Aurora Educational Developer

Aurora, an international network of 9 socially engaged universities that have been awarded a European Union grant as part of the European Universities Initiative, is looking for an Educational Developer.

Location: AMSTERDAM
FTE: 0.8 - 1

The Aurora Educational Developer is a key supporting and coordinating role with a technical administrative focus within the Aurora Central Office in Amsterdam. The Educational Developer supports the Aurora members in the delivery of the European University programme of work, with a specific focus on teaching and learning and helping the teams in our universities with curriculum design and innovative pedagogical methods. The Educational Developer will work closely with the individual member universities, the Programme Director, and will be responsible to the Secretary-General. 

Your duties

• to advise the Aurora members about existing educational methods and techniques with possible interfaces to developments of the Aurora Task Teams
• provide operational and tactical support to teams working on the delivery of the alliance programme
• connect with and support the staff of individual Aurora universities, and cultivate a network of teaching and learning experts and representatives from the universities
• promote opportunities and raise awareness of Aurora tools and deliverables
• engage with and support the Aurorisation of institutional courses and curricula in accordance with the Aurora Competence Framework (ACF)
• supporting curriculum design: Analyse any hurdles and issues in the delivery of the innovative methods and assist the teams in developing and implementing solutions incl. innovative forms of mobility
• coordinate with the relevant Task Team leaders regarding  the connection and synergies of IT (systems) developed within the framework of teaching and learning
• coordinate between the different Task Teams in the member universities to ensure alignment
• assist universities with the process of course and degree recognition and opening up courses to students across the membership
• assist and coordinate the implementation of the ACF
• assist and coordinate the implementation of COIL
• organising community events
• supporting the development of the Aurora Institute

We are looking for a colleague who

• has a Master’s degree or a higher qualification
• has extensive knowledge of educational methods and techniques
• has at least ten years of relevant work experience in an international teaching and learning setting, across different languages and cultures
• has experience in the higher education sector and knows about (national and institutional) differences and specifics
• has extensive knowledge of European policies in the field of higher education and European cooperation
• is proficient in English at the level of at least B2 in the Common European Framework of languages.
• has excellent MS office skills (including Excel) and is able to work with quantitative and qualitative overviews

Competences 

• has excellent organisational and time management skills, also under stress
• is used to work with online meeting tools
• demonstrates flexibility and ability to improvise
• has good interpersonal communication skills
• demonstrates solution oriented teamwork
• is dynamic and energetic and has a positive mindset
• enjoys working in international and intercultural teams
• demonstrates resilience

A challenging position in a socially involved organization. On full-time basis the remuneration amounts to a minimum gross monthly salary of €2,960 (scale 10)

and a maximum €5,439 (scale 11), depending on your education and experience. The job profile: is based on the university job ranking system and is vacant for at least 0.8 FTE.

The employment contract will affect a period of 1 year until the end of the current project funding (31 October 2023).
Additionally, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam offers excellent fringe benefits and various schemes and regulations to promote a good work/life balance, such as:

• a maximum of 41 days of annual leave based on full-time employment
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• solid pension scheme (ABP)
• a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge
• discounts on collective insurances (healthcare- and car insurance)

The ambition of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is clear: to contribute to a better world through outstanding education and ground-breaking research. We strive to be a university where personal development and commitment to society play a leading role. A university where people from different disciplines and backgrounds collaborate to achieve innovations and to generate new knowledge. Our teaching and research encompass the entire spectrum of academic endeavor – from the humanities, the social sciences and the natural sciences through to the life sciences and the medical sciences.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is home to more than 30,000 students. We employ over 5,500 individuals. The VU campus is easily accessible and located in the heart of Amsterdam’s Zuidas district, a truly inspiring environment for teaching and research.

Diversity
We are an inclusive university community. Diversity is one of our most important values. We believe that engaging in international activities and welcoming students and staff from a wide variety of backgrounds enhances the quality of our education and research. We are always looking for people who can enrich our world with their own unique perspectives and experiences.

Student & Educational Affairs
Student and Educational Affairs makes successful teaching, studying and leisure possible.

Working at SOZ is working at the heart of the VU. Together with colleagues in the faculties, we provide, with almost 300 employees, excellent services for VU students and staff. We support our (international) students during their study career, from study choice to graduation. With our contributions to innovative educational policies and our assistance in systematic educational improvements, we support the quality cycle of education. We also provide sports and culture for everyone at the VU and beyond.

Aurora
Aurora (https://aurora-universities.eu/) was founded in 2016 as a high-trust network of universities all committed to the matching of academic excellence with societal relevance. 

Aurora members are: VU Amsterdam, University of East Anglia, University of Iceland, University of Duisburg-Essen, University Rovira i Virgili, Innsbruck University, University of Naples, Palacky University in Olomouc, and the Copenhagen Business School.

Aurora has been selected as one of 41 European University initiatives funded by the European Commission under the Erasmus+ programme for an ambitious joint educational and institutional transformation and innovation programme.

Aurora has a small Central Office hosted at VU Amsterdam with a Secretary-General, an Office Manager, Office Assistant, a Communications Officer, the Aurora Alliance Programme Director, two Project Managers and a Brussels Liaison Officer.