The Aurora Annual Conference was held from 19 to 22 May, bringing together thought leaders, experts, academics, staff, and students from Aurora universities, including the University of Iceland, and beyond. Hosted by the Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC), the event fostered dynamic exchanges around education, research and innovation, sustainability, and societal impact.
One of the major highlights of the Aurora Annual Conference was the ceremonial handover of the Aurora presidency. Through a symbolic “passing of the baton” from Prof. Martin Procházka of Palacký University Olomouc to Prof. Veronika Sexl of Universität Innsbruck, this change in leadership marks a new chapter for Aurora and its universities.
Nurturing deeper academic reflections, Nobel Laureate Elizabeth Blackburn delivered a fascinating keynote address on her groundbreaking discoveries in the field of cellular biology, which have had profound implications for aging, cancer research, and cellular biology.
European Universities for Research, Education, Students’ Rights and Sustainability
Throughout the week, the conference featured engaging plenary sessions on a range of topics from the future of the European Universities Initiative and building scientific communities in Aurora, to students’ rights and representation.
Next to the plenary programme, the Aurora Annual Conference featured many additional workshops, strategy sessions, and task team meetings. These gatherings enabled further cooperation and progress on topics in Aurora relating to research support network, educational hubs, international mobility, and citizen science.
