On September 7 through 10, 2026, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice hosted more than 250 geographers from Slovakia, Czechia, and other countries at the 4th Joint Congress of the Czech and Slovak Geographical Societies, titled Geography in the Changing World. The opening program included welcoming prominent representatives of the global, European, Slovak, and Czech geographical communities by the management of UPJŠ in Košice.
Prior to the conference’s opening on Monday, September 7, Prof. MUDr. Daniel Pella, PhD., Rector of UPJŠ in Košice, and Prof. Mgr. Jaroslav Hofierka, PhD., Vice Rector for Educational Quality, welcomed representatives of leading geographical communities in the Šafárik Chamber at the UPJŠ Rectorate. Prof. Nathalie Lemarchand, President of the International Geographical Union (IGU); Prof. Zoltán Kovács, President of the Association of Geographical Societies in Europe (EUGEO); Prof. Martin Boltižiar, President of the Slovak Geographical Society; and RNDr. Jiří Preis, Ph.D., Vice President of the Czech Geographical Society were among the guests. Assoc. Prof. RNDr. Roman Soták, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Science at UPJŠ; Assoc. Prof. Mgr. Michal Gallay, Ph.D.; Vice Dean for International Relations of the Faculty of Science at UPJŠ; and Assoc. Prof. Mgr. Ladislav Novotný, Ph.D., Chair of the Congress Organizing Committee and Director of the Institute of Geography at the Faculty of Science, UPJŠ.
During the reception, they discussed the status of geography within contemporary science, its significance in addressing environmental and societal challenges, and the need to integrate approaches from the natural sciences, social sciences, and technology. The discussion also covered international cooperation among geographical societies, the development of scientific ties, and the role of geography in researching climate change, cities and regions, and spatial inequalities, as well as the application of artificial intelligence and geoinformation technologies. At the conclusion of the reception, the guests signed the Chronicle of Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice.
Congress opens at the Faculty of Science
After welcoming the guests at the Rector’s Office, the program continued with the ceremonial opening of the congress in the M5 auditorium on the campus of the Faculty of Science at UPJŠ. Daniel Pella, Rector of UPJŠ, Martin Boltižiar, President of the Slovak Geographical Society, and Jiří Preis, Vice President of the Czech Geographical Society, representing Assoc. Prof. Pavel Chromý, president of the society, addressed the participants.
“The surrounding environment influences the quality of our daily lives, including our health. Geography is therefore undoubtedly one of the scientific disciplines that enable us to understand the world in a broader context. It connects natural processes and the functioning of cities and regions with social changes, while also offering tools to predict their future development, which can help us improve the conditions of the environment in which we live. I am pleased that Košice, our university, and its Faculty of Science have become the venue for a gathering of leading European and global experts,” said Daniel Pella, Rector of UPJŠ.
Zoltán Kovács, President of EUGEO, also emphasized the significance of the joint organization of the congress by the Czech and Slovak geographical communities, as well as its openness to the international community. A significant portion of the scientific program was conducted in English, which gave the event a broader European and international dimension.
The Congress Brings Geography, Society, and Technology Together
Among the congress’s main guests were Prof. Nathalie Lemarchand, President IGU, who spoke on the transformation of large commercial complexes; EUGEO President Prof. Zoltán Kovács, who gave a lecture on the challenges of sustainable cities; and Prof. Jakub Langhammer from Charles University in Prague, who discussed how technology and artificial intelligence are changing geographical research and the work of geographers.
The academic program featured plenary lectures and panel discussions, as well as thematic sessions, poster presentations, a teaching day, and concluding field trips. The program covered a wide range of topics, from GeoAI and remote sensing to urban development, transportation, migration, and regional disparities, as well as natural hazards and landscape changes.
The conference concluded on Thursday, September 10, when participants moved from the university campus to the field for full-day and half-day field trips focused on current changes in the landscape of Košice and its surroundings, as well as their historical and natural contexts.
