The Visegrad Summer School is a unique cultural and educational programme catering for students, graduates, young researchers and journalists from the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary as well as other Central and East European countries. Given its international, macro-regional and regional dimension, the initiative is aimed at promoting a positive image of the region on an international scale alongside the promotion of the intellectual and cultural heritage of Czech, Polish, Slovak and Hungarian societies.
Every year 30 students and graduates in political sciences, economics, international relations, European studies, history, social studies, philology and cultural studies, as well as young researchers, teachers and journalists from Central and Eastern Europe are recruited in an open call for applications.
Classes are facilitated by international experts, including intellectuals, researchers, politicians, people of culture, journalists, artists as well as the representatives of administration, business and non-governmental organisations. The list of distinguished speakers to date includes Leszek Balcerowicz, Václav Burian, Martin Ehl, Csaba G. Kiss, Miroslav Kusy, András Lanczi, Adam Michnik, Milan Nič, Czesław Miłosz, Tamás Pál, Lászlό Rajk, Dariusz Rosati, Magdaléna Vašáryova, Michael Žantovský and many others.
The subjects addressed in the School’s curriculum are primarily concerned with on-going issues and problems in the regions, as well as key cultural and civilian challenges facing the societies of Central and Eastern Europe today.
With its interdisciplinary formula and attractive range of activities, the School offers an engaging setting for the promotion of dialogue between nations and cultures, discussion about stereotypes and the often complex nature of historical heritage and the mutual planning of future actions. The project performs a fundamental role in aiding one’s understanding of economic, social and political changes taking place in the countries of our region and deals with their sometimes negative consequences on both international and national levels. It also helps prevent the development of undesirable social phenomena and the rise of attitudes that may undermine the idea of cooperation and the benefits of European Union membership.
By discussing these most challenging topics with fellow students as well as with ambassadors, ministers, European Union representatives and outstanding intellectuals, the participants have an unrivalled opportunity to develop a broader perspective of the problems discussed and understand partners' points of view and motivations.
Another fascinating feature of the Visegrad Summer School is the weekend excursions around the Krakow and Malopolska Region. The opportunity to experience places normally unbeknownst to tourists is a wonderful facet of the School and for those fortunate enough to experience these unheralded attractions it is an experience they will always treasure.
Visegrad Summer School is organised with help and advice of longstanding and proven partners: International Visegrad Fund, Ambassador of the Czech Republic, Ambassador of Hungary, Ambassador of the Slovak Republic, Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vaclav Havel Library (Prague), Bratislava Policy Institute (Bratislava), Cracovia Expressz Foundation – Hungarian Centre in Kraków (Budapest), National Association of Regional Development Agencies (Kiev), People in Focus (Albania), Małopolska Region, City of Kraków.
