1 December
WorkshopsMonday
1 December
Field tripsTuesday
2 December
SessionsWednesday
3 December
SessionsThursday
4 December
Sessions5–10 December
Field trips
07:00 Registration opens & arrival refreshments
Ruby Auditorium
Amethyst Room
09:00
Moderating for impact
Amber I Room
Amber II Room
Crystal / Garnet / Onyx
09:00
A primer on quantum science and journalism
Sponsored Workshop
10:30 Mid-morning refreshments (Exhibition hall & Deck)
Ruby Auditorium
Session continues
SADC Science Journalism Training Workshop
Amethyst Room
Session continues
Moderating for impact
Amber I Room
Amber II Room
Crystal / Garnet / Onyx
Session continues
A primer on quantum science and journalism
Sponsored Workshop
12:30 Lunch (Deck)
Glow Balance meeting in Jade Room
Ruby Auditorium
Amethyst Room
14:00
Session continues
Moderating for impact
Amber I Room
Amber II Room
Crystal / Garnet / Onyx
16:00 Afternoon refreshments in the exhibition hall featuring:
Spotlight sessions: Punt your science-related books, podcasts, blogs and the like (Speaker’s Corner, Exhibition Hall)
17:00 Buses depart for official hotels
Cradle of Humankind | Maropeng
08:00
Palaeoanthropology, science, and interpretation in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site
A field trip designed to provide a variety of insights into the astonishing fossil evidence which has been unearthed in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site.
10 hours
25 people
DITSONG Museums of South Africa
08:30
Discover the hidden treasures of the Natural History Collections
A field trip to view original fossil material and research collections not normally accessible to the public at South Africa’s National Museum of Natural History.
6 hours
12 people
University of Pretoria
08:30
Pioneering animal healthcare
Field trip to the University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Veterinary Science Onderstepoort Campus and the Moja Gabedi community engagement hub.
6 hours
12 people
University of Pretoria
09:00
A world-first for cancer and TB drug development and clinical research
Field trip to the Nuclear Medicine Research Infrastructure (NuMeRI) facility and the Moja Gabedi community engagement hub.
6 hours
12 people
University of Pretoria
09:00
Edible insects: rethinking the future of food
Field trip to the Department of Zoology and Entomology and the Moja Gabedi community engagement hub.
6 hours
12 people
University of Pretoria
09:00
Engineering 4.0: the future of smart cities in Africa
Field trip to the University of Pretoria’s Engineering 4.0 facility and the Moja Gabedi community engagement hub.
6 hours
12 people
CSIR
10:00
Bet on the biomanufacturers
Field trip to the CSIR Biomanufacturing Industry Development Centre.
2.5 hours
30 people
CSIR
14:00
Environmentally sustainable, alternative plastics for the win
Field trip to the CSIR Biodegradability Testing Facility and the Centre for Nanostructures and Advanced Materials.
1.5 hours
22 people
CSIR
14:00
Robotics and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR)
Field trip to the CSIR Biomanufacturing Industry Development Centre.
2 hours
22 people
07:00 Registration opens & arrival refreshments
Diamond Auditorium
08:30 Plenary opening session
10:30 Mid-morning refreshments in the exhibition hall featuring:
Press briefing, The Human Exposome Project: A Global Game-Changer Mapping 80%+ of Human Chronic Disease
Professor Thomas Hartung, Director, Centre for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT), Professor, Evidence-based Toxicology, Department of Environmental Health & Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health and Whiting School of Engineering
Ruby Auditorium
Amethyst Room
Movie room
Showing of short films and documentaries by conference participants
Amber I Room
Emerald Auditorium
11:00
Bid presentations to Board for WCSJ 2029 Conference
(all welcome)
Crystal / Garnet
Movie room
Showing of short films and documentaries by conference participants
Session continues
Bid presentations to Board for 2029 WCSJ Conference
(all welcome)
13:00 Lunch on the Deck & dessert and coffee in exhibiton hall
13:30 Media briefing – SKA/SAAO, Revealing new results
Ruby Auditorium
Amethyst Room
Amber Room I
Emerald Auditorium
14:00
General Assembly of the African Confederation of Science Journalists (ACSJ)
Session continues
General Assembly of the African Confederation of Science Journalists (ACSJ)
16:00 Refreshments (Exhibition hall)
16:00 Spotlight sessions: Punt your science-related books, podcasts, blogs and the like (Speaker’s Corner, Exhibition Hall)
16:00 Meet the Editors coffee session: Nature Africa and Nature India – All welcome
Ruby Auditorium
Amethyst Room
Movie room
Showing of short films and documentaries by conference participants
Amber Room I
Emerald Auditorium
European Federation for Science Journalism (EFSJ) Information Session
Crystal / Garnet
17:30 Travel to networking cocktail (buses available for delegates staying in official hotels)
18:00 Networking cocktail: Javett Museum at University of Pretoria
18:30 Welcome: Deputy Director General of the South African Department of Science, Technology & Innovation, Mr Daan du Toit
18:35 Opening remarks by host: Prof Francis Petersen Vice-Chancellor & Principal, University of Pretoria
18:50 Introduction to the Javett Art Museum Collections
19:00 Guided Tours of Javett Art Museum
20:00 First bus back to hotels
21:00 Last bus back to hotels
07:00 Registration opens & arrival refreshments
Diamond Auditorium
08:30 Plenary opening session
Diamond Auditorium
Ruby Auditorium
Amethyst Room
Movie room
Showing of short films and documentaries by conference participants
Amber Room I
09:15
Africa Science Journalism Awards (ASJA) 2025
Science for Africa Foundation
By invitation
