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Table of Contents

Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................... 3

New in this overview ............................................................................................................................................ 3

Vice-Rectors .......................................................................................................................................................... 4

Key Themes ........................................................................................................................................................... 5 1. Diversity & inclusion .......................................................................................................................................... 5 Specific projects: ......................................................................................................................................................... 5 2. Societal impact and relevance of research (SIRR) ....................................................................................... 5 Specific projects: ......................................................................................................................................................... 6 3. Students’ engagement ...................................................................................................................................... 8 Specific projects: ......................................................................................................................................................... 8 4. Innovation of teaching and learning (ITL) ....................................................................................................... 9 Specific projects: ......................................................................................................................................................... 9

Other activities with active broad steering groups ....................................................................................... 11 1. Sustainability ..................................................................................................................................................... 11 Specific projects: ....................................................................................................................................................... 11 2. Internationalisation ........................................................................................................................................... 12 Specific projects: ....................................................................................................................................................... 12

Aurora Alliance activities .................................................................................................................................. 13 1. Aurora Capacity Development Support programme ........................................................................................ 13 2. Aurorisation of Teaching and Learning Units .................................................................................................... 14 3. Aurora Competences Framework ....................................................................................................................... 14

Institutional Coordinators ................................................................................................................................. 15

Communications ................................................................................................................................................. 15

Aurora Brief Reviews ......................................................................................................................................... 15

Key contact persons per group ........................................................................................................................ 16

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Introduction The overview of activities is a tool that informs various groups within and outside of Aurora Universities Network on what is happening. It is updated every 6 to 8 weeks. Suggestions for further improvement of this document are welcome. New in this overview

• Aurora is preparing a position paper on the European Education Area in conjunction with the European Research Area

• The impact of COVID-19 on Aurora working group activities • Three Aurora Alliance activities updates

Over the next months, we will see how the Aurora European University Alliance programme may lead to an adjustment of the overall structure of Aurora activities. For this overview, we have maintained the existing Aurora focus:

1. Diversity & Inclusion 2. Societal Impact & Relevance of Research 3. Student Engagement 4. Innovation of Teaching & Learning.

And in addition:

5. Sustainability 6. Internationalisation

The overview of thematic activities is ordered by both the priority and scope of the activity. A table overview enlists all groups and projects with institutional coordinators as well as the university responsible for communication regarding that group. Project and other groups with little or no activity over the recent months are deleted from the list – but may return when appropriate. By end of June / early July, the European University Alliances selected in the second Call are expected, among those hopefully the Aurora European University Alliance programme. Preparing for our expected approval, some initiatives are already taken, specifically with regard to:

- The Aurora Capacity Development Support programme - The identification of Teaching & Learning units as either pilots or examples of good practice

of SDG-focus and/or Competences-focus and/or international experience for students (“Aurorisation of courses”)

- The Aurora Competences Framework.

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Vice-Rectors Since September-October 2018, both the Vice-Rectors Research and the Vice-Rectors Education of the Aurora universities regularly meet to monitor Aurora activities related to their perspective and share experiences amongst themselves. A unique paragraph is dedicated to its activities. Education The Vice-Rectors Education group had a videoconference meeting on April 17th , specifically focusing on the impact of COVID-19 on university education. All Aurora universities have made huge steps in providing education online and are now tackling issues of examination under COVID-19 conditions. They are also looking ahead at the next semesters, which require all kinds of scenario and contingency planning. The Vice-Rectors Education decided to meet online every month to learn from and with each other in the COVID-19 situation and to also start preparing for their role in the Aurora European Universities Alliance programme. The next online meeting will be on May 15th.

Chair Institutional Coordinator Communications Liaison Neil Ward (UEA) Richard Harvey UEA

Research The Vice-Rectors Research group will meet online on May 14th (replacing the physical meeting planned for the cancelled Reykjavik Aurora Biannual). Over the past months, the VRR group has been instrumental in preparing the proposal for Brussels representation of Aurora, supervising the KA2 Future Influencers project proposal and the continuing work on the SDG Bibliometrics tool. In the coming months, the VRR group will initiate and supervise the Aurora proposal in response to the expected Call to approved European University Alliances for a research modernisation proposal: the European Commission (DG R&I) will fund such European University Alliance proposals with M€ 2 – in addition to the funding for these alliances from DG EAC.

