The Durban University of Technology (DUT), Faculty of Accounting and Informatics, Department of Information Technology together with the Department of Electrical Power Engineering recently concluded its 8th Annual Information Communication Technology and Society Conference. Held at the prestigious Blue Waters Hotel in Durban from the 7th to 8th March 2024, the event brought together scholars, professionals, and students to explore the latest trends and innovations in the field of ICT.
In attendance was Professor Oludayo Olugbara: Executive Dean of the Faculty of Accounting and Informatics, Prof Matthys Swanepoel: Deputy Dean, Prof Krzyszcof Cios an IEEE fellow and a full professor from Virginia Commonwealth University, USA, Prof Antoine Bagula from the Department of Computer Science at the University of Western Cape, Head of Department; from Power Electrical Power Engineering: Prof Katleho Moloi, Dr Maggie Masenya: Department of Information Technology, Dr Smangele Moyane: Department of Information and Corporate Management, Dr Zwelibanzi Nzuza: Management Accounting, Prof Ferina Marimuthu: Financial Accounting, Prof Nalen Naicker: Information Systems and academic staff from the Faculty as well as support staff members.
The conference commenced with a Student Symposium on the 6 March 2024, providing an opportunity for students from the Department of Information Technology to showcase their research. Esteemed professional bodies such as IEEE, ISACA, and IITPSA SIGCyber were in attendance, with keynote addresses delivered by Prof Krzyszcof Cios from Virginia Commonwealth University, USA, Prof Bagula from University of Western Cape, and Prof Honggang Wang from Yeshiva University, USA who delivered his presentation virtually.
On 7 March 2024, the conference commenced with a warm welcome from Prof Swanepeol, the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Accounting and Informatics. This was followed by an insightful keynote address by Prof Cios on “The Two Faces of Artificial Intelligence”. Parallel room sessions ensued, covering diverse topics such as Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning in health applications, networking/social media, The subsequent first session saw presentations chaired by eminent academics including Prof Millham, Prof Van Niekerk and Prof Cios.
The first session was complemented by a plenary industry presentation by IBM, offering valuable insights into industry perspectives on ICT. The second session saw presentations covering diverse topics such as AI/machine learning, point of sale systems/image processing and engineering and were chaired by Prof Antoine Bagula, Dr Maggie Masenya, and Prof Katleho Moloi. Prof Honggang Wang delivered the keynote address, enriching the conference with his expertise.
The day culminated with a gala dinner, where Prof Oludayo Olugbara, expressed his welcome and gratitude to all the keynote speakers who had joined the event.
“This year we are highly delighted to host eminent Prof Cios, Prof Wang and Prof Bagula as our keynote speakers,” said Prof Olugbara. He further commented that he had attended a conference in 2005 that was IEEE sponsored while he was in Nigeria and he had wanted to attend again the following year but it was cancelled due to unknown reasons.
He then explained that years later he found that most conferences in Africa and many parts of the world have a very short lifespan which is of about 3 years maximum so he then thought to himself that he should reverse the situation. “I thought to myself I should reverse the situation, and in 2015 we had the opportunity, Prof Millham and Dr Heukelmen became the linchpins credited for the success of ICTAS. The ICTAS team has now become well-established today,” said Prof Olugbara.
Prof Olugbara reflected on the conference’s journey and emphasised the importance of sustainability in academic conferences, citing the longevity and impact of ICTAS as a testament to DUT’s commitment to knowledge dissemination. “Since the conference’s inception in 2017 to 2023, 195 papers have been published and 40 of them will likely be published in 2024. The top 4 papers ICTAS has received a total citation of 351 and ICTAS papers were indexed by Scopus and IEEE explore for global visibility,” he added.
The gala dinner also served as a platform to recognise outstanding contributions to research. The runner-up paper award was bestowed upon Abdulati Jahbel, Tohan Ahmad, and Ntivuguruzwa Jean De La Croix for their paper on “Adoption of Point-of-Sales (POS) Terminals and the Means for Bank Service Delivery and the Needs for Management of Information Security: A case of Nigeria’s Banking sectors”, while the best papers were awarded to Fazlyn Petersen and Sacha Rich for their work on “Factors Affecting the Use of a South African Payment and Reward Application during Covid-19: Insights from Google Reviews”, and to Nontokozo Magangane and Skhumbuzo Zwane for their paper titled “Dataset Collection Framework for Low-Resourced Languages in South Africa”.
The gala dinner concluded with a heartfelt vote of thanks from Dr Heukelman, expressing gratitude to all attendees for their participation and contributions to making the first day a resounding success.
Day two of the DUT 8th Annual Information Communication Technology and Society Conference explored cutting-edge advancements in the field of ICT and engineering. It further featured an array of keynote addresses, industry presentations, and insightful sessions chaired by esteemed academics and industry experts.
Prof Olugbara set the stage for another day of stimulating discussions and knowledge sharing. This was followed by a keynote address from Prof Antione Bagula, whose presentation on “Advancements in Artificial Learning: From Deep Learning (DL) to Federated Learning (FL)” captivated the audience. Prof Bagula delved into the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, exploring concepts such as deep learning and federated learning, and outlining the roadmap from traditional machine learning to innovative X-learning methodologies.
The conference then shifted gears with a plenary industry presentation by Accenture, delivered by Mr Sbu Dantjie. Accenture’s insights provided valuable perspectives on industry trends and opportunities in the ever-evolving landscape of ICT.
Following the plenary session, parallel sessions commenced across multiple venues, each focusing on distinct themes and chaired by renowned experts in their respective fields.
The second session of the day saw a continuation of parallel sessions, each focusing on diverse topics critical to the contemporary ICT landscape. Some topics of discussion focused on Business Process Management (BPM), exploring strategies for optimising organisational workflows and operational efficiency. Another topic looked at cyber security, AI, and machine learning, showcasing on recent developments and applications in these rapidly evolving fields.
Speaking to Prof Moloi on his impression of the conference, he expressed his desire for his department to take a leading position in the conference alongside the department of Information Technology and to contribute to the organising team. Additionally, he highlighted the importance of enhancing the conference’s visibility. His praise for the conference’s exceptional quality, efficient time management, and impressive speakers was notable.
The conference culminated with Prof Millham extended his heartfelt gratitude to all attendees and presenters for their active participation and valuable contributions. He indicated that the conference served as a testament to DUT’s commitment to fostering innovation, collaboration, and knowledge exchange in the dynamic realm of ICT and engineering.
Pictured: ICTAS delegates at the conference.
Siphokazi Dlamini
