From July 1 to 5, 2026, the SAV Congress Center in Smolenice hosted the now-traditional annual Francophone event known to regular (and occasional) participants as the Summer University of the Jan Hus Association.
This year, the event was organized under the auspices of the Institute of Philosophy of the Slovak Academy of Sciences and the Faculty of Applied Languages at EUBA, and was attended by over 30 speakers, including university faculty, researchers, doctoral students, and students. The program was exceptionally rich, featuring thought-provoking presentations in the fields of philosophy, literary studies, art history, and linguistics. Interesting discussions often ran long and continued even during breaks. A highlight of this year’s conference was the presentation of the Slovak Academy of Sciences Commemorative Plaque to Mr. Mateusz Chmurski, director of the French Institute for Research in the Social Sciences in Prague (CEFRES), for his contributions to Franco-Slovak scientific cooperation. In attendance were representatives of the Presidium of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, as well as representatives of the French Embassy in Slovakia. The 34th edition of the Jan Hus Summer University once again confirmed the importance and significance of this Francophone event for strengthening and developing scientific cooperation not only between Slovakia and France, but also with the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary, which are regular organizers or participants in the Summer Universities.
We would like to thank the event’s partners, without whose support the organization of the Jan Hus Association’s Summer University in Smolenice would not have been possible: IFS – French Institute in Slovakia; FSUI – Franco-Slovak University Institute; SFZ – Slovak Philosophical Association; FrancAvis – Association of Francophone University Teachers in Slovakia; CEFRES – French Institute for Research in the Social Sciences; Ostium Association.
Andrea Tureková