Chair Institutional Coordinator Communications Liaison Jón Atli Benediktsson UI Hálldor Jónsson UI

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Key Themes 1. Diversity & inclusion The overall purpose of the thematic group on Diversity & Inclusion is to learn from and with each other to reach the highest possible levels of achievement in Diversity & Inclusion at the Aurora member universities; Also, it aims to show Diversity & Inclusion as a distinctive characteristic of the Aurora Network of Universities. The Aurora workgroup on Diversity and Inclusion aims to:

• Create equal opportunities for our staff and students; • Create a working and learning environment at our universities in which different perspectives

are explicitly valued; • Capitalise on the ability to generate creativity from different perspectives both in teaching and

in education.

Specific projects: Project Chair Institutional

Coordinator Communications Liaison

Overall Ruard Ganzevoort Esmee Paques VUA Diversity award Neira Becár

(VUA) Esmee Paques VUA

Aurora Gender Benchmark

Esmee Paques VUA

Update on activities General update: As a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the biannual in Reykjavik has been cancelled. We have decided to meet online and are currently assessing whether it would be desirable for the diversity group to organize virtual meetings and if so, which topics would be discussed. So far, group members have expressed their need for an online meeting; how this is affecting students and staff, and which projects have been set up or are in place to support these groups. In case the online meeting takes place, a summary will be shared in the next thematic overview. Diversity & Equality Award: In light of the COVID-19 situation, it remains to be seen if the award can be scheduled and organized as it has in the last three years. For information about previously held award ceremonies, please visit the Aurora website. Aurora Gender Benchmark: Based on the Athena Swan Charter, a simplified version of the document has been produced, and submitted to all Aurora partners to fill out. Unfortunately, not all partners have completed the documents, nor were they present at the last biannual in Amsterdam. This made it difficult to see where we stand as a network and to build on the presented content in order to establish a benchmark. A follow-up of the project remains to be discussed, also now that Karen van Oudenhoven-van der Zee is no longer going to be chair of the Diversity group.

2. Societal impact and relevance of research (SIRR) The overall purpose of focus on Societal Impact & Relevance of Research is to learn from and with each other to reach the highest possible levels of achievement in Societal Impact & Relevance at the Aurora member universities and to show Societal Impact & Relevance of Research as a distinctive characteristic of the Aurora Network of Universities.

The theme of impact and relevance of research is a crucial focus of the Vice Rectors Research group with as chair Jón Atli Benediktsson and secretary and contact person is Hálldor Jónsson.

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Specific projects: Project Chair Instit. Coor Comms. Liaison EU Research Funding & Innovation Managers

Andreas Hoene Petra Günther UDE

SDG Bibliometrics analysis

Maurice Vanderfeesten & René Otten

Esmee Paques VUA

Doctoral Education Nick Watmough (UEA)/ Sandra Hasanefendic (VUA)

Richard Harvey Esmee Paques

UEA VUA

Update on activities

EU Research Funding & Information: The EU Research Funding & Information Managers was formed to strengthen the collaboration of Grant Offices within AURORA. The main goal is to compare current practice and share knowledge/expertise in supporting applicants, strategies and networks for EU applications.

In times of lockdowns and travel restrictions, researchers are wondering how their projects will be affected and whether the funding rules allow for alterations or amendments of the tasks foreseen, or whether funding programmes and deadlines will be altered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A network with colleagues and friends from different European countries is particularly valuable in times like these, to help each other out and sharing experiences from EU projects and applications.

It is also time to draw attention to the role of public support to research and development during the current COVID-19 pandemic. For this very reason, the AURORA network has signed a letter published by 61 organizations including patients, consumers, healthcare professionals, trade unions and public interest organizations recommending that the EU institutions and national governments incorporate collective, pro-public safeguards, such as transparency regarding public contributions, accessibility and affordability clauses and non-exclusive licences for the exploitation of end-result products, in current and future funding calls and investments. Click here for the letter “The fight against COVID-19.

Preparations are also continuing in parallel concerning the next European programmes for research and innovation and education funding, Horizon Europe, Erasmus+ and related programmes including Digital Europe and ESF+. In 2019, the AURORA EU-Grant Offices had been coordinating joint declarations with advice on the Horizon Europe Mission #1 Adaptation to Climate Change including Social Transformation and most recently also on Mission #2 Cancer.

