CALL FOR PAPERS: The 4th Industrial Revolution: 2019 Research Colloquium

19 Mar 2019
Dept of Higher Education & Training
19 Mar 2019

Hosted by: DHET and DHET entities: the 21 SETAs, the three Quality Councils (CHE, Umalusi and QCTO), SAQA, and NSFAS.

Place: Gauteng (location & venue TBC)

Date: 18 & 19 September 2019*

Time 08h30-16h30

About the 2019 Research Colloquium

The aim of the 2019 Research Colloquium is to provide a platform for researchers to share new and emerging research on the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR). This topic was proposed because of its growing significance in the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) landscape. The Colloquium will showcase and share new and cutting-edge research on key dimensions of the 4th Industrial Revolution, thus providing an opportunity for stakeholders to reflect on policy and practice.

Background

The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), together with its entities (i.e. the 21 SETAs, the 3 Quality Councils, the South African Qualifications Authority, and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme) will jointly host an annual Research Colloquium on PSET. The purpose of the annual Research Colloquium is to deepen the conversation around PSET, amongst stakeholders, by sharing research findings, and promoting research utilisation and dissemination. The Research Colloquium considers the state of research on PSET; proposes ways of advancing research and innovation to address priority needs of the PSET system; and serves as an interface between research practitioners and users.

Format

The event will take place on 18 & 19 September* in Gauteng. The two-day format will feature an international presentation, panel discussions, and six commissions with two presentations each i.e. 12 paper presentations. The colloquium will focus on identifying:

  • Opportunities that can be explored in promoting the 4IR;
  • Research gaps and existing or potential challenges in the research; and
  • Concrete solutions and recommendations on particular dimensions of this area of research.

In order to engage with the research being presented, and consider implications of the research for policy and practice, we are interested in papers that focus on the following themes:

  1. Using technologies to improve pedagogies, education access, and curriculum responsiveness
  2. Change agents for education, training and employment: Realities for the PSET (on stakeholder roles and responsibilities e.g. SETAs changed, SAQA and QCs changed (QA)
  3. Government shielding decent work agenda: Government tackling youth unemployment
  4. Private education and training
  5. Dealing with information in the 4IR
  6. Balancing skills supply and demand in the context of 4IR
  7. Responsive qualifications development and design in the context of 4IR
  8. The OFO in the context of 4IR

* The colloquium is preceded by a Ministerial Launch on the evening of 17 Sept 2019, of two Departmental programmes: The Post-School Education and Training (PSET) SARChI Chairs Programme; and the Future Professors Programme. A limited number of colloquium attendees can be accommodated should they wish to attend the Launch event.

Submission

Please submit full papers, drafts near completion or extended abstracts** by 19 May 2019 using our online application form. Notifications on contributed papers will be sent in early July 2019.

Please email any queries on submissions to Chris Rooney, and queries regarding the colloquium to Kezia Lilenstein.

** We strongly encourage the submission of full papers. Research submitted in extended abstract form should be made available in near complete draft format, by early August 2019.

Travel and accommodation

Authors of accepted papers are expected to participate in the full two-day colloquium. For those presenters based outside Gauteng, the organisers will provide domestic airfare, hotel accommodation for up to 3 nights only (17-19 September, 2019), as well as meals during the event. Additional travel expenses (including airport transfers etc.) will not be reimbursed by the organizers.