Crystal / Garnet
10:15 Mid-morning refreshments (Exhibition hall)
10:15 Tech Talk by ITER
Diamond Auditorium
Ruby Auditorium
Amethyst Room
Amber Room I
Session continues
Africa Science Journalism Awards (ASJA) 2025
Science for Africa Foundation
By invitation
Crystal / Garnet
12:00
Meeting of the Asian Network of Science Journalist Associations, hosted by the Science Journalists association of India
Onyx Room
13:00
IYQ Navigating the Quantum Beat Lunch
13:00 Lunch on the Deck & dessert and coffee in exhibiton hall
13:30 Tech Talk by CSIR
Diamond Auditorium
Ruby Auditorium
Amethyst Room
Amber Room
Crystal / Garnet
15:00
World Federation of Science Journalists AGM
16:00
Nature Africa & Nature India Meet the Editors Coffee Session
All welcome
16:00 Refreshments (Exhibition hall)
16:00 Spotlight sessions: Punt your science-related books, podcasts, blogs and the like (Speaker’s Corner, Exhibition Hall)
16:30
World Federation of Science Journalists AGM continues
17:30 Travel to networking cocktail (buses available for delegates staying in official hotels)
18:00 Networking cocktail: Market@The Sheds local food and culture experience
Travel back to hotels from 20:00 to 21:00
07:00 Registration opens & arrival refreshments
Diamond Auditorium
08:30 Plenary opening session
Diamond Auditorium
Ruby Auditorium
Amethyst Room
Movie room
Showing of short films and documentaries by conference participants
Amber Room I
Crystal / Garnet
10:15 Mid-morning refreshments (Exhibition hall)
10:15 “Let’s Talk Archeology” – meet up with SA archeology stars
Diamond Auditorium
Ruby Auditorium
Amethyst Room
Amber Room I
13:00 Lunch (Deck)
13:00 South African Science Journalists Association (SASJA) Lunchtime Information Session in the Jade – grab your lunch from the deck and come and join us.
Diamond Auditorium
Ruby Auditorium
Amethyst Room
Movie room
Showing of short films and documentaries by conference participants
Amber Room I
Crystal / Garnet
Movie room
Showing of short films and documentaries by conference participants
Emerald Auditorium
15:00
Blue Monday in the office: share your professional bloopers
Open session
16:00 Refreshments (Exhibition hall)
16:00 Spotlight sessions: Punt your science-related books, podcasts, blogs and the like (Speaker’s Corner, Exhibition Hall)
Diamond Auditorium
17:30 Closing ceremony
- Vote of thanks – Lynne Smit, LOC Member
- Reveal of WCSJ 2029 Destination – Ben Deighton, President of the World Federation of Science Journalists (WFSJ)
- Handover to WCSJ 2027 – Engela Duvenage, 2025 Conference Director, to Alex O’Brien, 2027 Conference Director
- Introduction of WCSJ 2027 – Speech and video by Alex O’Brien, invitation to cocktails sponsored by London 2027
18:00 Networking cocktail: Sponsored by WCSJ London 2027
Welcome by WCSJ London Team
Travel back to hotels from 20:00 to 21:00
Friday, 5 December 2025
Dinokeng Game Reserve
08:00
Conservation science in action
A field trip to the Dinokeng Game Reserve offering a closer look at the variety of research initiatives taking place in this unique conservation area.
8 hours
25 people
DITSONG Museums of South Africa
08:00
Hike in the Tswaing Meteorite Crater
A field trip to experience the awe-inspiring Tswaing Meteorite Crater, formed 220,000 years ago by a stony meteorite impact.
5 hours
12 people
Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory
08:00
South Africa’s radio astronomy journey from deep space to discovery
Explore HartRAO, South Africa’s window to the universe, pioneering radio astronomy, space geodesy, and deep space tracking.
5 hours
20 people
University of the Witwatersrand
09:00
Explore South Africa’s space history
A field trip to SANSA Space Operations in Hartebeesthoek.
6 hours
University of the Witwatersrand
09:00
Scientific discoveries from a Global South perspective
A field trip to explore Wits University: Wits Origins Centre, Art Museum, Digital Dome and Life Sciences Museum.
6 hours
200 people
University of the Witwatersrand
09:00
Step into the world of early humans
A field trip to the WITS Sterkfontein Caves to discover the secrets of early humans.
6 hours
200 people
Afrigen
12:00
Producing mRNA vaccines through a centre of excellence and training
Field trip to the mRNA Technology Transfer Hub at Afrigen Biologics and Vaccines.
50 people
Monday, 8 December 2025
University of Cape Town
09:00
Unlock innovation with exclusive access to research hubs
A field trip to explore the University of Cape Town’s leading research hubs on an exclusive Faculty of Science tour.
4.5 hours
12 people
Stellenbosch University
13:30
Discover breakthroughs in TB and biomedical research
A field trip to Stellenbosch University’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences to see pioneering TB research and the lab where the Beta and Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variants were first identified.
4.5 hours
12 people
Tuesday, 9 December 2025
iThemba LABS
09:00
From life-saving isotopes to cutting-edge nuclear science
A field trip to NRF-iThemba LABS offers an exclusive glimpse into Africa’s only facility producing vital medical isotopes and pioneering nuclear science research.
4.5 hours
12 people
Stellenbosch University
11:00
Explore innovation and discovery in the Cape winelands
A field trip to Stellenbosch University offers a unique opportunity to engage with leading scientists, explore groundbreaking research, and experience the Cape Winelands’ rich heritage.
7 hours
12 people
Wednesday, 10 December 2025
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory
06:00
Explore advanced radio telescopes at the SKA in the Karoo
Join a site visit to the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory’s (SARAO) Square Kilometre Array (SKA) in the Karoo.
12 hours
7 people