AURORA has also been involved in discussions with high-level officers in DG R&I on societal engagement in the development and executive phases of Horizon Europe. As the R&I programme is organized and developed in an interdepartmental way, the EC established a matrix team across all DGs to deal with societal/citizen engagement, and held regular meetings with organizations that supported the citizen involvement in EU research statement including AURORA (see: https://aurora-network.global/aurora-supports-citizen-involvement-in-eu-research/). It is planned to involve all relevant research groups in AURORA in this process.

Most recently, at the initiative of Pim de Boer, researchers from the University of Duisburg-Essen and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam met with staff from European Commission’s DG Research and Innovation at the beginning of March, to discuss the role of SSH in Horizon Europe, especially dealing with clusters or global challenges but also all other parts of the R&I programme and beyond. Here are some highlights from that discussion.

AURORA has also provided input to the model grant agreement regarding the Marie-Skłodowska-Curie instruments in Horizon Europe via consultation among all partners.

In view of contribution to the drafting of the extra Green Deal call worth 1 billion euro in 2020, AURORA provides input to these drafts, and the working group is anticipating on the collaboration

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within AURORA for a proposal. As the exact call topics are not yet known, several local researchers/PIs have been approached for such collaboration and expressed an interest depending on the topic.

Due to COVID-19, for the time being, a meeting in person is temporarily not available. But the group has been discussing a concept for further collaboration, professionalization and capacity building, and will continue to do so by virtual means. Aurora EEA ERA position paper: Aurora is preparing a position paper on the European Education Area in conjunction with the European Research Area. The position paper needs to be ready for publication before the Summer of 2020 in order to have impact on the policy development trajectory within the European Union.

The position paper is being prepared by a small team of Pim de Boer (VUA), Hussein Kassim (UEA), Richard Harvey (UEA) and Kees Kouwenaar (Aurora), in consultation with the vice rectors Education and vice rectors Research groups.

Hussein Kassim is professor in political science at UEA, specialising in European institutions. Pim de Boer is member of the Aurora European information/grant officers group and currently the most active Aurora representative in Brussels. Richard Harvey is Aurora institutional coordinator at UEA and secretary to the vice rectors Education group. Kees Kouwenaar is secretary general of Aurora.

The position paper will articulate an Aurora vision on the role and interconnectedness on creation of knowledge, formation of knowledge bearers and the application of knowledge in society – with specific attention on the role of knowledge institutions. From that vision, it will comment on the current development of the EEA in connection with the ERA and will offer specific recommendations. A draft position paper is planned to be offered to the vice rectors and rectors by Mid-May, in order to have the document ready for publication by Mid-June.

Aurora staff and/or students interested to participate in the process are invited to contact Kees Kouwenaar at kees.kouwenaar@aurora-network.global.

SDG analysis: bibliometrics of relevance: The Aurora SDG survey ran from October 2019 till January 2020 to get input from researchers, validate the current model, and suggest improvements. Communication about the survey has been spread throughout the Aurora Universities, with the help of different tactics. For example, communication at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam went via the Amsterdam Sustainability Institute (ASI) and targeted 240 senior researchers. Fifty researchers were willing to participate and, ultimately, 11 completed the survey. The rectorate of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili sent out mass emails and disseminated the survey at the UN climate conference in Madrid, resulting in 77 respondents. In total, 244 researchers have completed the survey. Providing us with enough data for baselining and improving the model. Survey data will be made publicly available (anonymously) and published in an Open Science data repository, for re-use. In addition, our global influence has increased. Elsevier (for Times Higher Impact Ranking, in analytics product Scival, in Q3 2020 free to use. ), and SpringerNature are also working on classification models (in analytics product Dimensions.ai, free to use). We are in contact with them so that they may use our data and models as well. The baseline for quality measurement of the current SDG classification model has been made. We mostly find the right publications; however, a metric in the new model needs to be improved to find more relevant publications. Doctoral Education: The doctoral education group is finalizing their application for the Erasmus + Strategic Partnership proposal 2020. Meanwhile, they are organizing a Skype call in May 2020 to:

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a) define a double and joint Aurora PhD agreement (in preparation since January 2020), b) implement a survey on COVID-19 impact on our doctoral students and prepare a report, and, c) define the start and objectives of our Aurora Code of Practice project for stimulating PhD mobility.

