The 2026 AFRETEC Teaching & Learning Symposium

From Evidence to Impact: Advancing Digital, Inclusive and AI-Enabled Teaching and Learning in African Higher Education.

The AFRETEC Teaching and Learning Symposium has become a key platform for collaboration, scholarly engagement, and the sharing of innovative practices that are transforming higher education across Africa. The inaugural T&L symposium in 2024 established a shared vision and strategy for the future of teaching and learning within the AFRETEC network, identifying and implementing five strategic thematic priorities that continue to guide the Teaching & Learning Pillar:

1. Bridging the Digital Divide
2. Academic Capacity Development
3. AI Ethics, Governance and Policy
4. Curriculum Transformation and Alignment
5. Strategic T&L Collaboration and Partnerships

These thematic priorities have informed the Teaching & Learning Pillar activities funded during the 2024 - 2025 and 2025 - 2026 implementation cycles and will continue to provide the strategic framework for future initiatives through 2028. Building on this strong foundation, the 2026 Symposium shifts the focus from conceptualisation to implementation and impact. The symposium will provide an opportunity for AFRETEC institutions to showcase achievements, reflect on lessons learned, strengthen research collaborations, and collectively shape the next phase of the Teaching & Learning Pillar.

2026 AFRETEC T&L Symposium has three primary objectives:

1. Showcase the Impact of AFRETEC Teaching & Learning Projects

Provide a platform for participating institutions to present the outcomes, innovations, lessons learnt, and emerging best practices from the 2024 - 2025 and 2025 - 2026 AFRETEC Teaching & Learning funded projects.

2. Transform Project Outputs into Scholarly Contributions

Facilitate collaborative workshops focused on curating project findings into high-quality scholarly outputs, including journal publications, conference papers, policy briefs, and edited book chapters that showcase African leadership in teaching and learning innovation.

3. Co-create the 2027 - 2028 Teaching & Learning Implementation Agenda

Engage participants in strategic planning sessions that will refine priorities, identify collaborative opportunities, and develop the implementation roadmap for the 2027 - 2028 Teaching & Learning Pillar programme, ensuring continued alignment with the AFRETEC vision of strengthening digital transformation, educational innovation, and capacity development across Africa.

The following AFRETEC partner universities are invited and will be participating in the Symposium:

1. Addis Ababa Science and Technology University (AASTU)
2. American University in Cairo (AUC)
3. Al Akhawayn University (AUI)
4. Carnegie Mellon University Africa (CMU-Africa)
5. Universidade Agostinho Neto (UAN)
6. Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD)
7. University of Lagos (UNILAG)
8. University of Nairobi (UON)
9. University of Rwanda (UR)
10. University of the Witwatersrand (Wits)

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