Since the Southern African Association for Institutional Research (SAAIR) establishment in 1994, it has been committed to advancing the understanding, planning, and operational effectiveness of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the Southern African region and across Africa. As part of its ongoing mission, the Association supports its members by offering capacity development and networking opportunities. Recognising the ever-changing landscape of HEIs, SAAIR strives to expose its members to diverse perspectives, research methodologies, and best practices from beyond the traditional higher education framework.
The 33rd SAAIR Conference, themed “Towards a Transformative African Higher Education in the Digital Age: Equity, Ethics, and Sustainable Impact” serves as a key platform advancing this commitment. The convergence of rapid technological acceleration, the rise of artificial intelligence, and a vibrant youthful demographic presents both unprecedented opportunity and profound responsibility. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across the world have transcended their roles as mere repositories of knowledge; they have emerged as data-driven social actors capable of reshaping entire societies. Yet, at the heart of this evolution lie the imperatives of equity, ethics, and financial sustainability. Equity demands more than access; it requires the active redress of structural disadvantages to ensure no group is left behind. Ethics must move beyond mere compliance, interrogating the values embedded in our technology and the moral principles governing our data. Compounded by the urgency of financial sustainability and student readiness, these themes form the cornerstone of our inquiry.
This conference invites researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and students to explore how data-infused transformation, institutional research, management information systems, academic planning, enrolment management, and quality assurance practices can balance equity, ethics, and financial sustainability while building a resilient, inclusive, and forward-looking higher education system for Africa.
The 33rd conference is hosted by iYunivesithi Walter Sisulu at KuGompo City (Premier Hotel ICC), 13–16 October 2026.
SAAIR exists to:
- Advance research and analysis leading to improved management information for understanding, planning, management, and operation of higher educational institutions and agencies
- Encourage developing and applying appropriate methodologies and techniques from many disciplines
- Encourage collecting, interpreting, exchanging, and disseminating information concerning higher education and its institutions
- Further the professional development and training of individuals engaged in institutional research and analysis
Researchers, institutional research practitioners, academic planners, enrolment managers, quality assurance professionals, policymakers, HEMIS specialists, and students engaged with data-informed decision-making in higher education.