From 15 to 17 October, academics from across Europe gathered at VU Amsterdam for the Aurora Course Design Retreat and Academic Matchmaking. Over three days, participants worked together to design new joint educational initiatives within the Aurora universities – from campus-based courses and micro-credentials to a Blended Intensive Programme (BIP).
The event was one of the initiatives in the broader Aurora 2030 programme, which is part of the European Universities Initiative launched by the European Commission aimed at achieving high-quality education with societal impact. It offered professors a unique opportunity to co-create, exchange ideas, and strengthen partnerships around key themes such as sustainability, digitalisation, health and well-being, culture, social entrepreneurship and innovation, and peace education.
Design, Collaboration and Inspiration
During the Course Design Days, participants worked in thematic groups – such as Sustainability and Climate Change, Digital Society and Global Citizenship, and Peace Education – to develop potential inter- and transdisciplinary micro-credentials and joint courses.
There was also room for inspiration: workshops on teaching methods, presentations of successful Aurora course formats, and a contribution from VU Amsterdam’s own A Broader Mind Course, which exemplifies interdisciplinary learning in practice.
Building the Future of European Education Together
The event marked an important step in advancing the Aurora Educational Hubs and followed earlier gatherings in Tarragona and Paris. Participants left Amsterdam with new ideas, collaboration plans, and concrete course designs.
The Aurora Course Design Retreat and Academic Matchmaking event demonstrated how cross-border cooperation leads to innovative education – and how the Aurora community is jointly building a more connected, sustainable, and inclusive future for European higher education.