1st SARUA Conference 2025
Innovating Higher Education for Sustainable Development across the SADC: Innovation for Impact
About
The SARUA Conference theme, ‘Innovating Higher Education for Sustainable Development across the SADC: Innovation for Impact’, highlights the urgent need for universities to adapt to economic, technological and social shifts. In a rapidly evolving world, collaboration across sectors, including academia, government, industry and civil society, is essential to drive innovation and tackle complex regional challenges. By fostering cross-border and multi-disciplinary partnerships, higher education can enhance research impact, inform policy and strengthen its role in sustainable development and economic growth.
Details
Download the conference invitations for full details, includng why the conference is critical as well as the expected outcomes.
Location
The conference will be held in the vibrant city of Lusaka in Zambia.
Pre-conference workshops will take place at the University of Lusaka and UNICAF Zambia, and the conference be held at the University of Lusaka Silverest Campus.
Accommodation can be booked at any of the following venues:
Call for abstracts
These are the themes we’ll be covering at the conference:
Provide:
Programme
Pre-conference workshops
Day 1: 19 May
- Workshop: The ART of Academic Scholarship
Day 2: 20 May
- Interregional webinar on deploying participatory approaches in higher education towards community engagement and SDG implementation
- Leading Higher Education in Africa: Navigating the Impact
Conference
Day 1: 21 May 2025
- Registration; official opening; keynote address; photo session
- SESSION 1: The role of higher education in advancing regional integration, economic development and social cohesion
- SESSION 2: Innovation and transformation of higher education institutions in the SADC region
- SESSION 3: Best practices and successful models of higher education transformation from within the region and beyond
- SESSION 4: Collaboration and partnerships towards impact in SADC higher education
- Closing session; cocktail function
Day 2: 22 May 2025
- Recap of Day 1; keynote speaker
- SESSION 5: Digital transformation in higher education
- SESSION 6: Higher education leadership as agents for change
- SESSION 7: Knowledge co-production for regional development
- SESSION 8: Quality assurance to support higher education innovation
Day 3: 23 May 2025
- Recap of Day 2
- SESSION 9: Sharing experiences from universities in SADC region on some subthemes (poster session); 15 minutes each. Slots for 8 universities.
- Closing; visit to some universities; SARUA AGM
Registration
Exhibitors and sponsors
SARUA invites your organisation to participate as a sponsor or exhibitor, which will give you the opportunity to interact with thought leaders, institutions and academics in higher education and showcase your products and services to the regional and global audience.
The conference is expected to attract about 200 delegates from across SADC and other countries, and there are multiple exibitor and sponsor package options to choose from to make an impact.
