“Well, friends, there’s no question in my mind, last Wednesday morning, we entered a different world, maybe not for ever but for four whole years at the very least.” Misha Glenny opened the conference in response to the results of the U.S. elections and the global situation, which represents a shift in global powers toward protectionism and leads to greater pressure in the area of security. Among other things, Misha Glenny stated that the current geopolitical situation poses a fundamental challenge for Europe. According to him, Europe should expand into the Western Balkans, invest in its defense, integrate military capacities, unify capital markets, and listen to the recommendations of Mario Draghi.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavský emphasized that the United States will remain Europe’s key ally in NATO and called for Europe to be ready to take on greater responsibility for its own security. “Fair burden-sharing for defense is crucial,” he stated. The main message of Minister Lipavský reflected the outcome of the U.S. elections. “As Europe, we should perceive the change of leadership in the White House as an opportunity. An opportunity to take greater responsibility for our own security,” he said, warning against populism and hybrid threats.
“Ukraine is now fighting for its existence. And when I say these words, someone is dying.” – These were the words of Oksana Rubaniak, who spoke as a special guest at the Aspen Annual Conference 2024, where she shared her story and thanked the Czech Republic for its support of Ukraine.
Oksana Rubaniak, dubbed the “Princess Warrior” by the media, joined the Volunteer Unit No. 3 of the Ivano-Frankivsk territorial community on February 24, 2022, and later became part of the Ukrainian Armed Forces as the only woman in a machine gun squad. Despite being seriously injured in Vuhledar in March 2023, she returned to the front by the end of June and now serves as a squad leader. “Like many friends, I was scared, but we never doubted that we would fight, not only for our country, but we were aware that Ukraine is the shield of Europe.”
The former Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, Lord Stuart Peach, in his presentation during the panel “Innovation in Defense: Challenges in the Space and Cyber Domains,” emphasized the need to accelerate all current activities in security and defense.
Minister of Industry and Trade Jozef Síkela stressed the role of a united EU in energy transformation and security against authoritarian regimes. He introduced the Team Europe initiative – a project focused on European cohesion and cooperation.
“The goal is to collaborate with our partners on investments in infrastructure, energy, or, for example, healthcare. These projects aim to bring economic gain, social development, the upholding of universal values, and also further economic cooperation,” Síkela stated, adding that through this initiative, he plans to mobilize up to 300 billion euros by 2027 as part of his new role as a European Commissioner. “We are already supporting 225 investment projects across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and our neighborhood, and we are preparing more projects,” he added.
During the panel on the future of democracy in Europe and North America, speakers expressed concerns about the current state of democracy and the challenges it faces. Benjamin Haddad, the French Minister Delegate for Europe, said that he finds the state of democracy concerning and views it as an urgent wake-up call. Alexandr Braun highlighted the growing polarization based on his experience in the U.S., where people no longer communicate and fail to understand each other. Jacques Rupnik pointed to the sense of helplessness that led to Brexit, and Vivian Schiller from Aspen Digital noted that, unfortunately, in this era, feelings often take precedence over facts. Matt Field, the British Ambassador to the Czech Republic, reminded the audience that democratic countries offer enormous opportunities and advantages, such as the rule of law.
Finnish Minister of Education Anders Adlercreutz emphasized the key values of the Finnish education system, based on equality and decentralization. Teachers, highly qualified with master’s degrees, are independent and have great freedom in adapting their teaching to local needs. The principle of decentralization allows for flexibility, innovation, and effective allocation of resources, with schools combining local leadership with national guidelines. The minister also mentioned new legislation restricting the use of mobile phones in schools and the growing influence of local authorities on education.
A panel discussion on the effectiveness and future of the education system presented several key perspectives. Minister of Education Mikuláš Bek emphasized the need for larger units to achieve savings and efficiency, while calling for gradual but necessary changes. Petra Pecková, the Governor of the Central Bohemian Region, pointed to the importance of cooperation between municipalities and state support for the creation of federated schools, several of which are already operating in Central Bohemia. According to her, addressing the atmosphere in schools and ensuring political continuity are key. Robert Plaga from the National Accreditation Authority pointed out the risks of isolating autonomy without support and the need for more effective cooperation between municipalities. Šárka Vondrová, headmistress of ZŠ Praha-Nebušice, shared a successful experience of improving school quality and ensuring better conditions for teachers through the federated model, stressing the importance of communicating the benefits of this approach to the public.
