Tribhuvan University, Open and Distance Education Center (ODEC) Nepal is a partner institution among three Nepali, four European, and five Indian institutions collaborating project entitled Alliance of Universities to Reinforce Teacher Training Curricula to Outcast Radicalism and Promote Equality in Asian Societies – AURORA (Grant no. 610297-EPP-1-20 l 9-l -IN-EPPKA2-CB H E-JP) under the Erasmus + Program of the European Commission and co-funded by European Education and Culture Executive Agency. Banasthali Vidyapith is the main coordinating partner (lead partner) of this AURORA project.
The Aurora project focuses on curriculum development and education as a priority for Asia, with the knowledge and practices of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) to provide quality and inclusive education for all. The project has the plan to develop three pedagogical courses and integrate them into teacher training programs, with the aim of promoting democratic values, non-discrimination, gender equality, and research measures for combating different forms of radicalism that are hindering humanity and preparing pedagogical courses for education and training to the teachers.
Within its planned activities, the AURORA Project Second Study Visits were held from April 24th to April 29th, 2023, at Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal.
The aim of the study visit was to share the progress made in planned activities among the partner institutions, and cultures of the partner country, and create a platform for strengthening the networking among participating institutions.
In this study visit, the participants were from twelve universities from six countries viz Nepal, India, Romania, Czech Republic, Ireland, and Spain. Tribhuvan University was the host of this study visit.
The Rector of the Tribhuvan University, Prof. Dr. Shivlal Bhusal, was the chief guest, the Former Director of ODEC, TU, Dr. Ganga Ram Gautam, and senior teachers of TU as the guests and teachers involved in the project were the participants from TU in the meeting. In the inaugural speech, the Rector expressed the importance of the project and highlighted its relevance for developing the most equitable, fair, and justice society through teacher education and training curricula. He congratulated the project team for organizing staff and students’ mobility and international cooperation. He further added that this program has provided a good opportunity to share experiences among the partners and promote quality education in the country. Furthermore, He said, “We are pleased to contribute to this program and collaborate with other institutions in order to enhance social inclusion and democratic values in Nepalese society through the pedagogical transformation in the education sector contextualizing the European experiences on education”.
During this visit, progress on planned project activities was shared, and coordination meetings were held. Likewise, the meeting served as a platform to review the activities so far accomplished and plan for future activities promoting a culture of collaboration and the exchange of ideas among the participants.
The AURORA project ensures that teachers have the necessary skills and competencies to transform new knowledge effectively. In addition, the AURORA Consortium Centers will disseminate the project’s results to the whole of society for the promotion of democratic values and practices in it. The Centers will focus on transforming this knowledge in different environments and with the participation of various people. Within the project period “Aurora clubs” were created where activities were developed to expand the project’s outputs to the students’ community to inculcate democratic values and practices in them against extremist and radical thoughts and actions.