--- title: "GENDIG 2026 — Kampala | Model Diplomat" description: "2026 GENDIG International Conference on Gender and Digitalisation in Higher Education is a professional conference in Kampala, Uganda, Nov 17–18, 2026." url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/conferences/professional/2026-gendig-international-conference-on-gender-and-digitalisation-in-higher-education-2026" --- # 2026 GENDIG International Conference on Gender and Digitalisation in Higher Education Nov 17–18, 2026[Kampala, Uganda](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1\&query=Kampala%2C%20Uganda)In-person Starts in 10 days[Registration open](https://igds.mak.ac.ug/events/call-papers-now-open-gendig-international-conference-gender-and-digitalisation-higher) The GENDIG International Conference on Gender and Digitalisation in Higher Education is an upcoming event focused on the intersection of gender and digital transformation within academic settings. Hosted in Kampala, UGA, the conference provides a platform for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by digitalization in higher education, particularly concerning gender equality. The event aims to foster dialogue and collaboration on how digital technologies can be leveraged to promote inclusive educational environments and address existing gender disparities. ## Committees & topics - Topics Gender and Digitalisation in Higher Education · Inequality and Inclusion in Higher Education · Gender, Digital Technology and Civil Society · Contemporary Issues in Gender Studies across Contexts · Gendered Impacts of Artificial Intelligence Technology ## Why it matters The rapid advancement of digital technologies is reshaping higher education globally, offering new avenues for learning, research, and administration. However, this transformation is not gender-neutral. The conference addresses critical questions about how digitalization impacts gender dynamics, access, and equity in universities and other higher learning institutions. It seeks to explore both the empowering potential of digital tools for women and marginalized genders, as well as the risks of exacerbating existing inequalities through biased algorithms, unequal access, or digital divides. Understanding these complex interactions is crucial for developing policies and practices that ensure digitalization in higher education benefits all, regardless of gender. The insights generated from this conference can inform strategies for curriculum development, pedagogical innovation, and institutional reform, ultimately contributing to more equitable and inclusive educational systems worldwide. The discussions will also highlight regional perspectives, particularly from the host country, UGA, offering valuable insights into localized challenges and solutions. ## How to prepare Participants preparing for this conference should consider the multifaceted nature of gender and digitalization. It is important to analyze how digital tools and platforms are designed, implemented, and accessed, and the differential impacts these processes have on various gender groups. Researching [case studies](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/case-studies) from diverse geographical contexts, including those from countries like UGA, KEN, ZAF, and NGA, can provide a richer understanding of the practical implications. Attendees should also be prepared to engage with discussions on policy frameworks and institutional strategies aimed at promoting gender equality in digital higher education. This includes examining best practices for digital literacy programs, addressing online harassment, and ensuring equitable representation in STEM fields. Reflecting on the broader societal implications of digital transformation, beyond the confines of higher education, will also enhance contributions to the conference. ## Country perspectives Where the most-relevant 4 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile. [Uganda](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/uganda) [Host country and a key focus for understanding localized impacts of digitalization on gender in higher education.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/uganda) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/uganda) [As the host nation, UGA provides a crucial regional context for discussions on gender and digitalization in higher education. Experiences and case studies from UGA will be central to understanding the specific challenges and opportunities within an African setting, including issues of access, infrastructure, and cultural considerations that influence digital adoption and gender equality in academic institutions.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/uganda) [Kenya](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/kenya) [A country with significant digital growth and ongoing efforts to integrate technology into education, facing gender-specific challenges.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/kenya) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/kenya) [KEN has seen considerable advancements in digital infrastructure and mobile technology adoption. Its experiences in integrating digitalization into higher education, alongside efforts to address gender disparities in STEM and digital literacy, offer valuable comparative insights. Discussions may highlight how KEN is navigating the balance between technological progress and equitable access for all genders in academic settings.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/kenya) [South Africa](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-africa) [A nation with a developed higher education sector and digital landscape, offering perspectives on policy and equity.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-africa) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-africa) [ZAF, with its relatively advanced higher education system and digital economy, can contribute perspectives on policy development and institutional strategies for promoting gender equality in digital learning environments. Its experiences in addressing historical inequalities through digital inclusion initiatives will be relevant to the conference's themes.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-africa) [Nigeria](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/nigeria) [A populous country with a large youth demographic, grappling with the scale of digital transformation and gender equity in education.