Aurora Opportunities

Université Paris-Est Créteil in Paris offers a course open to Aurora universities students on Tabletop Role-Playing Games, Creative Educational Tools and Managerial Skills.

This Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) is part of the EdUTeam project at IAE Paris-Est, which focuses on game-based learning. The course uses tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) to develop creativity, collaboration, and managerial skills. Students will work in teams to create a game scenario and participate in the international “Dungeon Crawl Classics 2026” Scenario Creation Contest (in partnership with publisher Goodman Games). They will also write a short summary explaining how their scenario could be used as a teaching tool in university courses, particularly in management.

Online courses and assignments will be offered before the on-site week begins. During the on-site portion, each day will then proceed as follows: lectures or traditional classes about creativity, game design or game-oriented methodologies in the morning and supervised teamwork in the afternoon, with students designing their Dungeon Crawl Classics (DCC) scenarios in international teams of three or four. All scenarios created will then be evaluated by a jury as part of an international competition (March-April). The best scenario will be announced at the International Game Evolution Conference (online) on May 13.

The course is open to third-year bachelor students and master’s students. The course awards 6 ECTS upon full attendance and completion of the assignments. Credit accreditation is dependent upon approval from the student’s faculty at UI.

Mandatory online activities will take place in February, with readings and assignments and two online sessions on 3 and 17 February.

On site activities will be hosted during the week of 2 to 6 March 2026 at IAE Paris-Est School of Management at UPEC in Paris.

Students will need to be nominated by the University of Iceland to take part in the course, and the University can nominate a total of five students. Applications for nominations should be turned in through the Ugla exchange study application portal and students must attach to the application their Transcript of Records.

This application is also an application for a grant in support of travel and subsistence costs for the on-site portion of the course. Grants are calculated in accordance with the rules of Erasmus+. Additionally, students can check the box for an Erasmus+ top-up grant for students with fewer opportunities, if they meet the criteria of the Erasmus+ national agency.

Application deadline: 18 January 2026.

The applicant must be an active, registered student at the University of Iceland and must have paid the registration fee. Students graduating before the end of courses, exchange students and guest students at University of Iceland cannot apply. Further prerequisites for exchange studies can be found on the University of Iceland website.

Any questions regarding Aurora or the application process can be sent to aurora@hi.is.

More information on Aurora can be found here.

Do you want to discover your own potential, strengthen your network and become more competent in utilising your knowledge and ideas to benefit society? Do you want to work with a diverse group of students seeking creative solutions to the challenges we face today, such as climate change and increased well-being for all?

The University of Iceland offers an Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP), for all students at Aurora universities in late-stage bachelor or at the master’s level. The course combines online sessions with a 5-day capstone experience at the University of Iceland. 

Participants will gain increased knowledge of today's challenges while working towards joint solutions across disciplines in collaboration with leading supervisors from academia and industry.

January–April 2026: Five virtual sessions

11–15 May 2026: On-site session in Reykjavík

Registration via UI Course Catalogue.

This course describes trauma in childhood and adulthood, including violence, accidents, disasters and life-threatening illness and their association with mental and physical health. Emphasis will be placed on introducing the scientific foundation of the trauma field and understanding scientific articles in this area.

The main topics of the course include:

• Prevalence of traumatic events and acute stress reactions.
• Mental health problems following trauma, such as posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, substance abuse and prolonged grief.
• The disease burden of trauma, due to e.g., cardiovascular diseases, cancers, autoimmune diseases, and suicide.
• The influence of environmental and genetic factors in the development of psychological and physical diseases following trauma.
• Factors that promote recovery post-trauma and reduce the risk of long-term health problems.
• Evidence-based treatment options for PTSD.

The course is designed for students seeking to expand their scientific understanding of the relationship between trauma and health. It is only intended for postgraduate students. The course comprises lectures by the main supervisor and selected guest speakers, all of whom are experts in the field of trauma. Emphasis will be placed on discussions and active student participation.

Distance learning with real-time participation in online meetings. 

16 February – 25 March: Mondays & Wednesdays 12:30 – 14:50

Registration via UI Course Catalogue.

This winter, UI staff and students can partake in an online cycle of workshops, training events, and open seminars designed to foster awareness, skills, and discussion on the practical implementation of Open Science and Citizen Science across Aurora universities.  

