Schedule

Using Cape Town and other international locations as illustrative case examples, participants will examine how innovations in energy, water management, transportation, housing, and green spaces are being leveraged to address local environmental challenges

Participants will examine key drivers of entrepreneurship, including access to capital, technology adoption, talent development, incubators and accelerators, and connections to global markets.

This session explores how communication professionals, educators, and organizations are integrating AI-driven tools into strategic communication, media production, public relations, marketing, and digital engagement while navigating issues of accuracy, bias, transparency, privacy, and accountability.

This session explores how community development and public health approaches work together to strengthen local capacity, foster social cohesion, and support positive health outcomes.

During lunch, be sure to visit the CIEE Community Impact Global Student Posters Competition finalists’ posters, on display throughout the break. Learn more about their experiences and the impact of their work, and cast your vote for your favorite poster in the conference app.

In this session, participants will explore how artists, cultural institutions, and creative communities in Cape Town and other contexts contribute to civic engagement, collective memory, and social cohesion.

This session highlights scalable models of internships and research that emphasize intentional design, mentorship, reflection, and cross‑cultural engagement while expanding access for a broader range of students.

Learn more about how CIEE’s Community Impact Initiative provides all students with the opportunity to contribute to their host communities in meaningful ways that address specific community needs.   

Join us for a special off-site reception at the historic Simon’s Restaurant at Groot Constantia, South Africa’s oldest wine-producing estate. Set against the picturesque Constantia Valley, Groot Constantia offers a beautiful setting where Cape Dutch heritage, local culture, and South African hospitality come together.

The CIEE Leading Change Partner Awards recognize the higher education institutions, host families, internship hosts, community organizations, and study abroad alumni whose collaboration make global education possible. These awards honor institutions that send students to the region, on‑the‑ground partners who support meaningful learning and community impact, and alumni whose study abroad experience continues to shape their professional and civic paths.

The CIEE Community Impact Global Poster Competition recognizes study abroad students who have contributed meaningfully to local community-based projects. During this event, finalists from each CIEE region present concrete outcomes from their work, showing exactly how collaboration with local partners created positive change.

Visit the CIEE Cape Town Center to explore the classrooms where students engage in coursework, meet the dedicated staff who provide student support, and learn more about the programs we offer. Experience firsthand what makes CIEE Cape Town a hub for international education.