3. Students’ engagement The Aurora Universities Network attaches excellent weight to student involvement, both within universities and as a network. That is why the ‘students engagement´ is one of the four key priority themes of Aurora. ‘Student engagement’ is a broad concept, which may cover i.a:

• Ideas initiated by the student representatives in Aurora for joint Aurora activities • Views of student representatives on the overall vision & mission, strategy, and operations of

Aurora • Active participation in the various thematic and project groups by students with a particular

engagement with that topic • Activities to strengthen the profile and practice of Aurora universities as institutions that offer

their students an engaging education with a lasting impact on their personal development.

Students are excited to be an integral part of the network and aim to be a driving force in shaping and achieving its ambitions. Aurora Student Council consists of two elected student representatives from each university, who collectively decide on student priorities for their own Aurora activities and student priorities for the network. They are actively involved in the network's activities and ensure Aurora's continued student focus.

The elected chair of the Aurora student group participates as an observer in the General Council and Board meetings.

Students’ current top priorities for the network are: • Collaborative Learning – Aurora universities should make their digital learning resources

accessible for all Aurora students and staff (see the Open Educational Resources Portal here). The team of different Aurora universities should collaborate in creating education; both for lectures and entire courses;

• Summer school – Use our diverse cultures, perspectives, and educational specialities for a remarkable and inclusive summer programme, including great courses and topical debates on societal issues.

Some member universities can offer structured support of a Student Ambassador.

Specific projects: Project Chair Instit. Coor Comms.

Liaison Aurora Open Educational Resources Portal

Anke Petschenka (UDE) Petra Günther U Duisberg-Essen

Aurora Student Handbook Elísabet Brynjarsdóttir Friðrika Harðardóttir

U Iceland

Aurora Mental Health Strategy Elísabet Brynjarsdóttir Friðrika Harðardóttir

U Iceland

Aurora Student Newsletter Elísabet Brynjarsdóttir Friðrika Harðardóttir

U Iceland

Aurora Student mission and values

Elísabet Brynjarsdóttir and Callum Perry

Friðrika Harðardóttir

U Iceland and UEA

Aurora student projects Elísabet Brynjarsdóttir and Callum Perry

Friðrika Harðardóttir

U Iceland and UEA

Update on activities

Open Educational Resources: See under “Innovation of Teaching & Learning”.

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Overall update: The Aurora students and the Aurora Student Council have continued their regular virtual meetings (ca every 4 weeks). During the meetings the students support each other and update each other on COVID-19 related statuses from their universities and on behalf of their students, and also what measures are being taken.

The Student Council is preparing an update of their Mission statement with their values and goals and are drafting Aurora Student Council Statutes. As Elisabet Brynjarsdottir will come to the end of her second term in May 2020, the students have also been preparing the election of a new Aurora Student President, which will be elected during a student meeting on May 13th. From then, the transition period starts and the new president will be updated on various matters.

The students have noted with satisfaction that their proposal to grant the students a more formal position in the Aurora structure have been taken seriously. The Aurora member universities have consented to two voting student seats in the General Council in addition to the formal seat the students already have in the Aurora Board. The necessary amendments to the formal Articles of Association of Aurora as an Association under Dutch Law will be presented for approval to the General Council in May 2020.

Supported by the Aurora Office, the students have reached out to the various active Aurora groups – both within the existing Network and in the proposed Aurora European University Alliance – to ensure that the student voice is heard in each of these groups. As the biannual in Reykjavík will not take place, some groups will be meeting virtually to continue their work.

4. Innovation of teaching and learning (ITL) The aim of the focus in Aurora on Innovation of Teaching and Learning is twofold. Primarily, to exchange innovations in pedagogy and tools amongst the partners and to implement promising ones our programs. Secondly, ITL aims to develop shared resources and joint educational modules on key themes of the Aurora Universities Network such as Sustainability, Health and Life Sciences etcetera.

Since the UGA chair of the group has retired and the Vice Rectors Education have formed their own Aurora platform, it is now considered that the vice-rectors will assume responsibility for the ITL theme as well. The Vice Rectors Education has asked for new activities connected to the shared aspiration which they identified.

