A University of Johannesburg academic has been awarded a Unesco Chair in Cultural Inclusivity and Equity in Digital Media in Africa, following a competitive global process that drew 135 applications to Unesco headquarters in Paris.
Professor Prinola Govenden, based in UJ’s Faculty of Humanities, will lead the chair for the 2026 to 2030 cycle, positioning her within Unesco’s Unitwin network of more than 1 000 chairs across over 120 countries.
Established in 1992, the programme links academic research with policy development and international cooperation, with participating institutions contributing to the identification of emerging issues and the development of governance frameworks across sectors.
The appointment places South Africa within a global network shaping how digital transformation is understood, particularly as debates shift from access to deeper questions of representation, ownership and influence.
The university formally marked the award on Friday through the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi, signalling an effort to align the chair’s work with South Africa’s digital policy agenda.
The agreement, signed with vice-chancellor Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi, positions the chair within a broader national push to advance digital transformation, policy development and inclusive innovation.
UJ has framed the initiative as supporting South Africa’s digital diplomacy and leadership on the continent, elevating it beyond a purely academic intervention.
Malatsi said the partnership reflects a shift towards a more collaborative approach to digital development. “It will require partnerships across sectors. Government brings the public mandate and policy direction.
“Universities bring research capacity and critical inquiry. Industry brings investment and innovation, while civil society helps to foster accountability and social legitimacy,” he said.
His remarks situate the chair within a wider policy environment in which the state is increasingly drawing on academic institutions to inform its approach to complex areas such as artificial intelligence, platform governance and data regulation.
Mpedi said the chair reinforces UJ’s role as a leading African institution shaping the future of digital society.
“Our Unesco Chair will contribute innovative research, practical and strategic solutions, as well as policy recommendations for fostering a decolonised and inclusive internet that serves African societies,” he said, adding that the work would focus on both knowledge representation and access within digital systems.
The chair will focus on digital inclusion, cultural representation and equitable access to knowledge in Africa’s evolving digital environment. It will also examine the implications of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and contribute to governance frameworks addressing digital exclusion and the marginalisation of local knowledge systems.
UJ said the initiative has received endorsement at cabinet level, led by Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, underscoring its significance for South Africa’s positioning in global digital governance debates and Africa’s participation in international digital cooperation.
The project is supported by academic partners in China, Canada and Nigeria, reflecting an effort to situate the chair within both global and continental research networks.
The MoU signing also drew participation from industry stakeholders including MTN, Ericsson and the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry, pointing to cross-sector interest in shaping the direction of digital inclusion.
Govenden said the chair carries a continental mandate aimed at repositioning African voices within global digital systems. “This Chair positions UJ at the forefront of driving research, partnerships and policy that ensure African voices are not only included, but lead in defining global digital narratives,” she said.
She added that the work would challenge assumptions about African audiences as passive recipients of global media, emphasising instead the ways in which users interpret and engage with digital content within specific cultural contexts.
The university is expected to formally launch the chair at a ministerial roundtable in May, focusing on localisation, digital inclusion and equitable knowledge systems across the continent.
The Chair, held by Professor Prinola Govenden, will focus on addressing digital inclusion, cultural representation and equitable access to knowledge in Africa’s rapidly evolving digital environment
