News & Media

Unisa makes significant impact at ALASA 2025 Conference

Share
Banner_Unisa makeks.png

The DLS team, from left: Dr Aaron Mzamani Mabasa, Olivia Khomotjo Ramokolo and Melusi Zimele Mnikathi

The Directorate Language Services (DLS) proudly represented Unisa at the 26th African Language Association of Southern Africa (ALASA) Conference, held at the Polokwane Royal Hotel from 8 to 11 July 2025, and co-hosted by the University of Limpopo. Themed African Languages Beyond Expansion and Preservation in the Digital Age, the conference brought together leading scholars, practitioners and language advocates to explore the evolving role of African languages in education, technology and society.


DLS contributions to the academic dialogue

The DLS team made a significant impact by presenting two thought-provoking research papers:

  1. The Implementation of Multilingualism in Comprehensive Open Distance eLearning (CODeL) Institutions
    This paper explored how multilingualism is being integrated into CODeL institutions, focusing on enhancing accessibility, inclusivity and academic success. Drawing from case studies and institutional frameworks, the presentation focused on the importance of language policy, digital resources and community engagement in supporting students from diverse linguistic backgrounds.
  2. Examining the role of Language Services in supporting the enhancement of learning in Comprehensive Open Distance e-Learning (CODeL)

This presentation highlighted the multifaceted contributions of DLS in promoting linguistic diversity and interpreting, translation and editing services at the University of South Africa. It emphasised DLS’s strategic role in aligning institutional language practices with national policy, including the Use of Official Languages Act 12 of 2012, and other, broader decolonisation efforts.

The DLS delegation engaged in robust discussions with fellow attendees on topics such as:

  • Human language technologies and their application in African languages
  • Terminology development for technical domains
  • Language policy and planning in higher education
  • The intersection of language, identity and digital transformation

Their participation underscored DLS’s commitment to fostering multilingualism as the cornerstone of inclusive education and cultural preservation.

As Unisa continues to embrace multilingual education, the insights shared by DLS at ALASA 2025 will inform future strategies for language services in open distance learning environments. The team’s contributions reaffirm the importance of language equity in shaping a more accessible and representative academic landscape.

* By Olivia Khomotjo Ramokolo, Supervisor, Directorate Language Services

Share

Publish date: Wed Jul 30 09:44:40 SAST 2025

Unisa Shop