Specific projects: Project Chair Instit. Coor Comms. Liaison e-Assessment tools & practices

Michael Goedicke Petra Günther U Duisburg Essen

Open Educational Resources

Anke Petschenka Petra Günther U Duisburg Essen

Aurora Collaborative Online International Learning module

Sabine Sainte-Rose (UGA) / Silvester Draaijer (VUA)

Sabine Sainte-Rose / Esmee Paques

UGA/VUA

Learner analytics VUA/UGA ‘Learning incomes’ Aurora office

Update on activities e-Assessment: Members of the group from UDE, VU, UGA and UEA have held meetings in January 2020 and on April, 17th, 2020. Michael Goedicke acts– at least for the time being – as coordinator. The April 17th meeting focused specifically on e-Assessment and proctoring issues in COVID-19 times as was attended by 12 participants from all 9 Aurora universities. The group expressed a desire

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for continued meetings in the COVID-19 context. Michael Goedicke has meanwhile set up a wiki page as a group resource. Open Educational Resources (OER): Since November 2017, the Aurora website has a dedicated Aurora open educational resources portal. The project group conducted a series of webinars "Open educational resources as an enabler for building an inclusive university community". The following three webinars have already been offered: 1) National and international initiatives concerning OER", 2) Supporting structures and teaching scenarios for Open Educational Resources at the University Duisburg-Essen (UDE) and 3) The creation of Open Interactive Textbooks and added value for education (VUA). These webinars have been recorded and are provided on our webpage. This year, the group met once a month to discuss further activities. New activities will follow soon, according to the next project steps. The following online meeting will be provided in spring 2020. If you want to join, please contact Anke Petschenka. The event webpage and project webpage. Aurora Collaborative Online International Learning: No new update from this group. Two language classes from the University of Aberdeen and UGA set up a COIL collaboration, with students working together on practical uses of English and French in context. The project was successful in creating a motivating learning environment and meaningful interactions between students around subjects such as international relations and tourism. Previous staff mobility enabled the professors to meet and create a synergy that benefits both groups. Indeed, the collaboration is to be renewed this year. To push progress, the topic of COIL was one of the working group meetings at the bi-annual in Amsterdam in October. The discussion focused on the broader theme of virtual exchange in light of the Macron proposal and various forms of successful virtual exchange (see example above). The group emphasized that support from the top management for virtual exchange is needed and that a start could be made by setting out a Call for Collaboration on the development of virtual exchanges. For example, by focussing on education revolving around the SDGs. Further, collaborating institutions should explicitly take up as learning outcomes in their curricula and at least one course, the development of international/intercultural competencies. Without such a statement of learning outcomes, there will be no need for faculty or program leaders to start virtual exchanges. Based on these insights, this initiative will play an important role in the EUN proposal that is under development. The work on e-Assessment, Open Educational Resources and Collaborative Online International Learning will also be placed in the context of the Aurora Alliance activities on Borderless Learning. Learner Analytics: No update. Learning Analytics will be one of the activities of the Aurora Alliance. Promulgation of ‘Learning Incomes’: No update. It is expected that the conceptual framework of Mastermind Europe will be used in the Aurora Alliance Competence Framework for learning outcomes.

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Other activities with active broad steering groups The Aurora universities want to focus the leadership attention on a few key strategic priorities. These four priorities are listed above.

This focus does not preclude or hamper further activities in other fields where participants see a benefit in working together, sharing visions & strategies, compare practices, and develop projects for reciprocal and mutual learning. Indeed, in various other horizontal themes and broad global challenges areas, experts from Aurora universities have found each other and are working together.

1. Sustainability The Sustainability group aims for Aurora universities to:

• Operate and build sustainable universities that balance the four pillars of sustainability which are governance, environmental management, learning; research and social policy

• Create a working and learning environment at our universities in which sustainability is valued and measured.

• Capitalise on the ability to generate creativity and solutions from different perspectives both in our practices and education.

In considering these aims, the group hopes to promote good practice, stimulate joint activity, and develop benchmarks to monitor progress at individual institutions and collectively across Aurora. As a galvanising theme, the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) remain at the heart of Aurora's discussion of sustainability. They feature heavily in the work of the Sustainability Group and are at the heart of the transformative vision evident in the emerging European Universities Network (EUN) proposal.

