Mariia Kulyk, Professor of the Department of Hotel and Restaurant Business Management at the State University of Trade and Economics, participated in the XVIII European Economic Congress on April 22–24, 2026. The event focused on key processes shaping the European reality: from global relations and security, through investments, energy, and digital transformation, to social challenges.

Key discussion topics:

• Europe and geopolitics: rethinking EU relations with global superpowers, European solidarity, energy security, support for Ukraine, migration.
• Sovereignty and competitiveness: building technological and economic autonomy, supply diversification, local value chains, and innovations to maintain competitive advantages.
• Resilience and security: adapting to geopolitical and climate changes, common defense policy, energy security, cyber threats, and resilient supply chains.
• Energy, transition, investments: balancing climate goals and paces of change, the role of renewables, nuclear energy, energy storage, as well as major investments in infrastructure and technologies.
• Digitalization and future technologies: key trends, artificial intelligence, data economy, robotics, and cybersecurity.

The experience, knowledge, and best practices of experts will serve as recommendations for effective solutions to be implemented in the scientific activities and educational programs of the Department of Hotel and Restaurant Business Management, particularly in the context of sustainable tourism and digitalization of the hotel and restaurant sector.