SARSA conference 2026 opens at NUST
Regional development is in focus at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), where the fourth Southern Africa Regional Science Association (SARSA) Conference officially opened in Windhoek on Thursday.
Over the next three days, delegates from across Southern Africa and beyond will discuss some of the region's most pressing challenges and opportunities, including urbanisation, climate change, inequality, migration, governance, land administration, technology, artificial intelligence and sustainable development.
The opening ceremony also marked a milestone for SARSA, which was recently ratified as an affiliate of the Regional Science Association International (RSAI). The affiliation strengthens the association's role in advancing regional science globally.
Windhoek mayor Sakarias Uunona highlighted the city's longstanding partnership with NUST. "The City of Windhoek is proud to enjoy a strong and longstanding partnership with NUST through a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2019," he said.
Speaking on behalf of acting vice-chancellor Professor Andrew Niikondo, Professor Harmony Musiyarira, executive dean of the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, said the conference aimed to ensure research delivers practical benefits beyond academia.
"This conference is more than an academic gathering. It is a platform to build partnerships, exchange ideas and ensure research contributes directly to society," he said.
The conference has brought together researchers, policymakers, practitioners and other stakeholders committed to developing practical solutions for a more inclusive, resilient and sustainable Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
The event runs until Saturday.
