Last week, between the 27th and the 29th of May, VU had the pleasure of hosting the AURORA Symposium on Global Citizenship. The event was opened by the inspiring words of Dr. Margrethe Jonkman, who reminded us of the importance of global citizenship, peace and public engagement for this institution.
To take these values into action, as Dr. Jonkman reminded us, the VU offers to all students the opportunity to participate, alongside their studies, to the Broader Mind programme, a programme that challenges students to look beyond the boundaries to their study and engage with broader society.
To achieve these goals, the VU offers the possibility of Community Service Learning, an initiative that connects students with citizens’ initiatives, non-profits, local organisations and policy makers to address real-world challenges. This initiative puts in practice some of the teachings given by the second speaker of the opening ceremony: Professor Robert G. Bringle, from Indiana University. Professor Bringle reminded us of the value of service learning as a transformative force not only for universities, but also for broader society; as well as the value of Community-based learning, aligning with the values of global citizenship and public engagement promoted by AURORA.
These fascinating words were followed by the insightful Professor Augustin K.N. Aoudji from University of Abomey Calavi (Benin), who took us a step further in understanding the concept of global citizenship and public engagement by explaining the values of the logic of “we”, reminding us how global citizenship begins with local communities.
Professor Ali Arnaout, from the University of Stuttgart, showed us the value of taking responsible risks for a thriving society. These inspiring words were followed by a rich programme of activities, from paper presentations to interactive workshops and social events. The themes of peace, conflict and social justice; community engagement and civic participation; and education for global citizenship were explored in a vibrant and diverse environment, connecting educators, researchers and society. During the first high panel discussion, we got the opportunity to enter a deeper discussion on the similarities and differences between strategies to promote global citizenship across our alliance. The activities of the day were concluded with a special dinner, opened by the wonderful student-led VU-Orchestra.
During the last day, in the second high level panel, we had the chance to engage in a constructive conversation with the rector magnificus Jeroen Geurts on the role of universities as a force to promote peace and justice in society. These events remind us of the importance of active engagement for universities in society - a value promoted by the VU and the AURORA alliance. VU academics also received three awards of €2000 seed funding for their outstanding contributions: Maiza Campos Ponce from BETA (Health Sciences), Ella Hafermalz & Christer Guldemond from SBE (International Business Administration), and Joram Pach & Arjen de Wit from FSG (Social Sciences).
