Comenius University at the QS Higher Ed Summit
In late June, Budapest became the centre of a global discussion on the future of higher education. Comenius University Bratislava was represented at the prestigious QS Higher Ed Summit: Europe 2026 by Vice-Rector for External Relations Radomír Masaryk.
The annual gathering of higher education representatives from around the world addressed key topics ranging from how universities can adapt to the emerging Generation Alpha to strategic solutions for the loss of talent from Central and Eastern Europe.
The programme included a panel discussion entitled Starting from Scratch: The Perfect Student Journey, in which participants explored the pressing question of how modern institutions should rethink the entire higher education journey for the emerging Generation Alpha. The panellists – Professor Gurpreet Singh Jagpal of Aston University, Dr Adrienn Dernóczy-Polyák of Széchenyi István University in Hungary and Professor Radomír Masaryk of Comenius University – agreed that universities did not need a revolution, but rather evolutionary steps that would enable them to respond more effectively to present-day needs. Traditional academic structures should be complemented by a more flexible, digitally integrated and individually tailored approach reflecting the needs of a new generation of students. At the same time, universities must preserve what lies at the heart of university education: the principle of reflexivity and continuous two-way feedback.
The main summit was preceded by a satellite event entitled Tomorrow Today in Research, organised by Elsevier. The conference focused specifically on how research institutions can increase their impact and international standing in the age of artificial intelligence.
CU Vice-Rector Radomír Masaryk also delivered an invited presentation at this forum, addressing one of the most pressing problems facing the region: brain drain. In his presentation and the subsequent discussion, he outlined the strategic steps universities must take to retain talent while systematically strengthening their global visibility and reputation within the international academic community.
“Events such as the QS Summit show us that the challenges we face at Comenius University – whether demographic change or young people leaving to pursue opportunities abroad – are part of global trends. If we want to succeed, we must proactively change the way we communicate and build strong international partnerships,” said Vice-Rector Radomír Masaryk, reflecting on the value of the events.