Aurora Annual Conference 2026 in Duisburg
How science earns trust
- von Jennifer Meina
- 05.05.2026
Nine universities, more than 260,000 students and over 800 research groups: for ten years, the Aurora university network has promoted close collaboration in research and teaching across national borders. From 18 to 21 May, the network will convene for its next annual meeting: the Aurora Conference will take place on the Duisburg campus of the University of Duisburg-Essen. The opening address will be delivered by the renowned science journalist Dr Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim. The conference language is English.
One of the themes covered at the four-day conference is trust in science – and the role of communication in building and sustaining it. The part played by science communication in this context will be the focus of the university’s internal opening evening. Dr Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim, one of Germany’s most prominent science communicators, has been invited to be the keynote speaker. In her lecture “Cutting through the noise: How to catch people's attention and build trust in the information age”, she will explore how scientific content can stand out in a public sphere flooded with information. The event will take place on 18 May at 5 pm in the Audimax LX on the Duisburg campus (Lotharstraße 65, 47057 Duisburg).
The University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE) is hosting this year’s Aurora meeting in Duisburg – a special year, as the network celebrates its tenth anniversary. At the same time, Aurora continues to grow: in 2026, the alliance welcomes two new partners, Simon Fraser University in Canada and the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom. UDE has been part of the network ever since it was established.
Fresh impetus
The conference is closely linked to one central objective: the active shaping of the European Universities Initiative, an EU-funded programme to strengthen university alliances across Europe. “The Aurora Conference brings together people from across Europe who are working together to find solutions for the future. Hosting the conference in 2026 highlights our active involvement in the network and our international perspective. At the same time, we aim to provide fresh impetus – for example by fostering closer cooperation in research and teaching, launching innovative projects, and encouraging stronger student engagement,” emphasises Prof Karen Shire (PhD), Vice-Rector for University Culture, Diversity & International Affairs at UDE.
Aurora combines excellent research with societal engagement
Aurora is a European university network that combines excellent research with societal engagement and promotes a sustainable, digital and socially responsible society through collaboration in research, teaching and exchange. Students benefit from this through exchange formats such as short-term mobilities, teaching staff through joint teaching innovations and professional development, and researchers through international projects. At the same time, Aurora is strengthening societal development and enhancing UDE’s international visibility, research collaborations and digital transformation.
Further informations:
https://www.uni-due.de/aurora/
Discover the full programme