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SRI AFRICA REGIONAL CONFERENCE 2026
22-26 June 2026 in Stellenbosch, Cape Town, South Africa.
For more information on the conference, please visit sricongress.org
The SRI 2026 Africa Regional Conference invites individuals, networks, and organisations to submit session proposals that reflect innovative thinking, inclusion, and collaboration between disciplines and sectors. The sessions should inspire participants to explore solutions to sustainability challenges through research, policy dialogue, knowledge exchange, or practical implementation.
We encourage proposals that:
- Promote transdisciplinary collaboration between academia, policy and practice,
- Showcase innovative research or technologies that contribute to sustainable development,
- Strengthen science-policy interfaces and the uptake of research outcomes,
- Highlight African-led initiatives and regional success stories,
- Foster youth engagement, gender equity, and community participation,
- Explore emerging sustainability frontiers, such as AI, digital transitions, and renewable energy.
This call is open to all sectors, including academia, government, civil society, business, media, philanthropy, and the arts. Proposals that bring together diverse partners and perspectives are especially encouraged.
Session proposals for the 2026 Conference Programme are invited by 15 January 2026 (17:00 SAST (GMT +2)
Themes
This year’s Conference focuses on “Advancing African-led solutions for sustainability transformation”, highlighting the continent’s growing role in shaping a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient future. The Conference will emphasise practical collaborative solutions that address Africa’s unique sustainability challenges through research, innovation, and policy integration. In addition to the main focus, the Conference will explore a range of related sub-themes. Session proposals should align with the overall vision of the Conference and address one or more of the following themes:
- Green, Blue, and Land Economies for Sustainable Transformation
- Water, energy, food and health nexus
- Sustainable resource management across marine, freshwater, and terrestrial systems
- Innovative financing models, sustainable investments, and circular economy
- Sustainability Technologies and Artificial Intelligence for Environmental Action
- Digital sustainability
- Innovations and technologies that minimise environmental impact and promote long term ecological balance
- Artificial intelligence, data analytics, and digital twins for environmental monitoring for early warning systems
- Climate Justice and Resilience
- Just transition
- Resilience and mitigation
- Degrowth theory, climate risk governance, and the just transition
- Knowledge Systems and Innovation for Science Policy Integration
- Indigenous knowledge systems
- Co-production of knowledge across science, policy, and indigenous systems
- Knowledge management and science-policy interface
Each theme encourages interdisciplinary and cross-sector engagement, showcasing Africa’s contribution to global sustainability science.
Session Design
Sessions can take on a variety of designs to facilitate a range of generative experiences for session leaders and participants. The proposal submission form will ask you to designate one of three types of sessions: (1) Panel Discussion, (2) Workshop, (3) Interactive Session. The SRI 2026 Africa Regional Conference team will then follow up with all chosen session convenors to discuss the details and offer assistance.
- Panel Discussions: The 3-5 panel speakers, chosen by session organisers, each have a few minutes to speak towards a specific question or questions before getting questions from the panel facilitator and directly from the audience. (90 minutes)
- Training AND/OR Workshops: An inclusive session geared towards building capacity and/or teaching skills to its participants. (90 minutes)
- Interactive Session: There are multiple participatory and innovative approaches for sharing ideas and advancing solutions. Working in concert with the SRI2026 Africa Regional Conference team you will be able to co-design an exciting session to address your topic and meet your goals. (90 minutes)
- Sustainable Technologies Pitches/Demos: Introduce your technology as the unique solution you offer, explaining, in simple terms, how it works and why it matters by emphasising its benefits and unique value proposition (UVP), with visuals such as screenshots or diagrams to aid understanding and a brief live demo if feasible; define your target market and its size using a bottom-up approach to demonstrate a viable opportunity, and clearly articulate how your solution stands apart from and improves upon existing alternatives; provide evidence of market validation i.e. customer reviews, pilot results, early sales figures and outline your business model, go-to-market plan, and revenue generation strategy, tying everything together to show a cohesive narrative of why the solution you propose is sustainable.
General information for All Session Contributors
- All session contributions must have an organiser/single contact point who is responsible for confirming speakers, session logistics, and reporting results to the Scientific Committee of the SRI 2026 Africa Regional Conference.
- Session organisers should prioritise attending a virtual 30-minute Conference platform training prior to the Conference.
- Session organisers should plan to meet with representatives from the Scientific Committee of the SRI 2026 Africa Regional Conference to get input on their session at least once prior to the Conference in June.
- In the case of similar proposals being submitted, the SRI Africa Regional Conference 2026 Scientific Committee may ask those organisers to collaborate and co-create a combined session.
- Given space limitations for concurrent sessions, we cannot ensure session acceptance.
- SRI is interested in supporting contributions from young and early career professionals, researchers, and Indigenous Peoples, as well as participants from low- and middle-income countries and communities. Please, see the definitions below:
- *Early career: We define an early career as anyone whose career has started within the last 10 years. This includes researchers who have received their Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in the last 10 years or their PhD in the last six years, as well as professionals working at the interface of society, policy, practice, and research.
- Low- and middle-income countries: Low- and middle-income countries are defined according to the OECD DAC list of ODA recipients.
- Indigenous groups: Indigenous groups are defined according to Article 1 (1b) of the International Labour Organisation’s Convention concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples (ILO No. 169). This convention applies to: a) tribal peoples in independent countries whose social, cultural and economic conditions distinguish them from other sections of the national community, and whose status is regulated wholly or partially by their own customs or traditions or by special laws or regulations; (b) peoples in independent countries who are regarded as indigenous on account of their descent from the populations which inhabited the country, or a geographical region to which the country belongs, at the time of conquest or colonisation or the establishment of present state boundaries and who, irrespective of their legal status, retain some or all of their own social, economic, cultural and political institutions.
Criteria for Selection
The SRI 2026 Africa Regional Conference Scientific Committee intends to build on your successes and select sessions that will be generative, interactive, inclusive, focus on solutions and are clearly linked to one or more of the Conference themes. These values are reflected in the rubric on which all submissions to the session will be scored by the Scientific Committee.
Criteria |
Excellent (5) |
Good (4) |
Fair (3) |
Needs Improvement (1-2) |
Theme |
The topic of the proposed session clearly links to the themes of the Congress |
The topic of the proposed session links to one or more of the themes of the Congress |
The topic of the proposed session is solutions oriented but not clearly linked to one of the themes |
The topic of the proposed session is not solutions oriented nor in line with the SRI 2026 Africa Regional Conference themes |
Inclusive |
The session includes ALL 3 of the following: diverse perspectives, engagement with multiple sectors, and a transdisciplinary perspective |
The session includes 2 of the 3 of the following: diverse perspectives, engagement with multiple sectors, and a transdisciplinary perspective. |
The session includes 1 of the 3 of the following: diverse perspectives, engagement with multiple sectors, and a transdisciplinary perspective |
The session includes none of the following: diverse perspectives, engagement with multiple sectors, and a transdisciplinary perspective. |
Generative |
The session goals and outcomes are clearly described and well matched with session format. Session participants leave with an action |
The session goals OR outcomes are described but not both. Unclear what the take-away action is for session participants |
While the session has goals described, it is unclear how the proposed plan will lead to said outcomes |
The proposed session has no tangible outcome nor goals provided. |
Session Team |
Session Team members each represent different disciplines, sectors, and regions of the world |
Session team members represent 2 of the 3: different disciplines, sectors, or regions of the world |
Session team members only represent one of the following: different disciplines, sectors, or regions of the world |
Session team members are all from the same organization and/or same discipline and/or country |
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More information at sricongress.org.