Events in the cycle will be conducted online in English and take place from November 2025 to May 2026 with the concluding final seminar being held in person in May 2026 at the Aurora Annual Conference in Duisburg-Essen.  

The events schedule and additional information on the cycle and can be found below. 

Please register for the cycle or individual sessions through this link.

Open Science and Citizen Science: From Principles to Practices Seminars, Workshop, Training Events (2025-2026) 

Running from November 2025 to May 2026, the series blends structured learning, hands-on training, and thematic debates. It is conceived as a coherent path to empower doctoral and master students, early-career researchers, and academic staff with the knowledge, competencies, and ethical awareness needed to integrate Open and Citizen Science practices in research and teaching. 

Schedule 

• Workshop - Best Practices in OS and CS  - 4 November 2025  - Hybrid  
• Training Event 1  - Research Data Management, FAIR, Ethics in CS - 18 December 2025 - Online  
• Training Event 2  - Open-Source Software, Workflows, Licensing  - 23 January 2026  - Online  
• Open Seminar 1  - Open Data, Open Access in Teaching, CS in Higher Education - 20 February 2026 - Online  
• Training Event 3  - OS in scholarly communication  - 26 March 2026  - Online  
• Open Seminar 2 - Legal and Ethical Challenges in OS and CS  - 16 April 2026  - Online  
• Open Seminar 3   - The role of OS and CS in AI and innovation  - 18-21 May 2026  - In-person (Aurora Annual Conference, Duisburg-Essen)  

The purpose of this course is to provide participants with opportunities to focus on learning, teaching and leisure activities for sustainability.  Participants will focus on implicit issues related to the topic of sustainability in teaching and learning and analyse and evaluate different approaches and contradictions that arise when working with learning and teaching for sustainability.

Examples of issues to be dealt with:

• Activism in learning and teaching
• Place-based and experiential education
• Behavioural change
• Science learning, technology and sustainability
• Creativity, creation of knowledge and social sustainability
• University education, adult learning
• Formal, informal and non-formal learning
• Sustainability as an emerging curriculum area

The course is taught online, running from January to May, and attendance is mandatory throughout the duration of the course. Assignments include discussion papers, in-class oral presentations, and a final paper.

Registration via UI Course Catalogue.

Bridging Borders: Designing Inclusive Futures in Education (BIP) is an innovative program aimed at fostering inclusive, interconnected learning experiences for educators and students. Grounded in the Mixed Classroom Educational Model (MCEM), it emphasizes both personal and collective growth through exploration of inclusion, identity, and cross-cultural perspectives. By integrating virtual preparation with an immersive in-person component, BIP creates a dynamic learning journey that equips participants to implement inclusive strategies within their professional contexts.

The program combines conceptual understanding with practical application through online modules, an intensive week at VU Amsterdam, and follow-up activities. MCEM provides a reflective framework for creating safe, courageous spaces that embrace discomfort and dialogue, while promoting a “students as partners” approach. Participants are expected to act as co-facilitators, leading sensitizing activities and microlessons during the in-person week, reinforcing the program’s commitment to experiential and socioemotional learning.

For whom?

The program is tailored for a diverse mix of educators or students from all Aurora partner universities. The ideal group size is 17 participants, creating a balanced environment that allows for meaningful interactions and collaboration while maintaining manageability for online and in-person components.

On site session: 13-17 April 2026

Virtual sessions: before and after on site session

Language: English 

Application Deadline: 21 January 2026

Application Procedure: Please register directly to VU Amsterdam here.

For more information see the VU Amsterdam website.

The course is eligible for Erasmus+ funding. Please see more information on the UI International Division website.

Cultural and Emotional Literacy is a 5-day Blended Intensive Program (BIP) for university educators and staff who wish to deepen their understanding and practice of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) through an experiential, relational, and embodied approach. 

While DEI has become a central imperative in higher education, this program moves beyond institutional policies to explore how diversity can be lived, felt, and practiced in academic life. It invites participants to experience inclusion not as a framework but as a way of being, cultivated through empathy, awareness, and co-creation. 

The BIP combines reflective discussions, experiential workshops, and mindful practices to develop emotional and cultural literacy as essential competencies for inclusive and sustainable education. Participants will engage in listening circles, creative collaboration, and intercultural dialogue, as well as workshops designed to confront personal biases and expand cultural awareness, all within a caring and supportive environment. Instead of following predefined models, the program will take an ecological approach to collaboration, creating conditions where ideas and projects can grow organically, nourished by shared reflection and lived experience. 

