Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam)
Registration is closed
VU Amsterdam offers online courses open to students from Aurora partner universities.
Digital Society Research
Digital technology is reshaping social interactions at individual, group, and global levels, bringing both challenges and opportunities. In this course, we explore the societal impact of digitalization through four key themes:
- Dualism: Digital technology can connect us, but it can also divide us.
- Authority: How digital platforms influence traditional institutions and power structures.
- Attention: Understanding this new currency of the digital economy.
- Abundance: How digital environments differ from anything before.
Practical information
- The course takes place online between 27 October - 12 December
- Here you can find the flyer.
How to apply
Interested students can send an e-mail to shortmobility@vu.nl and will then receive the online application form. The application deadline is 14 October.
Headlines to Mindset: Shaping Public Opinion
In most political systems, citizens have little direct contact with their representatives. Instead, politicians operate in a highly mediatized environment, where the media serve as the main source of political information. Political communication research explores how politics is represented in the media. For example: How do people seek out political information, and how has this changed in the digital era? How do they learn from political news, and when does ideology shape this process? Do media, for instance, fuel polarization?
This course focuses on the impact of political information on public opinion and behavior. Students explore key questions in political communication through both theoretical and practical lenses.
Practicalities
- This virtual course takes place between 27 October 2025 and 12 December 2025.
- The application deadline is 1 October 2025.
- The course is worth 6 ECTS.
- The advised language level is English C1.
- The target group is Master’s students in Social Sciences. However, students outside this field of study are welcome to apply with an additional short motivation letter.
Registration
Interested students can send an e-mail to shortmobility@vu.nl with the following details: 1) Name, 2) home university, 3) current Master programme and 4) obtained Bachelor degree.
What is the course about?
In the lectures, we will examine the spread of the English language around the world. We will begin with regions in the world where English is spoken as a first language (England, the Celtic countries, the U.S., Australia, etc.). We will then move on to regions where English is spoken as a second language (Africa and Asia), and from there to regions where English is used as a foreign language or a lingua franca (e.g. The Netherlands, Europe, China, and so on). Some of the lectures are presented by guest lecturers from Scotland, Australia, Uganda and Japan.
Practical information
The course takes place between 1 September and 24 October 2025:
- Lectures: Tuesdays 09.00-10.45
- Seminars: Thursdays 11.00-12.45 (please inform us if this timeslot does not work)
- Exam: Tuesday 21 October 12.15-14.30
- The course will be added to the Aurora Course Catalogue in due time
- Please note that VU Amsterdam's Course Catalogue will be updated on 1 July 2025. For now, you can also refer to the information from last year: Global English
flyer
The registration deadline is 19 August 2025 (or when the maximum number of participants is reached).
Interested students can send an e-mail to shortmobility@vu.nl and request the application form.
University of Iceland (UIce)
Registration is closed
UIce offers two online courses open to students from Aurora partner universities.
Environmental ethics and eco-theology
Aurora virtual course for undergraduate and graduate students. | 5 ECTS Credits
Participants will gain knowledge about the complex relationship between humans and nature from ethical and theological perspectives. If the value of nature is explained by its usefulness to humans and ifhumans overestimate their own place in creation.
Application deadline 15 June 2025.
For more information contact aurora@hi.is.
Sustainability education and leadership
Aurora online course for graduate students. | 5 ECTS Credits
Participants will gain knowledge and understanding of issues related to institutional and systems approaches working with sustainability and sustainability education.
Application deadline 15 June 2025.
For more information contact aurora@hi.is.
📩 How to apply?
Students apply via UIce Aurora application portal:https://ugla.hi.is/courses/aurora.
Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV)
Registration is closed
URV offers two online courses open to students from Aurora partner universities. These courses, taught in English and aligned with Aurora hubs, provide an excellent opportunity for international learning and collaboration.
Nutrition and Physical Activity
This course explores the physiological mechanisms behind nutrition and physical activity.
- Offered by: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
- Aurora Hub: Health & Wellbeing
- Format: 100% Online
- Language: English
- Who can apply: Bachelor or early Master students with basic knowledge in nutrition and physiology
- Requirements: English level B1 minimum
- Final Evaluation: Includes an evaluative presentation
- Places Available: 16 students (2 per partner university)
- More info
This course explores leadership and its crucial role in organizational success, highlighting what it means to be a good leader compared to a manager.
- Offered by: Master in Technological Business Management
- Aurora Hub: Sustainability & Climate Change
- Format: 100% Online
- Language: English
- Who can apply: Bachelor or early Master students with a backgound in Engineering.
- Requirements: English level B1 minimum
- Final Evaluation: Based on participation and practical assessments
- Places Available: 16 students (2 per partner university)
- More info
📩 How to apply?
1. To apply, interested students should contact the Aurora Office Innsbruck no later than 12 May 2025.
2. After the Aurora Office Innsbruck submits the nominations, the URV will reach out to nominated students to request completion of the final registration form.