Unisa, in partnership with the African Council for Distance Education (ACDE), will host the ACDE’s 20^th Anniversary Seminar, marking a milestone of two decades of the council’s leadership in strengthening open, distance and e-learning (ODeL) across the African continent. The seminar will be held on 29 and 30 January 2026 at Unisa’s Muckleneuk Campus in Pretoria, under the theme Transforming African distance education: Emerging technologies, institutional digitalisation and inclusive quality assurance.

The ACDE is a continental organisation that fosters collaboration, research and quality assurance in open distance learning (ODL), including e-learning, to expand access to quality education and training on the African continent. Therefore, its objectives include promoting research in ODL and providing training to enhance the skills of educators and administrators involved in distance education, as well as contributing to the formulation of policies that support the advancement of distance education in Africa.

The seminar will bring together vice-chancellors, policymakers, researchers, government partners, development agencies, ODeL practitioners and industry leaders to reflect on and celebrate the ACDE’s impactful twenty-year journey, while engaging with emerging trends shaping the future of distance education on the continent. This will help strengthen the collective capacity needed to position African ODeL as globally competitive, inclusive and responsive to continental development goals such as the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) commitment to lifelong learning for all.

This seminar is held at a time when Africa’s higher education landscape undergoes profound transformation post-Covid-19 epoch. This pandemic has intensified the adoption of digital learning modalities, prompted renewed investment in information and communication technology infrastructure, and underscored the essential role of distance education in widening access for diverse and underserved populations. Nonetheless, the sector continues to confront persistent challenges including digital divides, inconsistent quality assurance regimes, limited research capacity, financial constraints and growing demands for skills aligned to the rapidly evolving digital economy. These challenges, constantly spotlighted in ACDE’s analyses and strategic reflections over the years, reaffirm the dire need for cooperation, peer learning, innovation, machine learning and artificial intelligence among institutions across the continent.

The programme will feature prominent speakers, including Her Excellency Prof Sarah A. Agbor, former African Union Commissioner and Inspector of Administration Ministry of Higher Education (MINESUP) in Cameroon, as well as Prof Kenneth Matengu, Chairperson of the Association of African Universities and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Namibia.

Commemorating ACDE’s existence is not only a celebration of institutional longevity, but also an appreciation of the transformative impact of collaborative leadership, shared continental networks and the resilience of African institutions committed to expanding access to quality education.

Prof Puleng LenkaBula, Unisa’s Principal and Vice-Chancellor and Treasurer-General of the ACDE, remarks: "As Unisa, we are honoured to host this historic 20th Anniversary Seminar, which not only celebrates ACDE’s journey, but also reflects on our collective commitment to shaping an inclusive, innovative, and digitally empowered future for African higher education." She concludes: "We are proud and humbled by the continental leadership and collaboration that continue to advance quality distance education for all."

* By Nancy Legodi, acting Senior Journalist, Department of Institutional Advancement