Leaders in the tertiary education sector locally and abroad are set to congregate at the 8th Annual Future of Education Summit, by CNBC AFRICA in partnership with FORBES AFRICA to discuss digital solutions for student advancement. Following the theme, The Pathway to Digital Transformation, this free-to-attend digital seminar will see academics and business leaders unpacking digital opportunities in education on Friday, 29 July from 10.30am to 3.30pm.
“The potential of digital offerings in the tertiary sector have been brought to the fore the past few years, and while challenges remain – particularly in terms of resourcing for the African continent – there are solutions available to bridge the digital divide,” said Rakesh Wahi, Co-founder of the ABN Group and Founder of the Future of Education Summit. “By collaborating with ground-breaking professionals in the educational sector, we’re able to share valuable insight that takes us all forward in meeting the future needs of staff and students.”
Future of Education speakers and panellists
This year’s Future of Education summit welcomes a number of high-calibre business professionals and academics who will engage in one-on-one interviews and panel discussions around various digitally focused topics. This year, audiences will get to hear from the following speakers.
Prof Andy Schofield, Vice-Chancellor of Lancaster University in the United Kingdom who will be giving the keynote address.
Professor Andy Schofield has been the Vice-Chancellor of Lancaster University since May 2020. He was previously Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Head of the College of Engineering at the University of Birmingham.
He is a theoretical physicist working in the area of condensed matter physics specialising in correlated electrons. He works closely with experimental groups who develop and study new materials using high precision techniques at low temperatures to understand how emergent properties like superconductivity, magnetism and novel metal behaviour arise.
Professor Schofield studied Natural Sciences followed by a PhD at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge where he was appointed to a Research Fellowship in 1992. He moved to the USA in 1994 working at Rutgers for two years before returning to Cambridge.
In 1997 Professor Schofield was awarded a Royal Society University Research Fellowship to work on theories of non-Fermi liquids. In 1999 Professor Schofield moved to the University of Birmingham and was promoted to Professor of Theoretical Physics in 2002. In that year he won the Institute of Physics’ Maxwell Medal and Prize for work on the emergent properties of correlated electrons. From 2008 Professor Schofield occupied a number of leadership positions within the University of Birmingham including Head of the School of Physics and Astronomy before becoming Pro-Vice-Chancellor.
Prof Tshilidzi Marwala, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Johannesburg who will provide a one-on-one discussion on the topic, Transformation in the Education Sector.
Professor Marwala is an accomplished scholar with multi-disciplinary research interests that include the theory and application of artificial intelligence to engineering, computer science, finance, social science and medicine. He has an extensive track record in human capacity development and has published 15 books in artificial intelligence. Professor Marwala is the Vice Chancellor and Principal of the University of Johannesburg and prior to this he was the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Internationalisation and Executive Dean of Engineering and the Built Environment both at the University of Johannesburg. He was recently appointed as Deputy Chair of the Presidential Commission on the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Prof Seth Kunin, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Curtin University in Australia who will join the panel discussion on the topic Digital Transformation in Education.
Professor Seth Kunin is Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Global at Curtin University with a portfolio that includes international relations; marketing, recruitment and admissions; transnational education through branch campuses and partnerships; study abroad and exchange; international scholarships; and quality. Curtin University is the seventh largest university in Australia with around 61,000 students, and one of the nation’s most international, with campuses in Sarawak, Malaysia Singapore and Dubai. Curtin University is the second largest offshore provider with programs in China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Mauritius, Sarawak, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.
Curtin offers undergraduate and postgraduate education across a broad range of disciplines including science and engineering, health sciences, humanities and business. Professor Kunin travels extensively establishing relationships with universities, government agencies and alumni.
Prior to joining Curtin Professor Kunin was Vice-Principal Internationalisation at the University of Aberdeen and Pro Vice-Chancellor Arts and Humanities at Durham University in the United Kingdom. He has taught and researched in Anthropology of Religion in a number of universities in the United Kingdom prior to taking up roles in Senior Management. He also has numerous publications in the area of Anthropology of Religion. Professor Kunin completed his PhD at the University of Cambridge in Anthropology.
Stacey Brewer, Co-founder and CEO of Spark Schools in South Africa who will join the panel discussion on The Schools’ Business.
Stacey Brewer is the co-founder and CEO of SPARK Schools, an independent private school network which provides high-quality education at a price point that is comparable to what government currently spends per learner. Ms Brewer co-founded SPARK Schools in 2012 with a mission to change lives by ensuring that families who have been previously underserved have access to affordable, quality education. The network today has more than 14,000 learners enrolled at 20 schools across South Africa. She has won numerous awards and accolades, most recently being named to the board of the Global Schools Forum, which focuses on how non-state providers can drive education in developing markets.
- Prof Gary Martin, CEO & Executive Director, Australian Institute of Management WA
- Prof Mark Smith, President & Vice-Chancellor University of Southampton
- Prof Stan du Plessis, COO & Economics Professor, Stellenbosch University
- Prof Kirk Semple, Director of International Engagement, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University
- Adetomi Soyinka, Director of Programmes and Regional Portfolio Lead for the British Councils Higher Education Programme in Sub Saharan Africa
- Dan Adkins, Group CEO, Transnational Academic Group
- Amrote Abdella, Regional Director for Microsoft 4Afrika or Dr Jacki O’Neill, founding Director of Microsoft Africa Research Institute (MARI)
- Bradley Pulford, VP and MD HP Africa
- Prof Barry Dwolatzky, Director of Innovation Strategy, Wits University
- Prof Malcolm McIver, CEO & Provost, Lancaster University, Ghana
- Rob Paddock, CEO, Valensure Institute
- Edward Mosuwe, Head of Gauteng Department of Education
Future of Education panel discussion topics include:
- Digital Transformation in Education
- Lessons from Covid & Developed World Transformation Strategies for African Education
- Technology Challenges in Teaching and Learning
- Impact of Technology on Capacity Building, Regulation and Accreditation
- The Schools Business (Digital Transformation in Formal K-12 schooling, supplementary tutoring)
Don’t miss out on these dynamic discussions that unlock technological potential for the tertiary education space! To book your place at the free-to-attend Future of Education webinar, register here https://hopin.com/events/future-of-education-summit-29-july-2022.
CNBC AFRICA in partnership with FORBES AFRICA extended thanks to the sponsors, The British Council, HP and the Transnational Academic Group.
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