Specific projects: Project Chair Instit. Coor Comms. Liaison Sustainability Working Group Chair

Tavis Potts (UAb) Stephen Hill UAb

Sustainability Lecture Series

Tavis Potts (UAb) Stephen Hill Aurora / All

SDG Accord Fraser Lovie (UAb) Stephen Hill Aurora / All Business Travel Ilka Roose (UDE); Anke

Bockreis (UIB) (Duisburg-Essen) (Innsbruck)

Aurora / All

During the past quarter, Aurora's Sustainability Working Group has continued to take forward its activity around five thematic discussion 'clusters', with colleagues from across the network allocated to each. Those clusters are: Cluster 1 SDG Lecture Series (i.e. research showcase and public engagement) Cluster 2 Business Travel (i.e. travel behaviors and off-setting) Cluster 3 Benchmarking (i.e. the SDG Accord and sustainability reporting) Cluster 4 Sustainable Events Management Cluster 5 Leadership for Sustainability Update on activities Aurora Sustainability Lectures: In the coming weeks, the sustainability pages of the Aurora website will be revamped entirely to reflect the current deliberations of the Sustainability Working Group. As part of this, we will relocate detail of the SDG Lecture Series. We will simultaneously make a concerted effort to encourage all member institutions to contribute to that series. In doing so, we will seek to engage the institutional coordinators in circulating a network-wide call for contributions. We will remind colleagues that a pragmatic methodology has been adopted that encourages participation

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by building on pre-existing public engagement activity where possible. The aims of this activity remain to showcase the vast breadth of SDG related research and impacts taking place across Aurora. SDG Accord: The most notable development of the period was the agreement in December by the Aurora Board to become an Endorsing Partner Network signatory of the international SDG Accord initiative. In doing so, the Board commended this initiative to all Aurora institutions (both the network and the alliance). Since December, Universitat Rovira i Virgili and University of Aberdeen have joined earlier signatories East Anglia in formally committing themselves to this annual exercise; with the first annual submission for the two new signatories currently being compiled. These submissions will, in turn, contribute to a global report to the United Nations. Other institutions are evaluating participation in the Accord. Also in December, the Aurora Board wrote to all members acknowledging a move by the Aurora Student Council to invite members to follow its lead in declaring a Climate Emergency. Professor Richardson's letter noted that East Anglia was among those to have done so and that, while a matter for individual institutions to review, he was personally happy to support the Student Council's call, and offered to share his own experience at East Anglia of taking this step. Business Travel: Another key area of progress is to work towards the development of a Business Travel codex for Aurora, with colleagues Ilka Roose (Duisburg-Essen) and Anke Bockreis (Innsbruck) coordinating these discussions. With international travel now largely suspended for the foreseeable future, it is a convenient time for us to press ahead with thinking around what our post-pandemic policies and procedures should be and to aim to limit the footprint of our Aurora endeavors.

2. Internationalisation In an international network of universities, it makes sense to explore opportunities to learn from and with each other in the field of internationalisation. This may also offer opportunities to involve academics in Aurora activities. After a few brainstorming sessions, it has become clear that the main focus needs to be on concrete projects run by separate project groups, with the thematic ‘internationalisation group’ as a strategic liaison between the projects and the Aurora leadership.

Specific projects:

Update on activities Overall update Internationalisation: The network so far has put a lot of effort into discussing how we could increase the mobility of students and staff between our universities. There has been increased student mobility within the network since the start in 2016. We encourage partners to make institution-wide agreements instead of subject-based; however, the organization of mobility differs per institute. We have also emphasized on staff mobility; there have been staff visits, study visits where various subgroups have met. Since new partners have joined the Alliance, we made a new mobility network table for the Aurora Alliance proposal that gives more insight in the numbers and figures and will be used as a starting point from which to increase the mobility in the coming years.

Project Chair Instit. Coor Comms. Liaison Overall chair Richard Harvey & Frans

Snijders Richard Harvey & Esmee Paques

UEA & VUA

Inclusive Internationalisation

Helena Gillespie Richard Harvey UEA

Structured mobility

Frans Snijders (VUA); Esmee Paques VUA

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On January 23rd, the first Aurora Alliance community-building event was organized by the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam. The event, called Meet up to Speed up, brought together more than 75 academic staff from the Alliance to discuss in small groups the possibilities for forms of jointness in teaching programs. The results, among others, created the first matches for physical and virtual mobility within the four pilot domains.

Aurora Alliance activities A number of Aurora Alliance activities have initiated the development of the programme structures prior to the European Universities Alliance grant results will be released.

