These courses offered are:
Aurora course for master students VU Summer School 2026 | 3 ECTS
This course introduces students to the concept of the circular economy and its role in addressing social and ecological challenges. Using Amsterdam as a real-world case study, the course explores how urban environments can support more sustainable systems of production, consumption, and cooperation between human and non-human actors.
Through a mix of lectures, guest lectures, workshops, and excursions, students engage with experts from academia, business, policy, and civil society. Participants will also explore circular initiatives in the city—such as community gardens, repair cafés, or innovative waste management solutions—and develop their own ideas for circular projects in urban contexts.
Important Information:
On-Site session in Amsterdam: 20–31 July 2026 (no weekends)
Students must be nominated by their home university. Please submit a one-page motivation letter to: aurora-mobility@uibk.ac.at
Internal Nomination deadline: 8 April 2026
Aurora course for master students VU Summer School | 3 ECTS
This course explores how generative artificial intelligence is transforming the way students read, write, and learn. Participants examine how AI tools influence academic practices and reflect on questions of authorship, understanding, and academic integrity.
Through lectures, workshops, discussions, and practical exercises, students analyze AI-generated content, identify potential bias and misinformation, and connect these insights to theories of learning, cognition, and ethics. During the programme, participants also develop a Personal Education Plan (PEP) to help them use AI responsibly and maintain independent, meaningful learning in an AI-rich academic environment.
Important Information:
On-Site session in Amsterdam: 20–31 July 2026 (no weekends)
Students must be nominated by their home university. Please submit a one-page motivation letter to: aurora-mobility@uibk.ac.at
Internal Nomination deadline: 8 April 2026
Aurora course for master students VU Summer School | 2 ECTS
The course “Leadership in the Age of Gen AI” at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam focuses on how leaders and organisations can respond to the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence. Participants explore emerging trends in GenAI and learn how experts and policymakers are shaping the use and regulation of new technologies.
Through guest lectures, seminars, workshops, and hands-on projects, students work with real-world case studies to define research questions from an industry perspective. By the end of the programme, participants present their findings in a pitch that proposes solutions for the safe and responsible use of generative AI.
Important Information:
On-Site session in Amsterdam: 20–24 July 2026 (no weekends)
Students must be nominated by their home university. Please submit a one-page motivation letter to: aurora-mobility@uibk.ac.at
Internal Nomination deadline: 8 April 2026
Aurora course for advanced bachelor students VU Summer School | 3 ECTS
This course offers an immersive introduction to entrepreneurship and starting new ventures in an international setting. By exploring the dynamic Amsterdam entrepreneurial ecosystem, students gain insights into how start-ups, scale-ups, spin-offs, and innovative business projects grow and evolve.
Students participate in a combination of lectures, guest talks, tutorials, and excursions while developing their own business ideas in small international teams. The programme emphasizes sustainable entrepreneurship and the life cycle of a firm, culminating in a Dragon’s Den-style pitch where students present their ventures to experts and receive practical feedback.
Important Information:
On-Site session in Amsterdam: 6–17 July 2026 (no weekends)
Students must be nominated by their home university. Please submit a one-page motivation letter to: aurora-mobility@uibk.ac.at
Internal Nomination deadline: 8 April 2026