On the first day of the Summer School, students will have the chance to settle into their new surroundings and get to know the rest of the group.

The day will start with a welcome and introduction to the programme, followed by the first team-building exercise, where students will travel back in time together through Warsaw’s remarkable historical sites. 

After lunch, our students will have some free time to recharge. The 29 participants will then move to our spectacular evening location for the Inaugural Ceremony. Keynote speeches and welcome remarks by global thought leaders will provide insights into the exciting agenda that awaits them in the days to come. Students and mentors will enjoy their first dinner together and exchange with inspiring experts working to build a more inclusive and equitable digital world. 

The journey towards empowerment and leadership has begun!

Our first full day will focus on everything related to leadership and what is needed to unleash your inner leader. These key modules of the programme will introduce participants to the different types of leadership through a combination of advocacy techniques, knowledge tools and negotiation strategies. The classes provide students with basic skills on which they can build to become strong, compassionate leaders.

The team projects which the students will present on the final day will also kick off. A session on the women shaping the future of Europe and a workshop on impactful digital storytelling will bolster our young leaders’ self-confidence, and potential for social impact. Between networking coffee breaks, our first panel discussion will take place, encouraging a lively debate and including an interactive segment, where students and speakers can exchange views and ideas on how women can make a difference in technology, cybersecurity and the digital economy.

In the evening, our future leaders will be whisked away to enjoy A Taste of Warsaw’s Best-kept Secrets in an unparalleled location. A delicious exploration of Polish culinary culture!

This day is all about technology & ethics, and through it students will be encouraged and equipped to take the lead in the digital transition.

Together we will explore how technology is shaping the future through a series of inspiring sessions and spotlights. From generative AI business models to open innovation, these classes will provide insights into the impact of new technologies and the potential they have to drive fundamental change.   

This promises to be a jam-packed day designed to empower our young leaders and open their eyes to the future opportunities that technology holds. We will wrap up with our masterclass on coding, which is always much anticipated and enjoyed by our students. 

After a busy day, our students will need some downtime, and we have the perfect solution: an evening session dedicated to disconnecting from the world. Wear comfortable clothes and prepare for a restorative journey within! 

We are now more than half-way through an unforgettable week of learning and self-discovery, and today our theme is sustainability. Our deep dive into one of the favourite topics of the ELA community will commence with a series of workshops and debates on how tech can be harnessed to build a greener world, the skills needed to bring forward the twin transition and how female founders can leverage venture capital to fund their green dreams. 

After a networking lunch, students will have some free time to absorb everything they have learned over the past days. The day will end with our evening getaway devoted to fascinating Mazovia, where students will explore the region’s hidden gems!

Today is all about collaboration, creativity and connecting with others. After starting the presence & purpose day with a teamwork session, students will join a series of thought-provoking spotlights and panel discussions. These will explore the value of global collaboration as well as different facets of entrepreneurship, plus trends in connectivity and career paths to STEM. Be prepared to get involved and to think outside the box!

This is followed by the session that past students have consistently voted as their favourite: public speaking. The much-awaited masterclass is designed to help students practise confidence-boosting techniques that will help them stay focused, clear and calm when speaking in front of an audience. Future leaders will learn how to sharpen their presentation skills and deliver messages in an understandable and persuasive manner, and to influence their audience in a memorable way.

We will wrap up the day with some free time before heading to our final session on how students can follow their passion while staying truthful to their priorities and needs. Just one more night until we finish up the programme with a bang! 

And just like that, the week has almost come to an end! Today students will be presenting the group projects they have been working on all week, as part of our empowerment day. This is one of the most inspiring moments of the programme, as we get to see how our alumnae have grown, lifted each other up and unlocked their inner potential. 

Following the presentations, we will discuss the crucial issue of mental health in the digital age. This will be followed by an inspiring exchange with the women helping to make tech more inclusive, as well as with some of the young leaders poised to define the future of Europe. After lunch and a deep dive into fintech, it will be time for our closing session: a unique moment where we will bring all our #NextGenChangeMakers together in strengthening the bonds they have forged over the past week. 

Following the last learning sessions, only a bit of free time will stand between our students and the unforgettable Farewell Gala & Awards Ceremony they have all been looking forward to. The Gala is an occasion to celebrate and crown these intense days. After a special meal and several inspiring speeches, the evening will close with the Awards Ceremony. Students will receive their certificates of achievement – and we will find out which of the 29 will win our prestigious Future Leader award!

The magical evening will close with some fun on the dance floor, and the following morning our 2024 cohort will prepare to travel back home. But they will take an incredible experience with them, and the memories created in Warsaw will last a lifetime.