Thinking Wisely – political expertise summer school 2025
We have closed the recruitment for the third edition of the expert school Thinking Wisely, which will take place in July 2025 in Ukraine. Out of 216 applications, we selected a group of participants from 9 countries.
Who are the participants?
This year’s edition brings together a group of talented individuals representing diverse expert and professional backgrounds.
– Young researchers from universities in Toronto, Brussels, Tbilisi, Lviv, Kraków, and Łódź, focusing on politics, law, history, and civil society,
– analysts from think tanks, ministerial advisors, and opinion editors engaged in public debate and policy recommendation,
– social activists, educators, and NGO leaders implementing civic, educational, and humanitarian projects across Central and Eastern Europe,
– experts in constitutional law and foreign policy, working in public administration, international institutions, and organizations monitoring governance quality.
What unites them is a shared passion for the region and a common motivation: to better understand the world and act wisely in its shifting realities.
During the school, participants will take part in:
– workshops with regional experts,
– decision-making simulations and analytical games,
– policy brief writing sessions,
– debates on key political and social challenges in the region.
We thank all applicants for their trust and passion.
The selected participants have already been informed via email. See you this summer!
International Summer School "Thinking Wisely" 2024
In August 2024, we invited young researchers, students, PhD candidates, journalists, and experts in international politics to take part in the intensive summer school "Thinking Wisely," organized by the Mieroszewski Centre.
Our aim was not only to share knowledge but, above all, to develop practical skills – from critical thinking and analytical writing to understanding the mechanisms behind foreign policy decision-making.
The program combined workshops led by experts from think tanks – including Ukrainian Prism, the Polish Institute of International Affairs, and the Ukrainian Centre for European Policy – with practical sessions on research methodology, international law, and media communication. A central part of the school was also dedicated to improving participants' skills in writing analyses and policy recommendations.
The safety of participants was our top priority – the location was carefully selected, taking into account its distance from areas of military activity and ensuring comfortable conditions for learning and integration.
What did participants gain?
- development of analytical competencies, including logical argumentation and identifying cognitive biases
- practical knowledge of how to create analyses and policy briefs
- a deeper understanding of the Russia–Ukraine war through the lens of international law and global politics
- direct access to regional experts and valuable networking opportunities
- inspiration for further professional and cross-border collaboration
Collected feedback showed that the school not only met participants’ expectations but, for many, became a catalyst for future growth. Attendees praised the high substantive level of the workshops, the open and engaging atmosphere, and the practical approach to political and analytical challenges.
"Politics is a complex field – to analyze it, we need both knowledge and methodology. This school provided both brilliantly."
"I learned how to avoid visual manipulation, how to write a policy brief, and how to speak in a way that ensures your voice is heard."
Bridge Analytica – the school where it all began
Before we invited young researchers to reflect together as part of the Thinking Wisely summer school, we paved the way with the Bridge Analytica project. This was a pilot edition of a summer school held in August 2023 in the Zakarpattia region of Ukraine. Its goal was not only to deepen participants’ knowledge of cognitive biases and heuristics but also to create a space for collaboration between young scholars from Poland and Ukraine. The project was co-organized by the think tank Ukrainian Prism.
Bridge Analytica focused on developing analytical skills—particularly in the area of writing policy papers and understanding methodological differences between historical and legal research. The school was designed for master’s and PhD students who are proficient in English and who seek a deeper reflection on how to study complex socio-political realities.
The program included:
- interactive workshops led by leading experts,
- discussion sessions where participants could share their research and ideas,
- an international environment fostering the exchange of experiences,
- and certificates confirming the skills acquired.
Our experience with Bridge Analytica revealed the strong need for spaces that support reflective, interdisciplinary, and peer-based thinking about politics, law, and history. Participants not only gained new knowledge but also formed networks that lasted well beyond the end of the program.
Thinking Wisely, launched in 2024, emerged directly from those experiences—it was their expansion, deepening, and continuation. The new format included even more advanced thematic blocks, new teaching tools, and a broader group of experts, but the core idea remained unchanged: to learn together how to analyze the world wisely.