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/nigeria) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/nigeria) [NGA's large and diverse population presents unique challenges and opportunities for digitalization in higher education. Its experiences can shed light on issues related to scaling digital education initiatives, bridging digital divides, and ensuring that gender considerations are integrated into large-scale educational reforms amidst rapid technological change.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/nigeria) ## Topics & background The background behind each topic and the actors that shape it. 1 ### Gender and Digitalisation in Higher Education The digital transformation of higher education accelerated dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, when emergency remote teaching exposed pre-existing inequities in connectivity, device access, and digital literacy. UNESCO and ITU data have consistently shown a global gender digital divide, with women representing a smaller share of STEM enrolments, computer science graduates, and academic leadership in EdTech. In many low- and middle-income contexts, female students faced compounded barriers during the shift online, including unequal household device sharing, safety concerns in digital spaces, and weaker institutional support for caregiving responsibilities. Since 2022, governments and universities have moved from emergency response to longer-term digitalisation strategies covering learning management systems, micro-credentials, and AI-assisted teaching. Policy frameworks such as the EU Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027), UNESCO's Recommendation on Open Educational Resources, and the 2024 Global Digital Compact have begun to embed gender equity targets. Yet gaps persist in faculty representation, in the design of platforms, and in measurement: few national systems disaggregate digitalisation indicators by gender. The contemporary debate centres on whether digitalisation in higher education is narrowing or widening gender gaps. Issues include online harassment of women academics, biased recommender systems steering students into gendered tracks, the gendered economics of EdTech labour, and the visibility of women in digital research leadership. Conference deliberations focus on policy levers, institutional accountability, and inclusive pedagogy. Key players - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Major exporter of higher-education platforms and AI tools shaping global practice.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [United Kingdom](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [Leading site of EdTech research and Athena SWAN-style gender-equity charters.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) - [Finland](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/finland) [Reference model for gender-equal digital education policy in the EU.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/finland) - [India](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/india) [World's largest higher-education system grappling with gendered digital access.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/india) - [Kenya](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/kenya) [Hub for African digital-learning initiatives and gender-inclusive connectivity programmes.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/kenya) - [China](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Largest national investor in higher-education digital infrastructure and AI-enabled learning.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) 2 ### Inequality and Inclusion in Higher Education Higher education has expanded massively over the past three decades, with global tertiary enrolment more than doubling since 2000. Yet expansion has not produced equity. UNESCO's Global Education Monitoring Reports document persistent disparities by income, gender, ethnicity, disability, migration status, and geography. Elite institutions remain socially selective, while rapid privatisation in many countries has shifted costs onto students and deepened socio-economic stratification. From the 2015 Incheon Declaration through SDG 4.3 and the 2022 UN Transforming Education Summit, member states have committed to equal access to affordable quality tertiary education. Regional instruments — the Bologna Process Social Dimension Strategy, the African Continental Education Strategy, and Latin America's CRES 2018 declaration recognising higher education as a public good — frame inclusion as both an access and a completion challenge. Affirmative action, fee reforms, disability accommodations, and recognition of refugee qualifications have produced uneven results. Current debates focus on intersectional inequalities: how class interacts with gender, race, and disability; whether widening-participation policies survive austerity and political backlash; and how digitalisation, internationalisation, and ranking pressures reshape who belongs in the university. The committee will weigh structural reforms, institutional culture, and measurement of inclusion outcomes. Key players - [South Africa](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-africa) [Post-apartheid transformation of higher education and #FeesMustFall legacy on access.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-africa) - [Brazil](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/brazil) [Long-running racial and socio-economic quota system at federal universities.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/brazil) - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Contested affirmative action landscape following 2023 Supreme Court ruling.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [Germany](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [Tuition-free public model and Bologna social-dimension reference point.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) - [India](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/india) [Reservation policies for SC/ST/OBC and gender in tertiary admissions.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/india) - [Australia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) [Indigenous participation strategies and international-student equity debates.