AGH University at the first Baltic Rectors’ Forum

Group photo at the 1st Baltic Rectors’ Forum during the signing ceremony of the Gdańsk Declaration, with attendees standing in front of a blue event backdrop in a modern indoor atrium.

Photograph: Paweł Marcinko, KFP

06/30/2026

Academics, policymakers, business representatives and experts from eight countries in the Baltic Sea region gathered for the inaugural Baltic Rectors’ Forum to discuss key challenges in energy, security and climate change. The AGH University of Krakow was represented by Professor Krzysztof Mendrok, Vice-Rector for Education.

The Forum’s programme featured discussions on the key challenges and development opportunities facing the Baltic Sea region. The conversations focused on the role of universities in shaping security, energy transition, international cooperation, and sustainable development.

The speeches and debates covered the following:

the new geopolitical situation, hybrid threats, and the role of NATO and the EU in ensuring the security and resilience of the states in the region
seaports in security, innovation, and economic development
energy transition, including the development of offshore wind energy, the integration of energy markets, and regional cooperation on energy security
climate resilience, marine environmental protection, and sustainable development
cooperation between universities in the Baltic Sea region in the fields of research, education, and academic mobility.

The forum concluded with the signing of the Baltic Rectors’ Declaration, a document on cooperation between universities to promote security, energy transition, innovation and sustainable development in the Baltic Sea region.

The First Baltic Rectors’ Forum took place on 29 June 2026 in Gdańsk under the theme "The Baltic Sea Region in a New Geopolitical Era". The event was organised by the University of Gdańsk.