AIS Southern African Chapter gets recognition
The Association for Information Systems (AIS) has recognised the Southern African Chapter (AISSAC) as an outstanding chapter for the 2025 academic year. This is the second time the chapter has received this recognition since 2023. The AIS was established in 1994, and its mission is to “serve society through the advancement of knowledge and the promotion of excellence in the practice and study of information systems. AIS is the premier professional association for individuals and organisations who lead the research, teaching, practice, and study of information systems worldwide.” In October 2011, the South African Institute for Computer Scientists and Information Technologists, better known as SAICSIT, met to explore the possibility of forming formal ties with the Association for Information Systems. Following discussions and with permission from AIS, it was officially decided in October 2012 to establish a Southern African Chapter.
The Southern African Chapter, currently chaired by Grant Oosterwyk who is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Information Systems at the University of Cape Town, is open to all Information Systems scholars, researchers, and practitioners. In 2025 the chapter ran several initiatives and most notably the well-attended webinar on digital data research which featured internationally recognised scholars in the field. Through the active participation of all regional scholars the chapter also supports the AIS Doctoral Student College to guide and encourage the emerging researchers in the field. The Chapter also made a compelling case to host the ICIS 2028, which will be the first time this flagship global IS conference is hosted on the African continent.
When sharing the news of the outstanding recognition, AIS Vice President of Membership and Chapters, Jens Dibbern, emphasised that “Our communities play a significant role in advancing the field of Information Systems by meeting the needs of specific research domains, professional interests, and geographic regions. To recognize and appreciate the exceptional contributions made by SIGs, chapters, and colleges in promoting excellence in the study and practice of Information Systems, AIS presents the AIS Outstanding Community designation annually.”
Oosterwyk is humbled by the recognition and says it “validates that Southern African IS scholarship is not peripheral to the global conversation but an active and contributing part of it. For early-career researchers and doctoral students in the region, it signals that there is a credible, active professional home within AIS” He added that the recognition reflects years of hard work by the committee members and demonstrates the broader and active participation by the University of Cape Town researchers and academics in the Chapter’s leadership structures.