Location: Zingana Hotel, Bafoussam, Cameroon
Date: August 13 – 15, 2026
Theme: Rethinking development through the diaspora and AI: towards sustainable, inclusive and creative development in Africa
Under the High Patronage of the Minister of State, Minister of Higher Education of Cameroon.
Organized by 237DIASPROF — the Network of Cameroonian Diaspora Research Professors and Professionals — the gathering brought together students, academics, researchers, professionals, and policymakers around nine thematic tracks, ranging from diaspora, AI and knowledge co-production to governance, African territories and cities, creative AI, health and social innovation, economics and sustainable development, and the development of AI in Africa. The conference week also featured a free pre-conference workshop on August 12, a professional training session on Cameroon's natural resources on August 13, and an optional cultural day on August 15 with excursions to the kingdoms of Bafoussam and Bamendjou.
Beyond two days of panels, presentations, and keynote addresses, the conference distinguished itself by its commitment to concrete scholarly outcomes: presenters were invited to contribute extended abstracts to the Conference Proceedings, to be published on November 16, 2026, and high-quality papers were connected to publication opportunities in Scopus-indexed and ABS-ranked international journals.
The event was made possible by the generous support of ABBIA Group (Toulouse), TBS Education, ESSEC Business School, and Institut universitaire Saint Jean of Cameroon, and was honored by the personal attendance of Bertrand Ekambi, CEO and Founder of ABBIA Group, who provided the conference plenary talk, and Professor Hugues Kenfack, President of the Université Toulouse Capitole and inaugural speaker of the 237DIASPROF webinar series, among others.
Building on this successful first edition, the network looks forward to continuing its mission of strengthening research capacity among students, academics, and professionals in Africa and worldwide. Full details remain available at 237conf.org.