The Department of History in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Buea, Cameroon, in partnership with the African Association for History Education (AHE-Afrika) located at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, is pleased to announce the Call for Papers for the 6^th AHE-Afrika History Education International Conference which will be held at the University of Buea on 27-29 August 2025.

Like the mythical Akan Sankofa bird, it is important for AHE-Afrika, after five successful conferences which have spawned an ever-growing body of scholarship on History Education in Africa, “to retrieve" or “go back and get". While looking back to assess past and present discourses, practices, achievements and challenges, we must also look forward at the range of possible futures for History Education in Africa. This is especially necessary with UNICEF predicting a fifth of the world’s population will be from Africa by 2030 and a third of the world’s children will be African by 2050.

We invite all stakeholders in History Education in and on Africa ⸺ including academics, researchers, teachers, policy-makers, textbook writers and publishers and other interested persons ⸺ to submit an abstract related to the past(s), present(s) and future(s) of History Education in Africa, focusing on any of the conference sub-themes outlined below. In the spirit of African optimism we particularly encourage contributions, exchanges and reflections that go beyond sombre assessments of History Education in Africa as a discipline in crisis and that aim to look to and work towards envisioned futures that recognise and celebrate the potential of the pluriverse world of History Education in Africa.

AHE-Afrika remains the most significant avenue for scholarly conversations, policy advocacy, and dissemination of knowledge and research on the teaching and learning of history on the African continent. Like the previous ones, the 2025 conference promises to be an opportunity for stakeholders to exchange and reflect on key issues and questions pertinent to the field.

The host of the 6^th AHE-Afrika Conference, the University of Buea, was created in 1993 following wide-ranging university reforms in Cameroon. Conceived in the English-speaking tradition, the University of Buea seeks to foster the essence of that system, while situating itself within the larger bilingual and multicultural context of Cameroon. Since its founding, the University of Buea has been a learning, innovation, problem-solving, and community-building hub. Motivated by a mission to serve the greater good, our students, faculty, and staff tackle today’s most pressing challenges with courage and creativity, making a difference across Cameroon and worldwide. It is located in the historic town of Buea, former capital of German Kamerun, former capital of the federated State of West Cameroon, and now the regional capital of the South West Region of Cameroon. Although the University draws its students mainly from the English-speaking part of Cameroon, it also serves the other regions of the country and the international community at large. 

CONFERENCE DATES: 27-29 August 2025

PLACE: University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon

CONFERENCE THEME: Looking back, looking forward: the future(s) of History Education in Africa

Conference sub-themes include but are not limited to:

• History Education in Cameroon
• The history and politics of History Education in Africa
• History curricula, syllabuses and textbooks in Africa
• History classroom practices and pedagogical approaches in Africa
• Assessment and evaluation in History Education in Africa
• History teacher education and training in Africa
• History Education and the teaching and learning of the subject in, about and for Africa
• History Education and the graduate employability equation in Africa
• Student’s motivation/interest in History in Africa
• History Education and disciplinary learning
• History Education, citizenship and values education in Africa 
• History Education in Africa in the global context
• History Teachers Associations in Africa and the promotion of History Education

Papers on research relevant to History Education as it relates to Africa that fall outside the conference's main theme are also welcome.

IMPORTANT DEADLINES

Abstract submission deadline: 1 April 2025

Registration deadline: 30 June 2025

Conference dates: 27-29 August 2025

GUIDELINES FOR ABSTRACT SUBMISSION

Submissions should include:

• an abstract of no more than 250 words, with 3 keywords
• a brief biography of no more than 100 words

Submissions should be sent as a single Word document (file name: last name, first name) with the subject line ‘AHE-AFRIKA Buea 2025’ to Dr Roland Ndille ([email protected]) and Dr Denise Bentrovato ([email protected]).

Please note that the working language of the conference will be English. Papers in French with an accompanying English PowerPoint will be welcomed as well.

PRESENTATION MODES

• Individual papers – 20 minutes, plus 10-minute question and discussion time
• Full thematic panels – 60 minutes
• Workshops and roundtables – 60 minutes
• Poster presentations

REGISTRATION FEES

• Cameroonian university lecturers: 25.000 CFA
• Cameroonian primary and secondary school teachers: 15.000 CFA
• Cameroonian students: 10.000 CFA
• Attendees from other African countries: 100 USD
• International attendees from outside Africa: 150 USD
• The fees will cover the participants’ conference attendance, coffee/tea and lunch. Attendees are to cover travel expenses, accommodation, and additional meals.

PAYMENT DETAILS

The following payment options are available:

• MTN Mobile Money 673990609 (local attendees)

• PAYPAL [email protected]
• cash (US Dollars) at the conference (in exceptional cases)

Proof of payment should be emailed to Dr Roland Ndille, [email protected]

ENQUIRIES:

For conference enquiries, please contact the local organisers:

Dr Roland Ndille, [email protected]

Dr Atom Victor Ntui, [email protected]

Mr Nanji Cyprain, [email protected]

For any enquiries related to AHE-Afrika or to pressing matters related to the conference, please contact:

Dr Denise Bentrovato, [email protected]  

Prof Johan Wassermann, [email protected]