24. Edition

The Visegrad Summer School is a unique educational and cultural programme for students, graduates, early-career researchers, and journalists from the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary, as well as from Central and Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans. Since 2002, it has been organised annually by the Villa Decius Association, a non-governmental organisation and cultural institution based in Kraków.

Each year, 30 students and graduates in fields such as political science, economics, international relations, European studies, history, social sciences, philology, and cultural studies, together with early-career researchers, teachers, and journalists, are selected through an open call. Over the course of ten days, participants gather at Villa Decius to take part in an interdisciplinary educational programme combining expert lectures, future-oriented workshops, and intercultural exchange. Every edition of the Visegrad Summer School focuses on a key issue shaping politics and international relations in the region.

The 24th edition of the Visegrad Summer School took place in Kraków from 5 to 15 July 2026. This year’s programme focused on one of the defining challenges of our time—the Future of Information. Twenty-six participants from thirteen countries spent ten days meeting with leading experts, attending lectures and workshops, and exploring how emerging technologies, new models of communication, and the growing importance of information are reshaping the future of societies and democracy.

Programme of the 24. Visegrad Summer School

Opening and inauguration

The 24th edition of the Visegrad Summer School opened with a chamber music concert at Villa Decius featuring the young Polish ensemble Essence Trio. The programme, combining works by Johannes Brahms and Rebecca Clarke, offered a symbolic introduction to this year’s edition of the School.

The official opening ceremony took place on 6 July. The programme began with a keynote address by Dr Dominika Kasprowicz, Director of Villa Decius, entitled Is There a Future for Information? A long-standing tradition of the opening day, the V4 Diplomats’ Debate—Information and Innovation in a Changing Society: Visegrad Perspectives—brought together representatives of the diplomatic missions of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary, as well as the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The discussion was moderated by Andrzej Brzeziecki.

The opening day concluded with a lecture by Michal Vašečka, who reflected on the future of Central European cooperation and the idea of Central Europe as a shared political and cultural space.

Expert Lectures and Discussions

The first week of the Visegrad Summer School featured lectures and discussions with leading experts from across the region, examining various dimensions of the Future of Information—from artificial intelligence and digital communication to information security, media freedom, and democratic resilience.

Michal Vašečka explored the social transformations driven by artificial intelligence and the influence of emerging technological ideologies on the contemporary world. Dr Roman Horbyk (Universität Zürich, Ukrainian Research in Switzerland) examined information warfare, influence operations, and the mechanisms of propaganda in contemporary conflicts. Marina Nord discussed the processes of autocratisation and their impact on modern societies.

Subsequent sessions addressed political communication in the digital age (Agnieszka Stępińska), the role of public institutions in countering information manipulation (Helena Chmielewska-Szlajfer), and the future of journalism, public trust, and democracy. Additional perspectives were offered by David Kardos and Gürkan Özturan of the European Centre for Press & Media Freedom, who discussed the challenges of safeguarding media freedom in the digital information environment.

The programme also included lectures by Dr Václav Štětka (European New School of Digital Studies) on the relationship between media, power, and democracy, and by Martin Ehl on information security in the twenty-first century. The academic programme was complemented by reflective sessions, including the workshop Facing Choices: Morality in Times of War and the Holocaust, led by Katarzyna Suszkiewicz from the Galicia Jewish Museum.

Intercultural Dialogue and Exploring the Region

Intercultural exchange and opportunities to experience the region firsthand remained an integral part of the Visegrad Summer School. During the Multicultural Garden Party, participants presented their countries, cultures, and personal stories, creating a welcoming space for dialogue and exchange beyond the formal academic programme.

Participants also explored Villa Decius during a guided tour and discovered Kraków on a walking tour led by Paulina Skotnicka. A particularly significant element of the programme was a full-day visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum, offering participants an opportunity to reflect on historical memory, responsibility, and Europe’s shared heritage.

Future Literacy Workshops and Programme Finale

The second week of the programme was dedicated to the Future Literacy Workshops, led by Agata Bisping and Marcin Maciejewski. Through an intensive workshop format, participants developed futures-thinking skills, explored possible scenarios for social change, and reflected on how societies can prepare for the challenges associated with the future of information.

The 24th edition of the Visegrad Summer School concluded with presentations of group projects developed by participants in international teams. These projects reflected the knowledge they had gained, the exchange of experiences, and their collective reflections on the role of information in today’s world.

The programme concluded with the certificate award ceremony. Certificates were presented by Aleksandra Szymańska-Niekłań, Project Coordinator of the Visegrad Summer School at the Villa Decius Association.

Watch the recap of the 24th edition of the Visegrad Summer School