UNIVEN JES Second Biennial Conference Highlights Sustainable Education Initiatives

The Journal of Educational Studies which is the only DHET accredited journal at the University of Venda held its second Biennial Conference from 22-25 July 2025, at Warmbaths, A Forever Resort, in Bela-Bela. Building on the success of its inaugural 2023 conference held at the Skukuza Safari Lodge in the Kruger National Park, this year, the JES brought together nearly 50 delegates to explore the theme of Sustainable Development in Education. The conference delegates encompassed academics, researchers, education practitioners, and postgraduate scholars from across different institutions in South Africa and beyond, creating a vibrant intellectual space for collaboration, reflection, and the sharing of impactful research.

The Conference was rich and multifaceted, featuring keynote addresses by Prof Brahm Fleisch of Wits University, thematic workshops by Prof Felix Maringe who is the Chief Editor of the Journal from University of Kigali and Emeritus Prof Azwidohwi Kutame. There were over 80 paper presentations. The conference featured a combination of plenary and breakaway sessions designed to maximise engagement and knowledge sharing. Plenary sessions brought all delegates together for keynote addresses and collective reflections, while breakaway sessions allowed for more focused discussions across multiple thematic streams. These parallel sessions enabled participants to explore a wide range of topics, from inclusive education and digital transformation to curriculum innovation and teacher development in an intimate and interactive setting.
Prof Lufuno Makhado, a Professor in the Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences at UNIVEN, welcomed esteemed delegates to the Journal of Educational Studies’ Second Biennial Conference. He opened the conference expressing that “as education actors, whether in the sustainable policy space as well as in the community, we shoulder a deep responsibility to make education not only accessible but meaningful, resilient, and it should be just.” He said the conference aimed to address key themes such as equity, quality, and resilience in education, with a focus on achieving inclusive, equitable, and quality education for all by 2030. He encouraged attendees to engage, not only as researchers and professionals, but as stewards of possibilities. Prof Makhado further advised them to proceed with purpose and to leave the conference not only informed, but transformed and ready to fight the sustainable change in various institutions, communities, policies and classrooms.
The JES Conference started with a workshop by Prof Azwidohwi Kutame Emeritus Profes-sor and Prof Felix Maringe, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Institutional Development, Research, and Innovation, University of Kigali, delivering thought-provoking presentations to work-shop the delegates on sustainable education and postgraduate supervision. According to Prof Kutame, supervision must be “ethical, inclusive, contextually grounded, and transfor-mative” to drive societal impact and foster diversity, while Prof Maringe noted that super-vision should “empower students to own their research challenges, promoting long-term sustainability.” Prof Maringe also advocated for environmentally responsible practices in ed-ucation, such as reducing paper use and embracing circular economy principles, and urged institutions to implement practical sustainability projects to improve student outcomes.
Prof Brahm Fleisch delivered a keynote address on his recent work tracking impactful foundation-al literacy and numeracy interventions in the Southern Africa Region. According to Prof Fleisch, “the region is incredibly diverse” with varying population growth rates and economic challenges, noting that there are powerful ideas emerging across the region about how to include reading and mathematics at scale. He highlighted several innovative programmes, including the Teach at the Right Level programme in Botswana and a community-led literacy programme in Mada-gascar. Prof Fleisch elucidates the importance of evidence-based interventions, stating that “we need to keep paying attention to the evidence and what particular interventions work effectively.”
He discussed several key lessons from his research, including the need for government lead-ership, alignment, and strong assessment systems. He said that “government must be in the lead in addressing SDG 4.1.1a” and that “we need to have assessment, because we need to raise awareness of the challenges that we’re currently facing, and what the world might look like in the future.” He also highlighted the importance of implementation science and the role of district governments in scaling up interventions. Prof Fleisch further men-tioned that “one of the big factors in scaling up interventions is implementation at scale, which is the role of the district government.” He concluded by expressing optimism about the progress being made in the region and the potential for sustainable development.
All delegates who were part of the Journal of Educational Studies’ Second Biennial Con-ference presented their papers that highlighted the innovative strategies for achiev-ing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 on quality edu-cation. Topics ranged from integrating Fourth Industrial Revolution tools in teaching, addressing mental health in universities, and promoting equity through multilingual and in-clusive pedagogies, to tackling educational wastage, gender disparities in STEM, and the role of Indigenous knowledge in curriculum design. The conference accentuated the im-portance of teacher empowerment, leadership, and community engagement in fostering resilient, equitable, and future-ready education systems across South Africa and beyond.
In his closing the JES Editor-in-Chief Prof Felix Maringe address praised the confer-ence’s focus on sustainability in education, calling it timely as we approach 2030 SDG targets. He emphasised the need to move beyond narrow research agendas toward broader, real-world impact. He emphasised that researchers must not only gener-ate knowledge but actively apply it in the field. Prof Maringe also highlighted the grow-ing shift in universities from research alone to research, innovation, and enterprise. This change encourages translating evidence into practical, inclusive, and sustainable solutions.
Looking forward, he called for faster progress in achieving quality and inclusive education through collaboration and action. He urged strengthening both transdisciplinary research and transnation-al partnerships. He said JES conferences in future must be hosted in other countries to expand global engagement. Prof Maringe expressed deep gratitude to all participants, organisers, and behind-the-scenes staff, especially at the University of Venda. He closed by honouring the journal team and encouraging continued commitment to meaningful, transformative educational work.

The conference concluded with a celebratory gala dinner and special acknowledge-ments, which marked the end of a dynamic week of learning and collaboration. As South Africa and the global education community work toward 2030, the 2025 JSE Second Biennial Conference only reaffirmed the power of research, dialogue, and shared purpose in shaping a more just, inclusive, and sustainable education future.

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