Programme

Explore the sessions, speakers and events planned for the 2026 conference.

The conference runs over two days, 15 - 16 September 2026. The programme below is indicative and will be updated as sessions are confirmed.

Day 1 – Tuesday, 15 September 2026

Programme Director: Charles Hongoro

Time Session Title Presenter(s)
  • 08:00 – 09:00 Arrival and Registration
  • 09:15 – 09:30 Welcome Address & About the Conference Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC)
    National Anthem
    HSRC Video
  • 09:30 – 09:45 Opening Remarks Professor Xoliswa Mtose: HSRC Board Chairperson, Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC)
  • 09:45 – 10:00 Keynote Address Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI)
  • 10:00 – 10:45 Objectives and Reflections on the Conference Sarah Mosoetsa, CEO (HSRC)
  • 10:45 – 11:00 TEA BREAK
  • Plenary Sessions
    Chair: Mpumi Zungu
  • 11:00 – 12:00 Keynote Address Ayobami Ojebode
    Director & Principal Consultant, TRAC Africa – Thousand Hills Research and Action Collective, Rwanda | Professor of Applied Communication at the University of Ibadan.

    Digital Humanities and Artificial Intelligence in Africa: Opportunities, Tensions, and the Imperative for Indigenous Knowledge Governance

  • 12:00 – 13:15 Parallel Sessions
    1: Rethinking Knowledge Production in the Age of AI Ekurhuleni 4/5
    2: Digital Humanities and African Knowledge Systems (1) Duduza
    3: The Future of Work, Education, and Scholarship Kwa-Thema
  • Round table
    4: Digital Publics and Participatory Governance in South Africa Tsakane
  • 13:15 – 14:00 LUNCH BREAK
  • Plenary Sessions
    Chair: Khangelani Zuma
  • 14:00 – 15:00 Keynote Address Mamello Thinyane
    Adelaide University, School of Computer Science and Information Technology | College of Engineering and Information Technology, Australia

    The system is not broken; it was built this way. How then shall we build better?

  • 15:00 – 16:15 Parallel Sessions
    5: Digital Humanities and African Knowledge Systems (2) Ekurhuleni 1/2
    6: Ethics, Power, and Accountability in AI Duduza
    7: Data, Infrastructure, and Sovereignty Kwa-Thema
  • Round table
    8: Charting the Future of South African Elections: Findings from the IEC Electronic Voting Policy Process Tsakane
  • 16:15 – 17:30 Parallel Sessions
    9: The Future of Work, Education, and Scholarship (1) Ekurhuleni 1/2
    10: Digital Inequality and Social Justice (1) Duduza
    11: Digitalisation and African Youth Futures: Life beyond the tech sphere Kwa-Thema
  • 18:30 – 20:00 CONFERENCE DINNER

Day 2 – Wednesday, 16 September 2026

Time Session Title Presenter(s)
  • Plenary Sessions
    Chair: Lucky Ditaunyane
  • 09:00 – 10:00 Keynote Session Tsosheletso Chidi
    Lecturer, Department of African Languages, University of Pretoria | Research Fellow, Department of Computer Science

    Digital Inequality and Social Justice

  • 10:30 – 11:45 Plenary
    12: BRICS Expert Panel: Digital Futures, Global South Pathways Ekurhuleni 1/2
  • 11:45 – 13:00 Parallel Sessions
    13: Digital Inequality and Social Justice (2) Ekurhuleni 1/2
    14: Magnifica Humanitas: Human Dignity, Work and Technology in an Age of Artificial Intelligence Duduza
    15: Communication, Digital Publics, and Society Kwa-Thema
    16: Global South Pathways and Alternative Digital Futures (2) Tsakane
  • 13:00 – 13:30 LUNCH BREAK
  • Plenary Sessions
    Chair: Sharlene Swartz
  • 13:30 – 14:00 Closing Address Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI)
  • 14:00 – 15:00 CONFERENCE AWARDS Closing statement

This is a draft schedule. Times, sessions and speakers are subject to confirmation.