1. Aurora Capacity Development Support programme Aurora Alliance Capacity Development Support Programme (CDS) is an Activity 4.4 of Work package 4 (Engaging Communities) which aims at reducing disparities between the research-leading and research-emerging countries in Europe by assisting universities in Central-Eastern Europe and Neighboring Countries to develop their institutional capacity for academic excellence and societal relevance. It draws from Aurora deliverables focusing Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation and is primarily aimed at cooperation with Associate Partners to Aurora Alliance which involve following universities: Povel Safarik University in Kosice (Slovakia), Karazin University (Ukraine), South-West University" Neofit Rilski" (Bulgaria) and University of Tetova (North Macedonia). The activity is chaired by Palacky University Olomouc (Dr Selma Porobić) and co-chaired by Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Msc Anna Bon). Other Aurora members that participate in the activity are UDE, UNINA and CBS. The programme builds on the deliverables of the 3 substantive work packages and is interlinked with dissemination in the work package 6. The outputs include: A. launching Aurora capacity development support community; B. six awareness-raising meetings; C. six projects developed together of which three implemented using external funding; D. creating a sustainable and long-lasting capacity development network; and E. establishing operational expert and support centre with the online services. The expected outcomes are to spread the Aurora principles, values, skills, working processes and practical learnings beyond Aurora partners to the four Associate Partner universities and then further, reaching some 30 target universities in Europe and beyond. The programme is an important part of Aurora alliance long-term sustainability. During the post-application period, since March, several activities have already taken place in developing the concept and structure of this programme. We had a first consultative meeting (online) with the Associate Partners on 27th of March when we shared the overview of the submitted proposal and discussed the roles and activities of partners, inviting for questions and suggestions on the further engagement from the contextualized perspective. The sub-activities that we suggested for the programme from Aurora deliverables involved among other: Toolkit for Virtual Mobility, Model for summer schools/ boot camps, Model for service learning, and Model for inclusive internationalization. These were welcomed with an emphasis on social entrepreneurship orientation in expanding the current curricula. During the upcoming second online meeting, scheduled for the beginning of June, we aim to present the concept of the programme in-depth and invite for discussion on the formation of the specific academic working teams at each university. We would like to receive locally relevant inputs on the suggested activities and discuss the cooperation opportunities beyond these 4 universities, thus preparing the ground for the anticipated start of the programme from September. In addition, during April, Selma and Anna have worked further on developing the methodology of the Capacity Development Support Programme by working out an 'education for development approach', which corresponds to SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 16 (Peace, justice and strong institutions) as an important overall approach to 4.4 activity.

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In this they used their complementary expertise on higher educations’ position in the societies in transition, such as 4 associate partners, and digital development programs, co-created with local partners (universities, civil society organizations) to focus on the socio-technical innovation and social entrepreneurship activities that particularly involve Digital (In)Equality, Digital Inclusion and Digital Humanism and Diversity/Inclusion issues (Aurora Domains 3 and 4). Furthermore, it was agreed to partner up (learn from each other's experiences) through equal knowledge-sharing and reaching out to both formal and informal higher education actors in the partnering countries who will engage more partnering institutions during the 3-pilot years. By informal, we mean engaging civil society organizations, diaspora organizations, innovation hubs, NGOs and think-tanks, depending on the local contexts available in the specific areas of social engagement and Domains 3 and 4.

2. Aurorisation of Teaching and Learning Units In expectation of the announcement of the selected European Universities alliances (in June/July 2020), the University of Innsbruck has taken the lead in initiating elements of the Aurora (European University) Alliance programme to enhance learning for societal impact. This entails adapting teaching and learning units to:

• allow students to develop a multidisciplinary focus on major (SDG-related) problems, • help them develop academic and personal competences to become social entrepreneur and

innovators • offer all of them opportunities for meaningful international experience.

The University of Innsbruck has taken the initiative because it already was part of their internal agenda to add an SDG focus to teaching & learning units. It has developed a broader framework to identify individual academic teachers who are interested to either serve as example of good practice, or underwrite the need to adapt their own education in one or more of these dimensions. The Innsbruck “Aurorisation” framework and survey form has been adapted to suit wider Aurora usage and has been presented for review to the leaders of the four key are pilot domains of the Aurora Alliance programme as well as to the group of Vice Rectors Education, which will serve as monitoring group for the whole Aurora Learning for Societal Impact package, of which these domains form part. The first responses (from the University of Napoli and the University of East Anglia) have been received. With more responses from all domain leaders and across the Aurora Alliance, this makes for a kick-start of the Aurora Alliance programme once we hear if we have been selected. More information: Christina Raab (christina.raab@uibk.ac.at) or Kees Kouwenaar (kees.kouwenaar@aurora-network.global).

