Unisa to host the 3^rd International Teaching and Learning Conference

From 4 to 7 May, Unisa is set to host the International Teaching and Learning Conference 2026 (ITLC 2026)  at the university’s Muckleneuk campus, themed Hope through transformation: Advancing sustainability, inclusion and digital innovation in higher education practices.

This year’s theme is underpinned by the need to address and remain abreast of the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence in teaching, learning, and assessment, and to support sustainable development needs, including Agenda 2063, wellness, human-centred student support services, and transformation.

In addition, the theme calls upon institutions and their stakeholders to explore collaborative ways in which moments of crisis and desperation can be transformed into opportunities for innovation, inclusion, and sustainable growth, and to harness the transformative power of artificial intelligence, adaptive and interactive learning, and digital tools in reshaping the academic landscape to foster an inclusive, top-tier digital learning environment.

Purpose of the conference

The purpose of ITLC 2026 is to provide a platform for higher education practitioners, researchers, managers, executives, leaders, and policymakers to engage critically with the evolving challenges and opportunities in teaching and learning.

In addition, the conference aims to centralise the discourse and debates on sustainability and digital transformation, pedagogical practices, institutional resilience, and the long-term well-being of students and staff. These facets necessitate reimagining curricula, policies, and institutional cultures to foster inclusivity, decolonisation, and human-centred innovation. By highlighting successful strategies and emerging practices, ITLC 2026 will encourage institutions to adopt approaches that are both forward-looking and socially responsible.

Ultimately, ITLC 2026 seeks to inspire and equip participants to implement meaningful change in their institutions. Through presentations, workshops, and interactive sessions, the conference will showcase practical applications of artificial intelligence, inclusive digital learning practices, and innovative pedagogical approaches that promote equity and collaboration. In addition, the conference seeks to move communities from vulnerability to empowerment, from fragmentation to cohesion, and from places of desperation to genuine spaces of hope where students and educators can thrive in harmony and togetherness.

Call for papers and workshop proposals

Contributors are invited to submit papers, posters or workshop proposals aligned with one or more of the following key tracks and themes:

• Artificial intelligence and the future of education
• Immersive and experiential learning environments
• Student digital resilience and well-being
• Inclusive and decolonial pedagogies in a digital age
• Reimagining teaching, learning and support ecosystems
• Sustainability, green technologies and the future of higher education
• Translanguaging in higher education
• Curriculum/ scholarship of transformation and abundance intelligence

Click here for details of abstract and proposal submission

Click here to visit the conference website

Click here to view the conference programme

Click here to register for the conference

Follow the action on social media via #ITLC2026

* By Godfrey Madibane, Acting Journalist, Department of Institutional Advancement