Information Systems third year PhD student recognised at 2026 UKAIS conference

Godfrey Haonga, a third year PhD student, in Information Systems under the supervision of Professor Lisa Seymour, has recently been awarded the best full paper award at the 2026 UK Academy for Information Systems (UKAIS) conference. The theme for the 2026 conference was “Make the World a Better Place: The Future of Intelligent Technology.”

UKAIS was established in 1994 to foster a better understanding of the Information Systems field within the UK. Each year they organise an annual conference which provides a platform for researchers to discuss issues in Information Systems teaching and research and lobby professional/policy bodies on behalf of the field, such as HEFCE, the UK Research Councils, UK business and Government.

The winning paper titled “Designing a Framework to Guide Personalisation of the Learning Process in the Context of African Higher Open and Distance Learning”, and the study presents a framework to guide the design of Personal Learning within African Open Distance Learning institutions, by providing a novel, context-specific solution where such guidance has been lacking. With experience spanning more than a decade in facilitating training on e-learning development and usage, Haonga speaks candidly about the challenges facing open and distance learning, particularly the high rates of student dropout. He hopes his framework will address some of these challenges by providing a more inclusive and effective personalised learning experience in open and distance learning, especially within the African context.

Haonga is funded by the Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI) for Digital Engineering for a period of three years, and he is currently in his third year of funding. The Hasso Plattner Institute Research School at UCT, in Information and Communications Technology for Development, serves as a gateway for educating Sub-Saharan African information technologists, and in the grand scheme, to become a leading centre of excellence in designing and understanding computational solutions.

While doing research and attending conferences is never centred around competing or getting accolades, Haonga is pleased with the recognition and says, “This recognition reflects the continued efforts of UCT and the Information Systems department in producing high-quality research contributions in digital innovation, transformation, and the ethical use of technologies in society, as well as nurturing capable and impactful researchers. Being one of the beneficiaries of the strong academic foundation established by the department makes me proud, especially to receive recognition for the research that I am doing”.