The conference commenced with an opening ceremony held at the historic Amphithéâtre Liard in La Sorbonne with welcome remarks by Prof. Martin Schwell, Vice-president European Affairs and Aurora Institutional Coordinator at UPEC. The President of UPEC Prof. Jean-Luc Dubois-Randé gave a resounding opening address. He highlighted the essential role of European universities like Aurora in preserving and enriching knowledge through new forms of European integration, such as the creation of joint degrees and intercultural experiences.
“Aurora’s commitment to, and impact on, society and the environment, are powerful vectors for the creation and sharing of knowledge and, by extension, for profoundtransformation,” said Prof. Jean-Luc Dubois-Randé.

Prof. Jean-Luc Dubois-Randé, President of Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC) addresses a full house at La Sorbonne, Paris.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Ramon Puras, Secretary General of Aurora, emphasized that Aurora’s transformative strength also stems from its capacity to foster deep collaboration and align systems across its network of member universities.
A key moment of the Aurora Annual Conference was the ceremonial transition of the Aurora presidency. In a symbolic gesture of continuity, Prof. Martin Procházka of Palacký University Olomouc handed over leadership to Prof. Veronika Sexl of Universität Innsbruck, marking the beginning of a new era for the alliance and its partner institutions.
Adding intellectual depth to the event, Nobel Laureate Elizabeth Blackburn delivered a captivating keynote speech on her pioneering research in cellular biology. Her insights into cellular aging and telomeres have had a lasting impact on the fields of cancer research and molecular biology.

Aurora Presidency ceremonial handover from Prof. Martin Procházka to Prof. Veronika Sexl. (photo on the left)
High-level talk by Nobel laureate Elizabeth Blackburn. (photo on the right)
European Universities for Research, Education, Students’ Rights and Sustainability
Over the course of the week, the conference offered a rich array of plenary sessions addressing diverse themes—from the future of the European Universities Initiative and the development of scientific communities within Aurora, to student rights and representation.
Complementing the main programme, the Aurora Annual Conference also hosted numerous workshops, strategic discussions, and task team meetings. These sessions facilitated continued collaboration and advancement across key Aurora focus areas, including research support networks, educational hubs, international mobility, and citizen science initiatives.
Outside of the formal agenda, participants had many opportunities to connect informally, with the networking highlight being the Gala Dinner and reception at the breathtaking Musée national de l’histoire de l’immigration, including access to its iconic aquarium at the Palais de la Porte Dorée in Paris. During the evening, two major Aurora events took place: the Seizmic Awards 2024 ceremony, which celebrated Team thisAbility from Copenhagen Business School (CBS) as winners and Team Synergy Hydrogen Solutions from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam as runners-up; and the 3MT (Three Minute Thesis) competition, featuring compelling pitches by winners Stéphanie Chedid and Juliette Direur from UPEC.

Aurora Sustainability Summit 2025 plenary session. (photo on the left)
Full house at the Aurora Annual Conference 2025. (photo on the right)
The three-day conference also marked the debut of the inaugural Aurora Sustainability Summit. This milestone event showcased Aurora’s significant progress in promoting best practices for sustainable campus development, while also addressing the pressing challenges that lie ahead in building greener and more environmentally responsible universities. The summit combined thought-provoking plenary discussions with hands-on workshops, delving into critical topics such as futures literacy, climate action, and biodiversity.
Overall, the Aurora Annual Conference 2025 offered a compelling glimpse into the alliance’s achievements to date. It highlighted the strength and momentum of Aurora’s expanding network - a community of changemakers committed to shaping a more inclusive, sustainable, and forward-looking European higher education landscape.