Transformative Education and Lifelong Learning For Sustainable Growth

TELLS 2026 Conference

5th Annual International Future Education Conference

15 - 16 September 2026 Kigali, Rwanda.

Register

Registration fees

  • Students: 30 000 Frw
  • Others: 60 000 Frw

Venue: University of Rwanda, Nyarugenge Campus.

Virtual Participation:     08:00 - 17:00 Kigali Time ( GMT+2 Hours)

Zoom link: https://uiano.zoom.us/j/69034239921?pwd=ckW5jQ8e3UPCXxdBHqyluiuCnaBlxJ.1



Transformative Education,

Digital Innovation, and Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Development

The Transformative Education and Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Growth (TELLS) project is a collaborative initiative involving the University of Rwanda, University of Agder, Makerere University, and Jimma University.

The 5th TELLS Conference marks the endline project conferencevand provides a platform for showcasing research outputs, institutional transformation experiences, digital innovation practices, and lifelong learning initiatives developed through the TELLS partnership.

The conference will bring together researchers, postgraduate students, academics, university leaders, policymakers, development partners, and education practitioners to reflect on achievements, lessons learned, and future collaboration opportunities for sustainable education transformation in Africa and beyond.

Call for Abstracts

TELLS2026 organising committee Invites you to submit abstract(s) for presentation at the conference. This event will serve as a platform for sharing innovative ideas, Cutting-edge research, and emerging trends in Future Education.

The conference will be conducted in a hybrid format, allowing both physical and online participation.

Important deadlines

  • Abstract submission: 20 July 2026
  • Notification of acceptance: 31 July 2026
  • Final abstract submission: 15 August 2026
  • Full paper submission: 30 August 2026

Transformative Education and Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Growth (TELLS) project is a collaborative initiative among four partner universities:

  • University of Rwanda 
  • University of Agder 
  • Makerere University 
  • Jimma University 

The project has focused on strengthening postgraduate education, research capacity, digital learning, lifelong learning systems, and institutional collaboration for sustainable development.

This conference will bring together: TELLS postgraduate students and graduates;University leaders and policymakers; Researchers and academics; Development partners; Education practitioners; Media and stakeholders in education and innovation. 

Conference Main Theme:

Transformative Education, Digital Innovation, and Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Development: Lessons from the TELLS Partnership

Track 1: Transformative Higher Education and Institutional Change

  • Transforming postgraduate education in Africa 
  • Curriculum innovation in higher education 
  • Competence-based postgraduate training 
  • University–community engagement 
  • Institutional leadership and change management 
  • Quality assurance in postgraduate education 

Track 2: Digital Education, AI and Learning Technologies

  • Digital transformation in higher education 
  • AI in education and research supervision 
  • Learning Management Systems and blended learning 
  • Open Educational Resources (OER) 
  • Digital pedagogy and assessment 
  • Virtual mobility and international classrooms 

Track 3: Research Capacity Building and Doctoral Education

  • Doctoral supervision models 
  • Research collaboration and internationalization 
  • Publishing and academic writing 
  • Research ethics and open science 
  • Interdisciplinary research approaches 
  • Research impact and knowledge translation 

      Track 4: Transferable Skills & Lifelong Learning

      • Esports in higher education and professional settings
      • Esports digital and innovative impact
      • Game based learning
      • Integrating esports into curriculum
      • Transferable skills for future work
      • Digital games, entrepreneurship and job creation

      Track 5: TELLS Project Impact, Lessons and Future Partnerships

      • Institutional impact of TELLS 
      • Student and graduate experiences 
      • Project management lessons 
      • Sustainability of project outcomes 
      • Future joint programmes 
      • Building African–European research partnerships 


      Important deadlines

      • Abstract submission: 20 July 2026
      • Notification of acceptance: 31 July 2026
      • Final abstract submission: 15 August 2026
      • Full paper submission: 30 August 2026

      Key topics / themes

      1. Transformative Higher Education and Institutional Change
      2. Digital Education, AI and Learning Technologies
      3. Research Capacity Building and Doctoral Education
      4. Transferable Skills and Lifelong Learning
      5. TELLS Project Impact, Lessons and Future Partnerships
      6. Emerging Trends in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Education
      7. Open Education Resources (OER): Democratizing access to knowledge in Higher Education
      8. Collaborative Approaches to Enhancing Research in Higher Education
      9. Policies for the digital age: Enabling Higher Education Transformation
      10. Micro-Credentials for Lifelong Learning Addressing Industry needs
      11. Redesigning Curricula for Future Jobs: Focus on Digital and Intercultural Competencies
      Submit

      Submission guidelines

      • Abstract Length: 250-300 words.
        • Microsoft Word format, Times New Roman, font size 12.
      • Format: Title, Author(s), Affiliation(s), Keywords, Background, Methods, Results, and Conclusion
      • Reference style: APA7
      • Content focus on education and title must indicate a thematic area selected from any of the 11 (eleven) provided themes. Authors’ full contact details, affiliation must be indicated through the abstracts submission page.

      Program

      DAY ONE:

      Tuesday 15 Sept 2026 

      09:00 - 12:00 TELLS Steering Board Meeting [Closed Session For TELLS Steering Board Members Only]

      12:00 - 13:00 Lunch 

      13:00 - 13:30 Arrival and Registration of Participants

      13:30 – 14:00 TELLS project presentation video & Opening Remarks:

      Project Coordinator at UR, Dr Mathias Nduwingoma

      Principal, College of Education, University of Rwanda, Prof. Florien Nsanganwimana

      14:00 - 14:45 Keynote Speech 1, Prof. Dr. Frank Reichert, University of Agder

      14:45 – 15:00 Official photo moment

      15:00 - 15:30 Coffee/Tea Break

      15:30 – 16:30 Discussion panel: Digital Transformation, AI and Lifelong Learning: The Future of Education in Africa and Beyond

              • Prof Paul Muyinda Birevu (Makerere University),
              • Dr Olivier Habimana (University of Rwanda)
              • Prof Alexandra Lazareva (University of Agder)

      Moderator: Dr Claude Karegeya

      16:30 – 17:15 Networking & Poster Presentations

      17:30 – 20:30 Gala Dinner / Cocktail


        DAY TWO

        Wednesday 16 Sept 2026

         

        08:30 – 09:00 Arrival and Registration

        09:00 - 09:10  Wrap up of day 1 & key announcements

        09:10 - 09:40  Keynote Speech 2:  Associate Prof. Dr. Tobias Scholz, University of Agder

        09:40 - 10:00  Coffee/Tea Break

        10:00 – 12:30  Parallel sessions (Hybrid presentations)

        12:30 – 12:45   Closing remarks, Vice Chancellor, University of Rwanda

        12:45 - 13:00   Closing Ceremony

        13:00 - 14:00  Lunch

        14:00 – 17:00  Networking & Kigali City Tours

          For conference inquiries

          Contact

          - Dr Mathias Nduwingoma  m.nduwingoma@ur.ac.rw(Tel. with WhatsApp: +250788897814)

          - Associate Prof. Dr. Irenee Ndayambaje i.ndayambaje1@ur.ac.rw(Tel. with WhatsApp: +250 788 609 810)

          Get in Touch

           
           
           
           
          Transformative Education and Lifelong Learning For Sustainable Growth
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