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) 3 ### Gender, Digital Technology and Civil Society Digital technologies have reshaped civic life, offering new tools for women's movements — from the global reach of #MeToo to feminist organising during the 2017 Women's March, the Ni Una Menos movement in Latin America, and Iranian women's protests in 2022-2023. Platforms have lowered the cost of mobilisation and given marginalised voices new visibility, while also enabling new forms of harm. UN Women and the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women have documented technology-facilitated gender-based violence as a global pattern, including doxxing, image-based abuse, and coordinated harassment campaigns targeting women journalists, activists, and politicians. Governance has lagged. The Budapest Convention, the EU's Digital Services Act (in force 2024), and emerging online safety laws in the UK, Australia, and Brazil are beginning to address platform accountability, but enforcement is patchy and civil society space is shrinking in many jurisdictions. Authoritarian governments increasingly use surveillance technologies, internet shutdowns, and spyware (including Pegasus revelations from 2021 onward) against women human rights defenders. The contemporary debate concerns how to protect digital civic space while enabling feminist civil society to use technology safely and effectively. Issues include platform design, content moderation in non-English contexts, encryption, funding for feminist tech, and the tension between safety regulation and free expression. Key players - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Home jurisdiction of dominant platforms shaping global civil-society space.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [Belgium](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/belgium) [Seat of EU institutions enforcing the Digital Services Act and online-violence directives.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/belgium) - [Brazil](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/brazil) [Major site of digital feminist organising and platform-regulation experimentation.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/brazil) - [Iran](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/iran) [Flashpoint for women-led digital protest under heavy state surveillance.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/iran) - [Mexico](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/mexico) [Origin of Ley Olimpia model legislation against image-based sexual abuse.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/mexico) - [India](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/india) [Largest online population with active feminist civil society and contested IT Rules.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/india) 4 ### Contemporary Issues in Gender Studies across Contexts Gender studies emerged as an academic field in the 1970s out of second-wave feminism and has since diversified through postcolonial, queer, intersectional, and trans-inclusive scholarship. Institutionally, it now spans dedicated departments, cross-cutting programmes, and policy-oriented research centres on every continent. UN frameworks — the Beijing Platform for Action (1995), CEDAW, and successive Commission on the Status of Women agreed conclusions — have drawn heavily on gender studies research to shape global norms. The field today operates under contradictory pressures. On one hand, governments and multilaterals increasingly demand gender-disaggregated data and gender-mainstreamed policy. On the other, gender studies has become a target of political backlash: Hungary defunded the discipline in 2018, programmes have been restricted or closed in parts of the United States, Russia, and Turkey, and 'anti-gender' movements have gained ground in several democracies. Debates within the field — over trans inclusion, decolonisation, the global South canon, and the politics of expertise — add internal complexity. The committee will examine how gender studies is produced, contested, and applied across diverse national and institutional contexts, and how scholars navigate academic freedom, public engagement, and policy relevance. Key players - [Hungary](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/hungary) [First EU state to revoke accreditation of gender-studies degree programmes.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/hungary) - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Center of both gender-studies scholarship and recent state-level curricular restrictions.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [Sweden](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/sweden) [Pioneer of gender-mainstreaming and well-funded gender-research infrastructure.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/sweden) - [Argentina](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/argentina) [Influential Latin American hub for feminist theory and ESI sex-education law.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/argentina) - [South Africa](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-africa) [Leading African site for decolonial and intersectional gender scholarship.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-africa) - [Turkey](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/turkey) [Withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention and tightening space for gender research.