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Programme

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Programme

30 November – 4 December 2026 · University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg

Provisional programme · subject to change
Day 0: Monday 30 Nov 2026Arrival
  • 14:00–18:00
    Registration and informal welcomeFlower Hall or CLTD (to be confirmed)
Day 1: Tuesday 1 Dec 2026Opening day
  • 08:00–09:00
    Registration and coffeeFlower Hall foyer
  • 09:00–09:15
    Jazz ensemble and national anthemPlenaryFlower Hall
  • 09:15–09:30
    WelcomePlenaryFlower Hall
  • 09:30–10:30
    Provocations: in conversation with the two ChairsPlenaryFlower Hall
  • 10:30–11:00Tea
  • 11:00–12:45
    HELTASA wellness, touch in, provocation and playshopPlenaryFlower Hall
  • 12:45–14:00Lunch
  • 14:00–15:00
    Live interactive keynote: Danny LuiPlenaryFlower Hall
  • 15:00–15:15Tea
  • 15:15–16:15
    HELTASA Playshop (continued)PlenaryFlower Hall
  • 16:15–16:30
    Day 1 weave: what did we hear today?PlenaryFlower Hall
  • 16:30–17:00
    Walk across campus
  • 17:00–18:00
    Cultural connections at the Wits Arts Cultural PrecinctWits Arts Precinct
Day 2: Wednesday 2 Dec 2026Breakaways begin
  • 08:15–08:30
    Optional wellnessWellnessOutside Flower Hall
  • 08:30–10:00
    Student panel (60 min) with The Bebei Engine provocation (30 min)PlenaryFlower Hall
  • 10:00–10:30Tea
  • 10:30–12:00
    Breakaway 1Breakaway8 roomsShow rooms
    • Gold Fields LabSession to be announced
    • Mine Design LabSession to be announced
    • ARM 1Session to be announced
    • ARM 2Session to be announced
    • ARM 3Session to be announced
    • Seminar Room 236Session to be announced
    • Seminar Room 232Session to be announced
    • Flower HallSession to be announced
  • 12:00–12:30Tea
  • 12:30–14:00
    Breakaway 2Breakaway8 roomsShow rooms
    • Gold Fields LabSession to be announced
    • Mine Design LabSession to be announced
    • ARM 1Session to be announced
    • ARM 2Session to be announced
    • ARM 3Session to be announced
    • Seminar Room 236Session to be announced
    • Seminar Room 232Session to be announced
    • Flower HallSession to be announced
  • 14:00–14:50Lunch
  • 14:50–15:20
    Poster session 1 (10 posters)Posters1st Floor Flower Hall
  • 15:20–16:50
    Breakaway 3Breakaway8 roomsShow rooms
    • Gold Fields LabSession to be announced
    • Mine Design LabSession to be announced
    • ARM 1Session to be announced
    • ARM 2Session to be announced
    • ARM 3Session to be announced
    • Seminar Room 236Session to be announced
    • Seminar Room 232Session to be announced
    • Flower HallSession to be announced
  • 16:50–17:20
    Open Space with tea: bring your own conversationOpen Space
Day 3: Thursday 3 Dec 2026Panels and breakaways
  • 08:15–08:30
    Optional wellnessWellnessOutside Flower Hall
  • 08:30–08:40
    Morning weavePlenaryFlower Hall
  • 08:40–09:20
    CHE HEPS provocationPlenaryFlower Hall
  • 09:20–10:20
    DVC panelPlenaryFlower Hall
  • 10:20–10:50Tea
  • 10:50–12:20
    Breakaway 4Breakaway7 roomsShow rooms
    • Flower HallSession to be announced
    • Gold Fields LabSession to be announced
    • Mine Design LabSession to be announced
    • ARM 1Session to be announced
    • ARM 2Session to be announced
    • ARM 3Session to be announced
    • Seminar Room 236Session to be announced
  • 12:20–12:50
    Poster session 2Posters1st Floor Flower Hall
  • 12:50–13:40Lunch
  • 13:40–15:10
    Breakaway 5Breakaway7 roomsShow rooms
    • Flower HallSession to be announced
    • Gold Fields LabSession to be announced
    • Mine Design LabSession to be announced
    • ARM 1Session to be announced
    • ARM 2Session to be announced
    • ARM 3Session to be announced
    • Seminar Room 236Session to be announced
  • 15:10–15:40Tea
  • 15:40–17:10
    Breakaway 6Breakaway7 roomsShow rooms
    • Flower HallSession to be announced
    • Gold Fields LabSession to be announced
    • Mine Design LabSession to be announced
    • ARM 1Session to be announced
    • ARM 2Session to be announced
    • ARM 3Session to be announced
    • Seminar Room 236Session to be announced
  • 18:30–21:30
    Conference dinner at Zoo LakeZoo Lake
Day 4: Friday 4 Dec 2026AGM and closing
  • 08:15–08:30
    Optional wellnessWellnessOutside Flower Hall
  • 08:30–10:00
    Breakaway 7Breakaway7 roomsShow rooms
    • Flower HallSession to be announced
    • Gold Fields LabSession to be announced
    • Mine Design LabSession to be announced
    • ARM 1Session to be announced
    • ARM 2Session to be announced
    • ARM 3Session to be announced
    • Seminar Room 236Session to be announced
  • 10:00–10:30Tea
  • 10:30–12:00
    Breakaway 8Breakaway2 roomsShow rooms
    • Flower HallSession to be announced
    • Gold Fields LabSession to be announced
  • 12:00–12:10
    Move to Flower Hall
  • 12:10–13:10
    HELTASA AGMPlenaryFlower Hall
  • 13:10–13:40
    Harvesting: collective reflectionPlenaryFlower Hall
  • 13:40–14:00
    Closing plenaryPlenaryFlower Hall
  • 14:00–14:30Boxed lunch and departure

Session formats

Every presenter in a format gets the same amount of time. Breakaway sessions run for 90 minutes.

Conversation StarterSix presenters, 15 minutes eachEach presenter takes questions within their own 15 minutes.
Critical DialogueTwo dialogues, 45 minutes eachEach dialogue has 45 minutes for its framing and discussion.
Lightning talk / Pecha KuchaSix talks, 7 minutes each, then 48 minutes of chaired Q&AIndividual talks. Pecha Kucha is 20 slides shown for 20 seconds each.
Workshop / PlayshopOne 90-minute sessionRun by a facilitator team in a room with movable furniture.
Creative DemonstrationThree demonstrations, 30 minutes eachShow the idea, then let the room try it.
Student-Led SessionOne 90-minute session with three contributionsStudents set the questions and facilitate the discussion.
Book launchTwo launches, 45 minutes eachHeld within a breakaway block rather than as a separate programme item.

Getting between rooms

The Mine Design Lab and Seminar Rooms 236 and 232 are upstairs, reached by stairs or a single lift. Tea breaks between breakaways are 30 minutes so everyone has time to move.

Each upstairs room keeps one sub-theme for the whole day, so if you go up, you can stay up.

⏱
1 – 4 DECEMBER 2026
📍
WITS UNIVERSITY JOHANNESBURG, GAUTENG
💻
In-person only

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