The University of Cape Town will host the Times Higher Education (THE) World Academic Summit (WAS) in Cape Town from 29 September to 1 October 2026 in a landmark co-hosting agreement with the University of Bristol, as part of a long-standing strategic partnership between the two universities. This will be the first THE World Academic Summit to be hosted on African soil, a historic gathering that will showcase African universities’ rising influence in innovation and research in the global higher education landscape. The 2026 summit, themed: “Knowledge, justice and futures: Universities in the age of intelligence” will gather global leaders in higher education, research, policy, business and civil society to explore how universities can harness intelligence - human, artificial and collective – to shape fairer, more sustainable and future-ready societies.

THE World Academic Summit UCT and University of Bristol

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The future university

The future university: Purpose, people, pedagogy and planet

As global challenges accelerate, from artificial intelligence to climate collapse, universities must reconceive their purpose beyond productivity and prestige. This theme explores how higher education institutions can balance innovation with integrity, advance inclusive pedagogies and lead with foresight in the service of planetary sustainability and human dignity. It invites a shift from disruption to discernment, from reaction to resonance, as universities shape meaningful, future-ready education.

  • Inclusive education in an age of disruption
  • The future of funding and financial sustainability
  • Balancing technological advancement with ecological and ethical imperatives
  • Cultivating slow, human-centred innovation and knowledge stewardship

Universities and society: Trust, justice and public good

Universities sit at the heart of society, not as ivory towers, but as civic anchors and agents of change. How can institutions rebuild trust, advance social justice and reaffirm their role as public goods? From decolonial learning to community-engaged research, the focus is on making higher education more inclusive, accountable and transformative, especially within polarised and unequal global contexts.

  • Advancing justice, civic engagement and inclusive knowledge practices
  • Universities as catalysts for equity and well-being in their communities
  • Reclaiming integrity, collaboration and trust in fractured societies
  • Strengthening collaboration across academia, government, business and civil society

Universities and society

Reframing global collaboration

Reframing global collaboration: Equity, co-creation and resilient societies

In an interconnected but asymmetrical academic landscape, universities must rethink the nature of international collaboration. Here, we will interrogate how institutions, especially those from the Global South, can lead the creation of equitable and reciprocal partnerships that value co-creation over extraction. This theme explores new models of collaboration that centre mutual benefit, justice and shared leadership in global knowledge ecosystems.

  • Building equitable, reciprocal and impactful international collaborations
  • Strengthening regional leadership in global knowledge ecosystems
  • Measuring success: Evaluating the impact of collaboration

Ethical AI, access and innovation

As society witnesses the rapid acceleration of technological change, it must also grapple with the deepening global inequities that accompany it. This theme will examine the good, the bad and the ugly of digital and AI technologies, and how higher education leaders can confront digital exclusion, harness the opportunities of an AI-driven industrial revolution and shape responsible AI ecosystems attuned to their contexts. It highlights regional-led innovation, inclusive infrastructure development and the critical role of higher education in ensuring that the digital future is equitable, ethical and empowering.

  • Ethical leadership in the intelligence age
  • Addressing digital inequalities and infrastructure gaps in education
  • Regional-focused innovation in AI, data and research

Ethical AI access and innovation

500+
attendees

100+
speakers

250+
organisations

Hosts

UCT participants

60%
senior leaders in attendance

70+
hours of content

95%
would recommend to a colleague

UCT to host Africa’s first-ever Times Higher Education World Academic Summit

The University of Cape Town (UCT) has been announced as host for the Times Higher Education (THE) World Academic Summit (WAS) 2026. UCT will host the summit from 29 September to 1 October 2026 in a landmark co-hosting agreement with the University of Bristol as part of a long-standing strategic partnership between the two universities. As the first-ever THE World Academic Summit to be hosted in Africa, this historic gathering will showcase African universities’ rising influence in innovation and research in the global higher education landscape. The summit, themed “Knowledge, justice and futures: Universities in the age of intelligence”, will gather global leaders in higher education, research, policy, business and civil society to explore how universities can shape a fairer, more sustainable and future-ready world in the face of accelerating technological, social and environmental shifts.

UCT to host Africa’s first-ever Times Higher Education World Academic Summit