About iASK

The Institute of Advanced Studies Kőszeg (iASK) was founded during a time of global uncertainty and growing interdependence. Guided by Elemér Hankiss’s words, “We have entered a new age of uncertainty,” we find ourselves at a crossroads, needing to ask the right questions and find the best paths forward in the face of climate change, regional political instability, financial crises, democratic backsliding, and the spread of intolerance and violence. Ron Atkin once said that a surprise is an answer to a question we did not ask.

People often cling to illusory or vanishing “certainties” due to a lack of alternatives. Traditional analytical frameworks and concepts fall short in providing satisfactory solutions to today’s challenges. The world has become more complex, characterized by rapid and often contradictory processes. Traditional education fails to prepare students for an uncertain future filled with increasing threats. Personal and social safety, institutions, and the surrounding material and natural world have become precarious. In this context, the role of science takes precedence, offering valid and useful prognoses and explanations for contemporary phenomena. This includes responsibly undertaking scientific inquiry with relevant applications to human societies.