have the benefit of learning what’s on offer this summer at other Aurora universities, through this one-stop-shop of your Aurora options this summer*. From Global Health to International Criminal Justice and from Central Europe and European Integration to Global Transitional Sociology, there’s a range of subjects to suit everyone, and in many cases, special discounts are provided for students from other Aurora universities.

So what are you waiting for?

Click the button below to access the summer school courses, find out more, check dates and deadlines, and find out how to apply.

Summer Schools

Would you like to be kept updated with Aurora university’s short courses and summer schools and associated funding opportunities? Please register your interest by completing this short form. You can also use the form to ask questions that we can direct to the appropriate Aurora university.

We hope you will be able to take the opportunity to study abroad at another Aurora university during your degree!

*Please note that some dates are to be confirmed and delivery modes may change due to unforeseen circumstances. Please get in touch directly with the hosting university for final details.

Aurora Spring Academic Meeting

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

Meet peers facing similar challenges in providing students with high-quality education and with international opportunities in a forced online environment.

Learn what support Aurora is organising to assist academic teachers in meeting these challenges.

On March 30th, from 9 am to 1 pm (CET), Aurora is hosting its Spring Academic meeting. It will be a platform to meet with peers and discuss how to provide high-quality learning under the currently restricted conditions.

The Aurora Spring Academic meeting is a follow-up to the Aurora Community building event of January 28th, 2019, focusing on the same domains.

The Spring meeting is an event in the Aurora Alliance European University programme, which aims to strengthen the way in which Aurora students are equipped with the skills and mind-sets to act as social entrepreneurs and innovators in addressing societal problems.

The Event

The Spring Academic meeting aims at academic who feel attached to the following domains:

  1. Sustainability & Climate Change
  2. Digital Society & Global Citizenship
  3. Health & Well-being
  4. Culture: Diversity & Identity
  5. Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation.

The Spring event is organised mostly in parallel strands for each of the domains to meet. There will be ample time in the programme to freely discuss topics of mutual interest – in education, research, or otherwise. The core of the programme will be sessions on two key challenges in higher education with the current restrictions:

  • How are we as academic teachers finding our way from high-quality analogue (or offline) to digital (or online) education,
  • How can we continue to provide our students with a meaningful international experience, particularly in the pandemic and post-pandemic context,

Topics and tools

The Aurora Spring Academic event is an excellent opportunity to find out how your university’s participation in Aurora can be valuable to you: as a platform to meet with peers, find out how you can learn from and with each other, learn about the tools Aurora is developing to support the member universities in providing academically excellent and societally relevant education.

In the sessions, you will have the opportunity to discuss what you see as the most pressing issues in these two key challenges – and how these can be addressed.

With the maintenance of quality in virtual education, there will be specific attention to higher education’s value beyond the subject-related knowledge and skills.

With continued international dimensions with less physical mobility, there will be specific attention on tools and platforms for virtual mobility and online joint courses. Please take a look at the table below for the full proposed schedule:

Spring Academic Meeting Programme
Proposed Programme

The Aurora Spring Academic event will be hosted on the Gatherly platform, which allows you to freely move and chat with participants in groups of two’s or three’s or more.

Info-desks

Before and after the sessions, you may visit info desks on the various tools and platforms developed in the Aurora European University Alliance programme; see below under the programme description.

You can stop by the info desks of your interest and get in touch with the colleagues involved.

Take-aways

So what can you expect as takeaways from this event?

  1. Meet, discuss and arrange follow-up contact with peers on your issues and concerns in the transit from analogue to high-quality digital education and/or students’ international opportunities
  2. Find out about existing good practices in high-quality digital education and virtual international experience
  3. Learn about useful Aurora tools and platforms for these challenges and meet the experts who can help you use them.

To register for the Aurora Spring Academic Meeting, please sign up here. 

Follow this page for more updates on the event. A pdf containing the full program for the event can be found using the following link: Aurora Spring Academic Meeting – Moving from Analogue to Digital with Quality- How Do We Do That

 

Aurora Alliance Mini-Grant Programme

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

The International Division of Palacky University Olomouc (UP) is launching Aurora Alliance Mini-Grant Programme to further support the development of the European Universities strategic partnership goals of the Aurora Alliance. This scheme aims to strengthen the cooperation of Palacky University Olomouc with other eight Aurora Alliance university partners beyond the current project activity scope. 

It primarily offers an opportunity to UP Faculties, Education and Research Centres to engage in academic and professional cooperation across the disciplines within the Aurora Alliance. The scheme supports the bottom-up approach and invites academicians and professional staff to build the working teams with Aurora partners by prioritizing their own international academic collaboration ambitions.

If you are interested in applying for a Mini-Grant,  please click on our application form.

For more information on the Aurora Alliance project, you can take a look at the UP Aurora website, and the Central Aurora Alliance website.

To connect with a partner working in your field interest, or if you have any questions regarding the Mini-Grant Programme, please contact Martina Balekova (martina.balekova@upol.cz) at the Aurora Office.

For more inspiration on putting together your application, take a look at some of our suggested topics for Mini-grant funding: 

  • Aurorisation of courses for course leaders, especially in the 4 Pilot domains (using the grants for the full cycle of making your courses more aurora-relevant as per internationalizing your syllabus, adding SDG perspective, online pedagogy tools, administration support)
  • Preparing a specific joint-degree programmes with Departments from Aurora partner institutions (using the mini-grants for the full cycle of programme degree preparations)
  • Research collaboration on SDG-related topics focusing on environmental sustainability, inclusive education and more (e.g.preparing Horizon Europe calls)
  • Preparing joint Erasmus+ collaborations from the level of Study Departments(e.g. upcoming KA 2 107 call openings)
  • Working on social engagement with local actors through your educational programmes (e.g service-learning projects in the community, collaboration with governmental and non-governmental organisations)
  • Specific PhD level research collaboration with Aurora scholars ( e.g initiating collaboration and/or engaging relevant PhD fellows and supervisors from the Aurora Alliance universities and the associate partner universities)
  • Student Initiatives tying into the 4 pilot domains of Health & Wellbeing, Culture: Diversity & Inclusion, Sustainability, and Digitalization & Global Citizenship

Aurora Mini-Grants – Frequently Asked Questions

Mini-Grants – Alliance Members and Associate Partners Contact List

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