Program dates: 

Online opening session: 26 May 2026 

On-site session week: 8–12 June 2026 

Online closing session: 26 June 2026 

Application deadline: 1 April 2026 

Only a few places are available. Applications for participation from UI staff are submitted through an Erasmus+ grant application. Applicants fill in the online form and attach an Erasmus+ mobility agreement for training, signed by themselves and their next superior. Receiving organisation signature is not needed until after the application has been approved. All instructions, documents, and information on Erasmus+ can be found on the International Division website, and any questions may be directed to aurora@hi.is. Applicants will be notified of decisions after 8 April 2026. 

For more information, please see the Aurora course website. 

The course is eligible for Erasmus+ funding.

This training is designed for educators and curriculum designers who are already teaching in the fields of social entrepreneurship, sustainability innovation, or business modelling. Participants examine learning objectives, competency profiles and pedagogical approaches. They also learn how to integrate digital educational tools (such as the seizmic business model app and custom GPT mentors) into their teaching practice.  

For more information and a detailed schedule for the on-site portion, please see the Aurora course website and the CBS website. 

Course dates: 

• 16 March 2026 – Online preparatory session 
• 20–24 April 2026 – On-site week at CBS, Copenhagen 
• 8 June 2026 – Online closing session 

Language: English 

Application deadline: 1 March 2026 

Apply here: Application link

 

The course is eligible for Erasmus+ funding. Please see more information on the UI International Division website.  

Further information can be found on the Aurora website.

University of Iceland staff are warmly invited to participate in the Aurora Symposium 2026, taking place 27–29 May at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. The symposium centres on the theme of Global Citizenship and brings together educators, researchers, students, and community partners from across the Aurora network to explore how universities can foster a more just, peaceful, and interconnected world. This event offers a platform to share innovative ideas, practical experiences, and collaborative initiatives, while strengthening connections across the Aurora community. 

Colleagues are encouraged to submit abstracts for presentations, posters, or workshops that align with the symposium’s key focus areas: 

• Peace, Conflict & Social Justice 
• Community Engagement & Civic Participation 
• Education for Global Citizenship 

Abstract submission deadline: January 30th, 2026. You can submit your abstract via Google Forms. News and updates will follow. 

Symposium Registration Rates: Participation is free of charge for participants from Aurora institutions. Please remember to contact your local Institutional Coordinator for further instructions. 

For full details on themes, submission guidelines, deadlines, and registration, please visit the Symposium website. 

This winter, UI staff and students can partake in an online cycle of workshops, training events, and open seminars designed to foster awareness, skills, and discussion on the practical implementation of Open Science and Citizen Science across Aurora universities.  

Events in the cycle will be conducted online in English and take place from November 2025 to May 2026 with the concluding final seminar being held in person in May 2026 at the Aurora Annual Conference in Duisburg-Essen.  

The events schedule and additional information on the cycle and can be found below. 

Please register for the cycle or individual sessions through this link.

Open Science and Citizen Science: From Principles to Practices Seminars, Workshop, Training Events (2025-2026) 

Running from November 2025 to May 2026, the series blends structured learning, hands-on training, and thematic debates. It is conceived as a coherent path to empower doctoral and master students, early-career researchers, and academic staff with the knowledge, competencies, and ethical awareness needed to integrate Open and Citizen Science practices in research and teaching. 

Schedule 

• Workshop - Best Practices in OS and CS  - 4 November 2025  - Hybrid  
• Training Event 1  - Research Data Management, FAIR, Ethics in CS - 18 December 2025 - Online  
• Training Event 2  - Open-Source Software, Workflows, Licensing  - 23 January 2026  - Online  
• Open Seminar 1  - Open Data, Open Access in Teaching, CS in Higher Education - 20 February 2026 - Online  
• Training Event 3  - OS in scholarly communication  - 26 March 2026  - Online  
• Open Seminar 2 - Legal and Ethical Challenges in OS and CS  - 16 April 2026  - Online  
• Open Seminar 3   - The role of OS and CS in AI and innovation  - 18-21 May 2026  - In-person (Aurora Annual Conference, Duisburg-Essen)