Professor Nikos Papadakis ( UoC Department of Political Science) has been invited to participate as a Top Speaker at the 34th Economic Forum for Central and Eastern Europe, to be held in Karpacz, Poland, from September 2 to 5, 2025. The central theme of this year’s Forum is “Time of Transition – What Future for Europe?”

The Economic Forum in Karpacz is organized by the Foundation Institute for Eastern Studies in Poland, the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, and the Warsaw School of Economics, with the support of numerous universities, institutes, organizations, and institutions. It has evolved to a longstanding institution and the largest conference-forum in Central and Eastern Europe, often referred to as the “Davos of the East.”

The Top Speakers of the 34th Economic Forum include prime ministers, former heads of state, presidents and vice-presidents of national parliaments, party leaders, members of the European Parliament, national MPs and senators, ambassadors, university rectors, professors, as well as directors of research institutes. Presidents and members of national security councils, as well as independent authorities, along with senior officials and experts from international organizations’ centers and institutes—including the UN, NATO, WHO, and the EU—will also participate, alongside journalists, CEOs of companies and organizations, and many others. This year’s Forum will welcome more than 6,000 participants, across over 500 events, representing more than 60 countries from Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

It is noteworthy that Professor Papadakis is the only Greek academic invited as a Top Speaker and will present in the Plenary Session on “The Future of Europe.”

This distinction highlights the international recognition of Professor Papadakis’s scholarly work and academic excellence. It also underscores the high quality, scientific prestige, and influence of the academic staff of the University of Crete.