Symposium objectives
The symposium seeks to:
• Provide strategic scholarly leadership in addressing national and global challenges.
• Foster meaningful dialogue and partnerships between academia, industry, government and civil society.
• Advance knowledge creation and application within Unisa’s CNAs.
• Promote globally recognised research excellence and innovation.
• Strengthen Unisa’s Africanisation agenda and leadership in African-centred scholarship.
• Inform national priorities through evidence-based research and policy engagement.
• Support translational research that converts knowledge into practical solutions and measurable impact.
• Build future research capacity through mentorship, skills development and knowledge transfer to emerging academics and postgraduate students.
• Enhance engaged scholarship by connecting research with societal needs and opportunities.
Why attend?
Participants will have the opportunity to:
✔ Engage with leading researchers and thought leaders.
✔ Explore emerging research, innovation and collaborative opportunities.
✔ Contribute to conversations shaping national and continental research agendas.
✔ Showcase impactful research and innovation initiatives.
✔ Build networks across sectors and disciplines.
✔ Support the next generation of African scholars and innovators.
Shaping the future through research
The 2026 Unisa CNA Research Symposium is more than a research event. It is a catalyst for collaboration, innovation and transformative thinking.
Through catalytic thinking, we challenge boundaries, inspire new ideas and create knowledge.
Through impactful outcomes, we ensure that research delivers meaningful benefits for society, industry, government and communities.
Join us as we advance research excellence, drive innovation and power change through catalytic thinking and impactful outcomes.