Africa is experiencing a profound technological transition. Digitalisation, artificial intelligence, automation, renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, biotechnology and data-driven decision-making are increasingly influencing the way people learn, work, produce and conduct business.

At the same time, African countries continue to face major development challenges, including youth unemployment, skills mismatches, limited industrialisation, energy insecurity, low agricultural productivity, environmental degradation, inadequate digital infrastructure and unequal access to quality education.

These challenges require a new generation of professionals capable of combining technical competence, creativity, entrepreneurship, digital literacy and problem-solving skills.

Technical and vocational education and training institutions are particularly important in this transformation because they prepare learners for practical occupations and industrial production. Technical teacher education must therefore evolve alongside technological change.

The Higher Technical Teachers’ Training College (HTTTC), Kumba, University of Buea, is strategically positioned to contribute to this transformation. Its academic and research activities span several areas including agriculture, engineering, ICT, management, social economy and family management, guidance and counselling and related technical disciplines.

The research profile reflected in recent JTIS publications demonstrates the breadth of these areas. Recent publications include studies on neural-network-assisted mechanical fault diagnosis, digital technology adoption in agribusiness, internet access and healthcare delivery, agricultural innovation, enterprise education and entrepreneurship.

The proposed conference therefore represents a natural evolution of HTTTC’s research agenda.

The previous conference emphasis on entrepreneurship and small businesses established an important foundation around innovation, enterprise development and economic growth. The 3rd Annual Conference can build on this foundation by placing emerging technologies, Artificial Intelligence, technical education and sustainable development at the centre of discussion.

The proposed theme is intentionally interdisciplinary. It provides opportunities for scholars from education, engineering, agriculture, ICT, management, economics, environmental sciences, social sciences and other disciplines to participate.