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/turkey) 5 ### Gendered Impacts of Artificial Intelligence Technology Artificial intelligence systems are now embedded in hiring, credit scoring, healthcare, content moderation, policing, and education. A growing evidence base — from Buolamwini and Gebru's 2018 Gender Shades audit of facial recognition, to UNESCO's 2019 'I'd Blush If I Could' report on gendered voice assistants, to the 2024 UN Women brief on generative AI — documents systematic gender bias in training data, model design, and deployment. Generative AI has introduced new harms, notably non-consensual deepfake intimate imagery, which disproportionately targets women and girls. The regulatory landscape is consolidating quickly. The EU AI Act (adopted 2024) classifies several high-risk gendered use cases, UNESCO's 2021 Recommendation on the Ethics of AI sets a global normative baseline, and the OECD AI Principles and the 2023 Bletchley Declaration acknowledge fairness concerns. Yet women remain underrepresented in AI research and development — roughly 22 percent of AI professionals globally according to the World Economic Forum — which shapes whose problems get solved and whose risks get overlooked. Key debates concern algorithmic auditing standards, liability for AI-generated abuse, labour impacts in feminised sectors, the inclusion of women and gender-diverse people in AI governance, and how to ensure that generative AI in education and research does not entrench existing inequities. Key players - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Home of leading AI labs and the 2023 Executive Order on safe, secure AI.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [China](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Major AI developer with distinct generative-AI and deepfake regulations from 2023.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) - [France](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/france) [Co-host of the AI Action Summits and strong voice on AI ethics in UNESCO.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/france) - [United Kingdom](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [Host of the AI Safety Institute and Bletchley/Seoul summit process.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) - [South Korea](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-korea) [Co-host of the 2024 AI Seoul Summit and early legislator on deepfake sexual abuse.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-korea) - [Rwanda](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/rwanda) [Leading African voice on inclusive AI governance and the Smart Africa AI strategy.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/rwanda) ## Resources News, lessons, and country profiles to prep for 2026 GENDIG International Conference on Gender and Digitalisation in Higher Education. Recent reporting to ground your prep [India's 131st Amendment Bill](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/indias-131st-amendment-bill-womens-reservation-for-2029-elections) [India's 33% Women’s Quota in Lok Sabha 2029](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/india-proposes-33-womens-quota-in-expanded-lok-sabha-by-2029) [NTA's Credibility Crisis in NEET-UG Exam](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/neet-ug-panel-hearing-exposes-ntas-credibility-crisis) [Activists Push for Women's Quota in India](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/activists-demand-womens-quota-in-indias-parliament-now) Lessons Bite-sized lessons to build the basics [Gender Dynamics Across Cultures](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/gender-dynamics-across-cultures) [Hidden Stakeholders](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/hidden-stakeholders) [Engagement Strategies](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/engagement-strategies) [Dynamic Analysis](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/dynamic-analysis) Courses Guided courses that go deeper on the topic [Advanced Negotiation](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/advanced-negotiation) [Multilateral Negotiation](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/multilateral-negotiation) [Policy Brief Writing](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/policy-brief) [Conflict Resolution](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/conflict-resolution) The states in play, with the data that shapes their stance [Uganda](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/uganda) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/uganda) [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [United Kingdom](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [Finland](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/finland) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/finland) [India](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/india) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/india) [Kenya](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/kenya) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/kenya) [China](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [South Africa](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-africa) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-africa) [Brazil](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/brazil) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/brazil) [Germany](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [Australia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/australia) [Belgium](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/belgium) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/belgium) [Iran](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/iran) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/iran) [Mexico](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/mexico) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/mexico) [Hungary](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/hungary) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/hungary) [Sweden](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/sweden) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/sweden) [Argentina](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/argentina) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/argentina) [Turkey](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/turkey) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/turkey) [France](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/france) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/france) [South Korea](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-korea) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-korea) [Rwanda](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/rwanda) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/rwanda) ## Frequently asked questions - - - Free account Save conferences, research any topic with AI, build position papers, and keep your daily prep streak — free. 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