Impact’26 in Poznań brought together representatives of science, culture, politics, business, sport and the media. It is one of the most important international congress and conference events in Poland and Europe, dedicated to technology, the economy, global challenges and the role of science in responding to the needs of the modern world.
This year’s edition gathered 6,000 participants and 650 speakers. The programme included 25 thematic tracks and 9 interactive stages.
For the first time, NAWA was present at the joint stand organised by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. Together with us, the following institutions also presented their activities: the National Centre for Research and Development, Łukasiewicz Research Network, Copernicus Science Centre, as well as students from student research clubs of Poznan University of Technology and Warsaw University of Technology.
The shared exhibition space showed how science translates into practice and everyday life. Robots, rovers presented by students from both universities of technology, and interactive presentations attracted the attention of participants and demonstrated the importance of cooperation between science and sectors with a particularly strong demand for new technologies. NAWA’s presence at the stand was also an opportunity to discuss academic mobility, the internationalisation of Polish universities and research institutions, and joint activities supporting the development of science and higher education.
The stand was visited, among others, by Marshal of the Sejm Włodzimierz Czarzasty, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Affairs Krzysztof Gawkowski, and Minister of Science and Higher Education Marcin Kulasek.
An important part of NAWA’s presence at Impact’26 was the participation of NAWA Director Dr Wojciech Karczewski in the panel discussion “Future skills. The foundation of innovation and strategic advantage”. The discussion focused on the key skills of future generations and on how to design international mobility so that it responds to the needs of the academic and scientific community, as well as to the challenges of a dynamically changing world.
Director Karczewski highlighted the importance of soft skills, which will play an increasingly significant role in shaping young people. These include critical thinking, resilience to change, adaptability, and the ability to cooperate and communicate with representatives of diverse communities, including international ones.
The panel featured Wojciech Karczewski from NAWA, Hubert Cichocki from Łukasiewicz Research Network, Małgorzata Szafoni from the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management, and Magdalena Pietrusik-Adamska from the City of Poznań. The discussion was moderated by Sylwia Gregorczyk-Abram from the Free Courts Foundation.
Impact’26 was an opportunity for NAWA to present the Agency’s offer not only to the academic and higher education community, but also to representatives of business, public administration and other sectors. This is important because the internationalisation of science is increasingly linked to skills development, innovation and the ability to cooperate across borders.