The panel discussion on digitization and the development of small and medium-sized enterprises focused on the practical challenges and opportunities associated with technological innovations and collaboration. Zuzana Bílková, founder of Besky, emphasized the importance of digitization for visibility and expansion beyond the region, highlighting the importance of networking activities among entrepreneurs and greater support from the state. František Štrupl from Google Czech Republic emphasized the accessibility of digital technologies and the need for lifelong retraining, which is key to increasing expertise and competitiveness. Richard Antonín Novák from the Prague Data Ethics Lab pointed to regional disparities and the importance of local cooperation, while also highlighting the easy availability of tools like accounting and digital marketing. Lukáš Vlček, Minister of Industry and Trade, urged a focus on lifelong learning and emphasized that the state’s role is to offer tools that make life easier for entrepreneurs, rather than directly interfering in micro-businesses. Pavla Břečková from AMSP Czech Republic highlighted the obstacles faced by small manufacturing firms in digitization, such as the unavailability of advanced technologies and a lack of funding. MP Robert Králíček stressed the importance of motivating businesses to digitize through positive communication and better use of EU subsidies. The panelists agreed on the need for support for lifelong learning and better cooperation between the state, businesses, and educational institutions.
The panel discussion on “The Future of the Czech Labor Market,” based on a study by the Aspen Institute CE and Boston Consulting Group (BCG), addressed the challenges and opportunities in the labor market in the context of rapid technological changes and the impact of generative AI. The discussion was opened by Vít Rakušan, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior of the Czech Republic, who mentioned that two AI-related initiatives are underway at the Ministry of the Interior: one focuses on identifying positions where AI can take over routine tasks, and the other addresses the regulation of this new phenomenon. Rakušan also noted that the state is preparing educational materials for schools to raise awareness of the risks and ethical issues associated with AI.
Jiří Švejcar, a partner at BCG, emphasized the need for rapid changes in the education system, noting that any adjustments would take 5-10 years to show results. He pointed out that AI can accelerate this process if effectively utilized.
Daria Hvížďalová, Director of AI Skills & Learning at 42London, warned that generative AI has the greatest impact on routine jobs, particularly junior positions. According to her, about 60% of managers would prefer applicants to have at least a basic understanding of AI. Hvížďalová also mentioned that according to a study on gender differences, men use AI 20% more than women, which could affect their position in the labor market.
Marian Jurečka, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labor and Social Affairs of the Czech Republic, presented data showing that companies systematically implementing AI see a 30% increase in productivity. He further noted that voluntary job changes typically lead to a 12% salary increase, while changes via the employment office result in only an 8% increase. Jurečka also believes that the labor market in the Czech Republic will stabilize through migration, with 65% of migrants expressing interest in staying and integrating their families into Czech society.
Daniel Krištof, the General Director of the Czech Labor Office, stated that interest in low-skilled professions is dramatically declining, while demand for digital skills, such as data management, website creation, and accounting software, continues to rise. However, the labor market is “blocked,” and people are reluctant to undergo retraining. Krištof also mentioned that subsidies for digital education are available, but more needs to be invested in promoting and effectively utilizing them.
Jana Matesová, an economist and former deputy representative of the Czech Republic at the World Bank, warned that the Czech Republic is still relying on an outdated business model. Without adopting innovations and modernizing education, a GDP growth rate of 2-3% per year is unsustainable. She also warned that AI development is highly energy-intensive, and combined with high energy costs in the Czech Republic, this creates an unfavorable environment for the growth of AI technologies.
The panelists agreed that the labor market is undergoing a fundamental transformation, which must be actively managed. The key is supporting lifelong learning, fostering collaboration between the state, the private sector, and educational institutions, and adopting technologies that will increase labor productivity and enhance the competitiveness of the Czech Republic.
Watch the recording of the event and the published expert reports.