Where Ideas Strike - An (un)Conference Approach
In the spirit of co-creation and emergent thinking, HELTASA 2026 will again follow its (un)conference format- a deliberate departure from passive, show-and-tell presentations toward a dynamic, participant-driven experience. Like the Highveld thunderstorm itself, our time together will be charged with energy, disruption, and the possibility of new growth. The agenda will be shaped not only by what is presented but by what emerges from the collision and alchemy of ideas, the conversations sparked in corridors, and the collective sensemaking of all who gather.
The (un)conference will be offered in a hybrid by design format, to accommodate both in-person and virtual participation for. We will strive to create an equitable, cohesive experience across modes, ensuring that remote participants are not merely observers but active contributors to the conversations, provocations, and sensemaking that grounds an (un)conference approach. Sessions could take the form of in-person only, hybrid (in-person and virtual participants), and virtual-only participants.
We invite scholarly contributions that are rigorous, reflective, and generative - contributions that draw on evidence and practice while also surfacing questions, inviting dialogue, and co-creating responses to the challenges we face. Whether grounded in empirical research, practitioner wisdom, or emergent experimentation, we welcome work that deepens our collective understanding of what works, what remains unresolved, and what might be possible for The Emerging University.
Below are the formats through which you can participate. Presenters may indicate their preference for in-person, hybrid, or virtual formats, and the programme committee will endeavour to accommodate these preferences wherever possible.
Formats for Participation
What Makes This (un)Conference Different
While we have planned formats, the actual conversations will be shaped by participants - what you bring, what you question, and what you open for co-creation.
Open Mic: An agentic space for participants to voice emergent thoughts, share reflections, or raise questions that haven't found a home elsewhere. This is the petrichor moment - the unexpected, generative scent that rises when the storm has passed.
Harvesting Spaces: Collective feedback and sensemaking captured through Padlet, collaborative notes, or other creative documentation. The storm leaves new growth in its wake; we will harvest what emerges to carry forward into our institutions and practices.
Beyond "show and tell" presentations: We encourage participants to think beyond slides. Use images, objects, storytelling, or simply your voice to invite engagement.
Hybrid by design: We are committed to creating a cohesive experience for both in-person and virtual participants. Sessions will, where at all possible, be supported with appropriate technology to enable meaningful participation irrespective of their mode of participation.
Closing the loop: A facilitated reflective and reflexive session - a moment to survey the landscape after the storm, harvest insights, identify commitments, and consider what we carry forward as commitments to immediate change and co-creating institutional shifts.
Dialogue over presentation: Sessions are designed to generate engaging conversation, not monologue. Even short formats include facilitated discussion.
