The 2026 Issues Forum
“Free Will”
Senior Regents Martina Olivíková from Czech Republic and Zander Ceunen from Belgium will proudly host this year’s Issues Forum. They have some information to share with you, before you attend ISLI.
What is the Issues Forum?
The International Student Leadership Institute is dedicated preparing students for leadership. That is why, every year, our Senior Regents host the Issues forum. During this session, all ISLI participants are invited to share their views on the selected topic and engage in debate with one another.
On this page, you will learn more about this year’s topic.
“To what extent do humans have free will?”
This is the main question of debate.
Before attending ISLI, we invite you to reflect on this question and begin forming your own perspective.
To help you explore where you stand, you will find several sub-questions below. These are closely related to the main question and are designed to guide your thinking as you prepare for the Issues Forum.
To what extent are our decisions pretermined?
This question asks whether our choices are genuinly open, or whether they are already fixed by prior causes.
The theory of determinism holds that every event—including human thoughts and decisions—is the inevitable result of earlier events combined with the laws of nature.
From this perspective, our decisions are shaped by factors such as:
biology (brain structure, hormones, impulses),
upbringing and environment,
habits, experiences, and social conditioning.
If determinism is true, then—at least in theory—someone who knew all the relevant facts about the universe could predict every future action, including yours.
The central issue here is:
Are we choosing freely, or are we simply the next link in a causal chain?
This sub-question challenges the intuition that “I could have done otherwise.”
To what extent can free will and determinism coexist?
This question examines whether free will must necessarily conflict with determinism, or whether the two can exist side by side.
According to compatibilism, even if the universe is deterministic, humans can still act freely. On this view, freedom does not mean being uncaused. Instead, it means:
acting in accordance with your own desires, values, and intentions
without external coercion or force
If you choose something because you genuinely want it, then you are acting freely—even if those wants themselves have causes.
The tension here is subtle: is freedom about being the ultimate origin of your desires, or about acting in line with them?
This question lies at the heart of modern debates about responsibility, law, and leadership.
If free will is limited, does that make human choices less meaningful?
Suppose free will exists only partially— or not at all. Does this diminish the value of our decisions?
Some argue that meaning requires genuine alternatives: if you could not have done otherwise, then your choice may seem empty. Others argue that meaning arises from:
intention,
reflection,
commitment,
and the consequences of action,
even if those actions are causally determined.
This question pushes the debate beyond metaphysics and into human experience:
Does meaning depend on ultimate freedom, or on how our choices express who we are?
It also raises important questions about motivation, personal growth, and responsibility in leadership contexts.
To help you answer the questions,
Senior Regents Zander and Martina have prepared a read-list for you.
Reading this list is a mandatory preparation for you to come to ISLI 2026.
Prepare yourself for debate.
Use the articles, video’s,… shared below to inform yourself about the Issues Forum topic.
They are divided in some categories. We advise you carefully to read at least one article/video per categorie. Of course, reading more will give you an advantage.
Terminology
Crash Courses: get to know the topic in less then 10 minutes
More in depth
For experts: get ready for the Issues Forum
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
about the Issues Forum
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That’s what this page is all set up for: all the articles, video’s and other content shared with you above are meant to help you with the Issues Forum. Every year, our Senior Regents make a selection of some informational content that they use to make their presentation with. It is higly advised to read/watch as many of the information shared above to better understand the topic of this year’s Issues Forum.
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Yes, it is. All sessions are obligatory for all participants. The Issues Forum is the highlight of the International Student Leadership Institute’s forum. During this coming together, you will be able to excel in the leadershipskills that have been taught to you throughout the week.
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The Issues Forum historically takes place on Wednesday at ISLI. During this forum everyone will come together to share their leadership experiences with all their colleagues.
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No, it is not obligatory to write anything as a task for the Issues Forum. We only ask you to come prepared to ISLI and to its Issues Forum. All the articles, video’s and such above are meant to help you to understand the topics better. Of course, if you wish to write something down, we are happy to read it and you may always share it with internationalstudentleadership@gmail.com.
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Every year the debate is different. It is important to know your opinion about the topic so that you are able to go into discussion with others about it. During the Issues Forum you are supposed to have arguments on why you think how you think. The articles shared with you are supposed to help you find your voice.
MORE ABOUT THE ISSUES FORUM •
MORE ABOUT THE ISSUES FORUM •