3. Aurora Competences Framework The Aurora Competence Framework is intended to be a cornerstone of the Aurora European Universities Alliance programme. It will offer academic teachers and education programme designers in all kinds of topics a toolkit and a language to articulate general academic competences and (inter) personal competences as part of the learning outcomes of the curricula. These will add to the subject-related knowledge and skills that currently still are the dominant and best articulated parts. First discussions are underway between the entrepreneurship experts at the Copenhagen Business School and the Mastermind Europe experts to bring together the EntreComp framework and the Mastermind Europe concepts.

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A first (virtual) meeting of the task team for the Aurora Competence Framework – with also participants from VU Amsterdam, U Iceland, U Innsbruck, U Napoli, U Palacky, and U East Anglia will be planned before the Summer. The University of Grenoble Alpes, although not a member of the Aurora Alliance, will also participate in this work.

Institutional Coordinators The Institutional coordinators play a key role in ensuring alignment between the various activities in the network:

- They have a joint responsibility to advise the Board, the General Council and their president on the overall strategy and policy of Aurora.

- For groups chaired by a member of their university, they have a specific responsibility to liaise with that chair and with their Communication Officer on the work of that group.

- Also, they liaise with their Communication Officer on the overall Communication policy: to enhance the visibility of Aurora within their university and to disseminate relevant information on their university through Aurora.

Chair Sabine Sainte-Rose UGA

Communications The position and role of the group of Communications Officers are distinct from the thematic steering groups – within and outside the key priority areas. The Comms group serves the network as a whole and simultaneously has a responsibility to those steering groups and projects that have been given priority by the leadership of Aurora. In its network function, the Comms group works intensively with the central Aurora office. Specifically identified tasks and targets:

• Each university will submit a minimum of three high-quality pieces of content a year to the Aurora secretariat for onward transmission.

• Each university will submit a minimum of 15 high-res images representing their core activities related to the values of Aurora to the Aurora secretariat for onward transmission.

• Conveners of each priority steering group and project group to work closely with communications officer from the host university chairing the group.

• Content checklist and templates for all universities to ensure content submissions align with Aurora themes and values.

• Develop a succinct “boilerplate” that all Aurora members can use to encapsulate Aurora’s mission and values.

• Clarify and create consensus on Aurora branding and endorsement within the member universities.

Chair Institutional Coordinator Communications Liaison Jon Örn Gudbjartsson UI Friðrika Harðardóttir UI

Aurora Brief Reviews The first issue of the “Aurora Brief Reviews “(ABR) was distributed on January 8th 2019. Meanwhile, fourteen editions have been published. Work on the online accessibility of the archive of the ABR and its predecessor VU IN&R is ongoing. The ABR biweekly identifies relevant data-driven reports and studies on a wide variety of aspects of higher education and research. The intention is to have a second content editor next to Kees Kouwenaar; technical editing has been taken up by the central office communication officer, Anna Klas.

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Key contact persons per group Key priority steering groups

Lead contact

Diversity & Inclusion Ruard Ganzevoort r.r.ganzevoort@vu.nl Neira Bećar (VUA) n.becar@vu.nl

Societal impact and relevance of research

Jón Atli Benediktsson (UI) benedikt@hi.is Hálldor Jónsson (UI) dorij@hi.is

Students’ engagement Elísabeth Brynjarsdottir (UI) elisabetbrynjarsdottir@gmail.com Innovation of teaching and learning

Neil Ward (UAb) neil.ward@uea.ac.uk

Other broad steering groups

Lead contact

Internationalisation

Richard Harvey (UEA) R.W.Harvey@uea.ac.uk Frans Snijders (VUA) f.a.m.snijders@vu.nl

Sustainability Tavis Potts tavis.potts@abdn.ac.uk

Vice Rectors Education Neil Ward (UAb) neil.ward@uea.ac.uk

Vice Rectors Research Jón Atli Benediktsson (UI) benedikt@hi.is Hálldor Jónsson (UI) dorij@hi.is

Institutional Coordinators Sabine Sainte-Rose (UGA) sainters@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr

Communications Group Jón Örn Gudbjartsson (UI) jonorn@hi.is

Birds of a feather groups Lead contact HRM Networks Renée-Andrée Koornstra (VUA) r.a.koornstra@vu.nl

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