University of Lagos (UNILAG) researchers, academics, and postgraduate students are invited to submit abstracts for the 8th African Council for Distance Education (ACDE) Triennial Conference. The conference hosted by the University of South Africa (UNISA) will hold from Monday, April 12 to Friday, April 16, 2027 at Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), Cape Town, South Africa.
With the theme, ”Rethinking Anew Sciences for Africa in Current Geopolitics and the Exponential Age,” the conference will provide a platform for university leaders, academics, researchers, policymakers, practitioners, postgraduate students, and industry partners to engage in dialogue, share knowledge and experiences, as well as explore innovations in Open, Distance and Digital Education across Africa.
Conference Sub-Themes
These include:
- Digital Transformation in Teaching and Learning within the ODeL Model
– Online pedagogy, online assessment and micro-credentialing
– AI integration and alternative models of teaching and learning
– Micro-credentialing and lifelong learning
– Design and delivery of Learning Management Systems (LMS)
– Data models, management, engineering and processing in the age of big data
– Ethical, responsible and human-centred AI in education
– Digital inclusion, accessibility and universal design for learning
– Open educational resources, open pedagogy and open science
– Digital inequality, connectivity and the digital divide - Leadership and Institutional Transformation
– Financing, policy, governance issues and the future of universities
– Sectoral, systems and structural issues- Quality assurance and enhancement in ODeL
– Institutional resilience, agility and change management
– Internationalisation, partnerships, mobility and Pan-African higher education
– Decolonising African education
– African universities, sovereignty and Africanisation
– African sciences for the blue economy, diaspora, astronomy, climate change, food security, public health, marine studies, water and space sciences. - Equity, Inclusion and Student Success
– Disability inclusion, accessibility and universal design for learning
– Equity, diversity, culture and linguistic inclusion
– Student support, engagement, retention and success
– Access and participation of marginalised and underserved communities
– Gender equity and intersectionality in digital education
– Mental health, well-being and belonging
– Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), articulation and flexible learning pathways
– Education for refugees, displaced learners and learners in fragile contexts - Engaged Scholarship and Social Outcomes of Education
– Intra-, inter-, cross- and multi-disciplinarity in a convergent world
– Employability and the future of work- Sustainability of education models and social outcomes
– Equity, inclusion and social justice in higher education
– Articulation, Recognition of Prior Learning and flexible learning pathways
Abstracts are to be submitted via https://www.unisa.ac.za/acdesubmitabstract2027 in the following categories:-
- Research papers
- Case studies
- Innovative practices
- Policy papers
- Panel discussions
- Student research
- Pecha-kucha (5-minute presentations)
- Poster presentations
Abstract Submission Deadline: Friday, October 30, 2026 at 23:59 (SAST)
Accepted abstracts will be published in the Conference Abstract Book, while selected authors may be invited to submit full papers for publication in conference proceedings, edited books, or accredited journals, subject to peer review.
For submission guidelines, conference information, important dates, visit https://www.unisa.ac.za/ACDE2027
