Budapest has just hosted one of Europe’s most influential gatherings of university leaders, policymakers, business executives and government representatives. More than 600 delegates from around 60 countries attended the QS Higher Education Summit: Europe, hosted by Széchenyi István University.
While the discussions centred on universities, the real conversation was about something much bigger: Europe’s ability to remain competitive in an age of artificial intelligence, demographic decline and geopolitical uncertainty.
The message was clear: the countries that succeed over the coming decades will not necessarily be those with the biggest economies or the fastest computers, but those that develop, attract and retain the best talent.
The five biggest lessons from QS Higher Education Summit
1. Talent is Europe’s greatest strategic asset
Europe cannot compete with every region on population size or economic growth. Its advantage lies elsewhere: in the quality of its people.
Across almost every session, speakers argued that universities have become strategic national assets. Their role is no longer simply to educate students, but to help countries build the workforce, innovation capacity and research excellence needed to remain globally competitive.
For Hungary, this presents an opportunity. Hungarian universities have steadily increased their international visibility, while stronger links with global partners are helping position the country as an increasingly attractive destination for research, investment and innovation.
2. AI will change jobs—but people will matter more than ever
Artificial intelligence dominated the agenda, yet the mood was far from pessimistic.
Rather than replacing graduates wholesale, AI is expected to reshape almost every profession. Routine tasks will increasingly be automated, making distinctly human qualities—judgement, creativity, ethical reasoning, critical thinking and collaboration—more valuable than ever.
Former chess world champion Judit Polgár perhaps summed it up best. She warned that technology should never replace thinking. The real danger is not AI itself, but allowing technology to do our thinking for us.
The future belongs not to those who can simply use AI, but to those who know when to question it.
3. The future belongs to lifelong learners
For generations, education was something people completed in their early twenties.
That model is disappearing.
As technology transforms the workplace faster than ever before, continuous learning is becoming an economic necessity. Universities increasingly see themselves not as places people leave after graduation, but as lifelong partners supporting workers throughout their careers.
Whether someone is 22 or 52, acquiring new skills will become a normal part of working life.
4. Europe’s competitive advantage is collaboration
One theme distinguished Europe from many of its global competitors.
While other regions often compete through scale, Europe competes through collaboration.
For decades, universities across the continent have built research partnerships, student exchanges and scientific networks that few regions can match. Speakers repeatedly argued that Europe’s greatest strength is not individual institutions but the ability to work together across borders.
Hungary offered an excellent example. Throughout the summit, Széchenyi István University showcased its close collaboration with Audi Hungaria—a partnership demonstrating how universities and industry can jointly drive innovation, research and regional economic growth.
5. The biggest skills gap isn’t technical
Perhaps the QS Higher Education Summit’s most surprising conclusion was that Europe’s greatest skills shortage is not coding, engineering or artificial intelligence.
It is human capability.
Employers increasingly say they can teach technical skills. What is much harder to develop are communication, resilience, teamwork, leadership, adaptability and sound judgement.
As AI becomes more capable, these uniquely human qualities become increasingly valuable.
The question facing universities is therefore changing from “What should students know?” to “What kind of people should they become?”
If you missed it – Higher education and industry: SZE hosts participants on QS Europe Summit Opening Day in Győr
Why this matters for Hungary
Hosting the QS Higher Education Summit: Europe was about far more than welcoming international delegates to Budapest.
It reflected Hungary’s growing confidence within the European higher education landscape and highlighted the country’s ambition to strengthen its position as a hub for talent, research and innovation.
The summit also reinforced a broader message that extends well beyond universities.
Europe’s future competitiveness will not be determined by artificial intelligence alone. It will depend on whether countries can educate adaptable graduates, foster innovation, build partnerships between universities and employers, and create opportunities that encourage talented people to stay and thrive.
In the race for global competitiveness, talent is becoming Europe’s most valuable resource—and investing in people may prove to be the continent’s smartest strategy.
Daily News Hungary was the main media partner of the QS Higher Education Summit 2026.
What’s next? Hungary’s universities are going global — what does it mean for students and jobs? – INTERVIEW with Eszter Lukács
