Pictured from left to right: Dr. Charlotte Nunes, Director: CUT SADS, Professor Salochana Lorraine Hassan, Keynote Speaker and Director: Directorate of Learning Teaching and Student Success (DLTSS) at the University of the Western Cape and Professor Muthoni Masinde, Dean: Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology. 

On 8 October 2025, scholars from across South Africa convened for the 11th International Conference on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). Guided by the theme “Doing SoTL Differently, Impactful and Relevant for Lived Realities: Igniting Inclusivity and New Theories,” the conference challenged academics to reimagine not only what they teach, but also how and why they teach.

At its core, SoTL represents a movement of educators who transform the classroom into a space of inquiry and discovery. The event brought together participants from universities nationwide, including the University of the Free State (UFS), University of Johannesburg (UJ), North-West University (NWU), Sol Plaatje University (SPU), University of the Western Cape (UWC), University of Pretoria (UP), University of Mpumalanga (UMP), and the University of South Africa (Unisa).

Dr. Xolani Khohliso, Director: Centre for Innovation in Teaching and Learning, welcoming delegates at the 11^th International Conference.

In his welcome address, Dr. Xolani Khohliso, Director: Centre for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (CILT), spoke with clarity and conviction. He reminded delegates that the SoTL community stands for quality, relevance, and student success, values that shape not only academic practice but also the future of higher education.

Khohliso urged educators to anchor their innovation in the lived realities of modern South Africa and the broader Global South. “Our new approach,” he emphasised, “calls for practical innovation that speaks directly to our classrooms, laboratories, studios, and workplaces. We must connect evidence with design, treat context as a source of strength, and create knowledge that is both useful and rigorous.”

Day 1: Participating scholars at the 11th International Conference on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL).

Throughout the day, presentations and panel discussions explored inclusive pedagogy, digital learning, and the delicate balance between scholarly rigor and human empathy. More than just an academic gathering, the SoTL conference has become a vibrant space, one that every great classroom strives to embody. It is alive with curiosity, collaboration, and the boldness to innovate; a community continually redefining its craft.