Aurora in Action - 18 & 19 June 2025 | Amsterdam
During Aurora in Action, we invite AURORA partners from around the world to work together on social impact. This two-day event in Amsterdam is all about knowledge sharing, collaboration and strengthening community-university partnerships.
International Learning Lab
As educators, we strive to connect academic learning with real-world challenges. Community engagement offers a powerful opportunity to bridge universities and society—working together toward sustainable development. This special International Learning Lab, organized in collaboration with the Aurora Alliance and the Foster Erasmus plus project (project number 101178078) , brings together diverse voices and experiences to explore how engaged teaching, research, and partnerships can create meaningful, lasting impact.
Whether you're new to community engagement or looking to deepen your international perspective on sustainable development, this session offers insights, inspiration, and concrete strategies.
🗓 Date: 18 June 2025
🕒 Time: 13:30 – 16:30 CET
📍 Location: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (NU Building 4C51 Theater 9) or Online
Featured speakers:
- Dr. Sandra Smeltzer, Associate Professor, University of Western Ontario (Canada)
- Karsten Altenschmidt, (Co-)Head of the UNIAKTIV Service Learning Centre, University of Duisburg-Essen (Germany)
- Dr. Nataša Matulayová, Vice-Dean for Science, Silesian University – Faculty of Public Policies (Czech Republic)
- Eric Hertzler (joining online), Vice-Dean of International Relations, IAE Paris-Est School of Management (UPEC, France)
- Ivar Maas, Head of the VU Sustainability Office (Netherlands)
🎤 Global Perspectives Panel: Featuring participants from Benin, Canada, Czechia, Germany, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Netherlands, Spain, Tanzania and Uganda—sharing local insights and cross-cultural dialogue on sustainable action.
This lab offers a platform for meaningful exchange, fostering collaboration across borders to explore how education, policy, and community partnerships can lead to transformative change.
Science With Society Festival
On Thursday 19 June, the Science with Society Festival will take place at the Amsterdam Public Library (OBA). This festival brings together residents, students, teachers, policymakers and civil society organisations around pressing social issues such as energy transition, food, mental resilience and inclusive cities. Students from the ICSL course will present their research and engage with experts and civil society partners.
You are welcome to participate in one of the days, or both!
- The International Learning Lab on 18 June can be joined online.
- The Science with Society Festival on 19 June is an in-person event and cannot be joined online.
We warmly invite Aurora University members to participate on-site in Amsterdam if possible.
Sign up and work with us on sustainable and socially engaged education.
Any questions? Contact us at: g.a.adriannoviar@vu.nl
Read more about Community Service Learning
