WACREN 2026 - Session I - AI in Education

As AI becomes an integral part of the classroom and laboratory, Africa faces a critical choice: remain a consumer of external technologies or become a co-builder of its own digital intelligence. This session addresses the urgent need for community-governed AI infrastructure that aligns with African cultural contexts and curricular needs. By moving away from a dependence on foreign ecosystems, the discussion focuses on how research networks, universities, and ministries can collaboratively build trusted platforms. Participants will explore the technical, ethical, and governance frameworks necessary to secure data sovereignty and protect vulnerable learners, ensuring that the evolution of digital education in Africa is self-determined and resilient.

At the end of the session, participants will:

• be able to identify the specific technical building blocks required to move their institution from a "downstream consumer" to a "sovereign provider" of AI services.
• gain a toolkit of policy frameworks and governance models designed to protect institutional data and ensure AI applications are ethical, culturally aligned, and safe for children and vulnerable learners.
• learn how to plug into a regional collaboration network, enabling them to share the costs, risks, and rewards of piloting shared AI infrastructure alongside other African universities and research networks.