Interdisciplinary Centre for Baltic Sea Region Research

🤔 Four Scenarios, One Question: What Comes Next for the Baltic Sea Region?

The 2026 CBSS Summer University, organised by the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) and the Young People's Network for Balticness (YoPeNET), brought together young professionals and students in Gdańsk to explore the future of the Baltic Sea region through foresight methods and scenario workshops.

📝 In his latest report, Alexander Drost, IFZO Academic Director, looks back on this year's Summer University and reflects on the participants' discussions, highlighting what they reveal about the changing spirit of the Baltic Sea region and the next generation's vision for its future.

📖 Read the full report on our website: https://ifzo.uni-greifswald.de/institute/einrichtungen/ifzo/ifzo-neuigkeiten/ifzo-neuigkeiten-detailansicht/n/cbss-summer-university-2026-report-283564/

Stellenangebot am Historischen Institut der Universität Greifswald 📚🔍

Gesucht wird ein*e promovierte Nachwuchswissenschaftler*in, der*die das Feld der DDR-Geschichte in seiner ganzen Breite in Forschung und Lehre vertritt. Erwartet werden ein Forschungsschwerpunkt in der DDR-Geschichte, nachgewiesen durch einschlägige Publikationen, sowie eine erkennbare Aufgeschlossenheit gegenüber interdisziplinärer Forschung. Erwünscht sind erste Erfahrungen in der Drittmitteleinwerbung.

Weitere Informationen unter "Ausschreibungen" auf unserer Homepage.

🌊💙 CBSS Summer University 2026 – dziękujemy! 💙🌊

Za nami niezwykle intensywny tydzień pełen inspirujących spotkań, dyskusji i wspólnego poszukiwania odpowiedzi na pytanie, jak budować bardziej odporny i bezpieczny region Morza Bałtyckiego. Razem z uczestnikami z różnych krajów rozmawialiśmy o bezpieczeństwie militarnym, środowiskowym, cyberbezpieczeństwie, odporności społecznej oraz o możliwych scenariuszach przyszłości regionu.

Dziękujemy wszystkim uczestnikom, wykładowcom, partnerom i współorganizatorom za wiedzę, zaangażowanie i wspaniałą atmosferę. 🤝✨ To właśnie dzięki Wam ta szkoła letnia stała się przestrzenią wymiany doświadczeń, nowych pomysłów i międzynarodowych przyjaźni.

To jednak jeszcze nie koniec! 📖 W najbliższych tygodniach będziemy pracować nad raportem końcowym, w którym przedstawimy efekty wspólnej pracy nad czterema scenariuszami przyszłości regionu Morza Bałtyckiego oraz najważniejsze rekomendacje wypracowane podczas warsztatów. 🌍🚀

Dziękujemy i... do zobaczenia podczas kolejnych inicjatyw YoPeNET! 💙

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🌊💙 CBSS Summer University 2026 – thank you! 💙🌊

What an inspiring week it has been! Together, participants from across the Baltic Sea Region explored how we can build a more resilient and secure future by discussing military, environmental and cyber security, societal resilience, and future scenarios for the region.

A huge thank you to all participants, lecturers, partners, and organisers for your knowledge, enthusiasm, openness, and collaboration. 🤝✨ You made this Summer University a truly international space for learning, exchanging ideas, and building lasting connections.

Our work is not over yet! 📖 In the coming weeks, we will prepare the final report, presenting the outcomes of our collaborative work on the four future scenarios for the Baltic Sea Region, together with the key ideas and recommendations developed throughout the programme. 🌍🚀

Thank you for being part of this journey—and see you again in future YoPeNET initiatives! 💙

Photo: Piotr Czarny Ziębakowski, Bravura film, taken with a mobile phone

The citizens’ shield: personality and resilience in Lithuania’s paramilitary movement In today’s geopolitical climate, small-to-medium-sized states must prioritize societal resilience, including civilian engagement in state-supported paramilitary organizations. Using the Big Five mo...

🎓👨‍🏫 Final Presentations at the CBSS Summer University 2026:

Day 6 of the Summer University was dedicated to participant presentations, showcasing the ideas developed throughout a week of learning, discussion, and collaboration.

Working in interdisciplinary teams, participants explored possible futures of Balticness and presented novel approaches to strengthening resilience in the Baltic Sea Region.

▶️💡 One particularly exciting concept was the development of a civil preparedness app, designed to help individuals and households prepare for emergencies by providing practical guidance, preparedness checklists, real-time information, and access to essential resources.

The presentations demonstrated not only creativity and critical thinking, but also a shared commitment to building a more resilient and future-oriented Baltic Sea Region.

As the CBSS Summer University 2026 comes to a close, participants leave Gdańsk on Sunday with new ideas, stronger networks, and fresh perspectives for shaping the region's future.

University

Day 5 of the CBSS Summer University 2026 in Gdańsk 🎤🗣️

How can societies prepare for an uncertain future?

Friday's roundtable, "The Manual of Resilience: Safety and Preparedness," brought together experts and participants to discuss resilience building in the Baltic Sea Region.

From left to right: moderator Grzegorz Piotrowski (European Solidarity Centre), Adrian Bucałowski (State Fire Service), Kazimierz Musiał (Council of the Baltic Sea States), Ingrid Nielsen (Estonia's Women's Voluntary Defence Organisation – Naiskodukaitse), and T**e Hanghøj (Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies).

Together, they discussed how societies can prepare for future crises through civil preparedness, national resilience handbooks, voluntary engagement, emergency response, and strategic foresight. The audience - future researchers, policymakers, and decision-makers - actively contributed to the dialogue on what resilience means in practice.

One thought from T**e Hanghøj captured the spirit of the discussion:

"Apathy comes with lack of imagination."

Building resilience means not only responding to today's challenges, but also imagining tomorrow's possibilities - and preparing for them.

Day 3 & 4 of the CBSS Summer University 2026 in Gdańsk 🇵🇱

This week, participants are exploring the past, present, and future of the Baltic Sea Region through lectures, workshops, and site visits.

On Wednesday, the group visited the European Solidarity Centre and the historic Gdańsk Shipyard, learning how grassroots movements shaped democratic change and continue to inspire resilience and civic participation across the Baltic Sea Region.

Today, the focus shifts towards the future. During a Foresight Workshop on the Future of Balticness, participants explore four possible scenarios for the region:
🔹 Relying on Distant Friends
🔹 Safety is a Business
🔹 Pragmatic Resilience
🔹 The Baltic Fortress

By reflecting on emerging trends and alternative futures, participants developed new perspectives on regional cooperation, resilience, and democratic security.

🌊 The CBSS Summer University 2026 is officially underway in Gdańsk!

The week began with a "Setting the Scene" session, where 21 participants from across the Baltic Sea Region and beyond explored their personal connections to the region. By sharing their life pathways and reflecting on how they define the Baltic Sea Region, participants highlighted the diversity of experiences and perspectives that will shape the discussions ahead.

The programme then turned to one of the region's most pressing challenges: maritime security. Together with Captain Rafał Miętkiewicz, participants explored how maritime borders are protected, what hybrid threats mean in today's security environment, and the evolving challenges facing the Baltic Sea Region.

🤝 The Summer University is organised within the YoPeNET-Futures project by the Council of the Baltic Sea States together with its project partners, including the IFZO at the .