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Unisa wins bid to host IAMS General Assembly

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During the 15th General Assembly of the International Association for Mission Studies (IAMS) held in Sydney, Australia in 2022, Unisa’s Department of Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology, in the College of Human Sciences (CHS), successfully won the hosting bid for the 16th IAMS General Assembly, which will be held at Unisa From 17 to 22 July 2026, themed Walking together in mission:  Facing global challenges for a sustainable world. 

Front, from left: Prof Thinandavha Mashau, Vice-President: IAMS, President: IAMS-Africa, Chair of the local organising committee, and Deputy Executive Dean: College of Human Sciences, Prof Bokyoung Park, President: IAMS, and Professor of Missiology at the Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary, South Korea, Prof Puleng LenkaBula, Unisa Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Bright Myeong Seok Lee, General Secretary: IAMS, Prof Fides del Castillo, Regional Representative of Asia: IAMS, and Dr Michele Sigg, Regional Representative of North America: IAMS, and adjunct faculty member at Boston University
Back, from left, Prof Moloko Sepota, Acting Registrar, Byron Stanfliet, Acting Chief Financial Officer, Prof Solomon Magano, Vice-Principal: Institutional Development, Dr Nigel Rooms, Treasurer of IAMS, a Research Associate and co-editor of the Diamond Open Access journal Ecclesial Futures, Dr Matsheliso Molapo, Acting Vice-Principal: Strategy, Risk and Advisory Services, Mathabo Nakene-Mginqi, Chief Information Officer and Vice-Principal: Information and Communication Technology, and Prof Eunice Seekoe, Acting Vice-Principal: Teaching, Learning, Community Engagement and Student Support


Contributing towards social justice and transformation

To affirm, congratulate, and prepare the university to host the event successfully, IAMS’s executive delegation, led by its President, Prof Bokyoung Park, visited Unisa on 1 July 2025. The delegation met with the CHS management, the university’s local organising committee, and the management committee under the leadership of Prof Puleng LenkaBula, Unisa Principal and Vice-Chancellor (VC).

Welcoming the executives, the VC assured them of Unisa’s commitment and readiness to host this event as part of its global mandate to contribute towards the social justice mandate and the transformation of international communities.

Continuing, the VC remarked that the conference’s theme is timely and relevant within the current global context. The world, she said, is facing many uncertainties because of ongoing conflicts, migration, escalating global inequalities, ecological crises, and growing polarisations in all spheres of life.


Efforts to address multifaceted challenges

Park firmly believes that efforts to address these multifaceted challenges and foster a sustainable future require comprehensive and holistic missional responses that transcend regional, ecclesial, and inter-generational efforts towards finding lasting solutions to these challenges.

Some of the themes that the conference will address include:

  • Climate justice and creation care
  • Interfaith collaboration in mission
  • Ecumenical collaboration in mission
  • The role of technology and artificial intelligence in mission work
  • Sexuality and gender identity in mission
  • Practical applications of mission strategies in addressing global challenges
  • The development of public theologies that offer Christian solutions in secular contexts

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Prof Bokyoung Park and Prof Puleng LenkaBula sharing gifts

Both Professors Thinandavha Mashau (Deputy Executive Dean: CHS, Vice-President of IAMS and President of IAMS-Africa) and Solomon Magano (Vice-Principal: Institutional Development) professed their delight to host this annual gathering in South Africa. Magano said: "Under this umbrella, Unisa will bring together the rich tapestry of global scholars to a focal point where they will deliberate on various issues that are current, including the geopolitical fracas, climate crisis, and the ongoing challenges of poverty and inequality. This gathering serves as a vital platform for fostering interdisciplinary dialogue, forging new collaborations, and ultimately contributing to solutions for some of humanity's most crucial concerns."

Mashau expressed that the event serves as a vital platform for fostering interdisciplinary dialogue, forging new collaborations, and ultimately contributing to innovative and impactful solutions for some of humanity's most pressing concerns. "The participants’ contributions will undoubtedly enrich academic discourse and empower participants to drive positive changes in their respective fields and communities across the continent and beyond," added Mashau.

Concluding, Mashau said that the IAMS executive expressed their gratitude for the warm hospitality they received from Unisa and the institution’s readiness to host next year’s assembly, adding: "They were particularly impressed with the state of our facilities, ICT infrastructure, and the envisaged administrative support from colleagues from CHS, who are direct partners in this initiative."

* Compiled by Godfrey Madibane, Acting Journalist, Department of Institutional Advancement, with additional input by Prof Thinandavha Mashau, Deputy Executive Dean, College of Human Sciences, Vice-President of IAMS and President of IAMS-Africa

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Publish date: 2025-07-04 00:00:00.0

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