NUST to host landmark AI and emerging tech conference
The Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) will host an international conference on the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies in higher education from 1 to 3 October at the Windhoek Country Club Resort.The event, titled the International Conference on Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies in Higher Education (RUAiETH), will run under the theme “Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies in Higher Education: Bridging African and Diasporan Perspectives”.
Organisers say the three-day gathering will bring together academics, policymakers, innovators, industry leaders, and students from across Africa and the diaspora. Discussions will centre on how responsible innovation can support sustainable development, and how African universities can leverage ethical AI and new technologies to tackle pressing societal challenges.
Strengthening collaboration
Participants will also examine ways of strengthening collaboration between policy, industry, and academia, while showcasing case studies from African institutions that highlight practical approaches to driving positive change through higher education.
Prof Fungai Bhunu Shava, Acting Executive Dean of the Faculty of Computing and Informatics at NUST, described the conference as a significant step in shaping the role of AI on the continent.
“The outcomes of the conference are envisaged to impact policy reforms and practice around the responsible use and adoption of artificial intelligence in education across the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,” she said.
Key sessions will explore AI in education, governance and ethics, the application of emerging technologies in teaching and learning, and the challenges of embedding innovation in higher education systems.
Prof Bhunu Shava added that the conference would not only be about immediate debates, but also about creating a lasting legacy.
“It will create a platform for networking and establishing lasting networks across Africa in the education sector, setting the basis for a continued annual convergence,” she said.
NUST expects the event to become a flagship platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration on AI and technology in higher education across the continent.