Society 5.0
6th Conference: 28 June to 1 July 2026
Hosted by: Universities in South Africa
6th Conference: 28 June to 1 July 2026
Hosted by: Universities in South Africa
Following an era of fast-paced evolution of digital technologies, digital disruption and digital transformation, Society 5.0 refers to “A human-centered society that balances economic advancement with the resolution of social problems by a system that highly integrates cyberspace and physical space”. As Society 5.0 aims to tackle social challenges and achieve a sustainable, inclusive, people-oriented society, it also contributes to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Society 5.0 advocates the adoption of digital technologies to increase global prosperity. The cyber-physical space consists of interconnected systems and devices, collecting and sending data. A human-centred society demands the inclusion of the human when considering applications and interactions in the cyber-physical space. This conference focuses on aspects of interconnectedness and interaction; where the human in this potentially complex interaction is investigated and considered through the application of different lenses and interdisciplinary fields. The aim of this enquiry is to design and develop technological products and services that not only meet human needs, but that also consider the human experience when engaging in the cyber-physical space and that contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals.
In the spirit of Society 5.0, a human-centered society, we would like to ensure that as many people as possible, are able to take part in the conference in 2026. You will be able to experience:
The research track covering topic areas across all research fields
The industry track where you can present, or learn about, practical experience and case studies
The workshops track where you can submit a workshop proposal or attend your workshop of choice.
The doctoral symposium where doctoral students doing research in the Society 5.0 domains can submit a summary of their research and obtain valuable input from mentors and peers.
The conference will be held at the Skukuza Safari Lodge, Kruger National Park, South Africa.
The conference series is jointly organized by the University of Pretoria (South Africa), the University of Camerino (Italy), University of Technology (Mauritius), the FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, the University of South Africa (UNISA), the University of the Free State (UFS, South Africa) and Akademia (South Africa).
Venue
Society 5.0 is a broad subject and therefore the list of topics covers many related subject areas. Submissions are sought on, but not limited to the following subject areas and topics.
Green talent or skills development
New Leadership
Civil Society
Environmental Sustainability
SDG alignment
ESG measures or enhancement
Smart-home
Smart-cities
Smart-building
Cyber-Physical Systems
Internet of Things
Digital Twins
Digitalization of Business Processes
Conceptual Modelling
Data & Process Mining
AI and Machine Learning
Blockchain Technologies
Web 3.0
Business integration strategy
Digitalization of Products
Emerging markets
Human capital
Business agility
Digital transformation
Circular economy
Technopreneurship
Gendering of skills
Stereotypes (age, gender, (dis)abilities)
Accessibility of technologies across borders (countries, societal levels, disciplines)
Inequality in software development
Democratization in technological development
Economic Development
Collaborative Online International Learning
Creative teaching
Cross-cultural teaching and learning
Institutional structures for education
New learning methods
Lifelong learning
Open innovation
Big Data analysis
Innovation development
Online collaboration for design and innovation
Knowledge visualization
Knowledge management
Autonomous driving
Mobility as a Service
Smart transport
Cyber security and resilience
Data privacy
Risk management
Business continuity management
Whistleblowing
AI for drug development
AI for enhanced diagnosis
Personalised medicine
Electronic patient records
Care robots, therapy robots
Health & Wellbeing
Future banking
Sustainable finance
Digital financial management
Cryptocurrency
Collaboration between human and AI
Automating knowledge work
Conversational AI
Resilient socio-technical systems
Social robots
Human-interpretable & machine-interpretable modelling
Inclusiveness of people with disabilities
Cultural differences in business
Cross-cultural communication and trust
Collaboration across borders, cultures, and languages
Digital Supply Chain
Public sector