WISE Symposium: What does effective leadership look like today?

Hearing perspectives from the Obama Foundation and former President Aleksander Kwaśniewski was a strong reminder of how complex leadership has become today.

This year’s UEK Honours “WISE” Symposium focused on “Leadership in Times of Dynamic Change,” bringing together students, alumni – Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny w Krakowie – and invited guests for three days of discussion and exchange.

The program explored leadership across business, politics, and education, offering a range of perspectives on how decisions are made in fast-moving environments.

The symposium opened with a lecture by Daniel Di Giusto, sharing practical insights on developing leadership capabilities. A key highlight was the address by Aleksander Kwaśniewski, reflecting on leadership through Poland’s transformation in the 1990s and its relevance today.

What stood out most was the emphasis on dialogue and perspective. Creating space to reflect, challenge assumptions, and learn from different viewpoints remains critical in shaping responsible leaders.

We were glad to support the 10th anniversary edition as a partner, and to be part of initiatives that make this kind of exchange possible.

photo credit: Piotr Malec, UEK