Côte d'Ivoire Hosts International Colloquium on Humanities

The University Félix Houphouët-Boigny (UFHB) in Abidjan-Cocody, Côte d'Ivoire, is organizing the first international colloquium on humanities from November 19-21, 2026. The event, to be held at the Fondation Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Yamoussoukro, will focus on "Humanities facing current social and professional development challenges." The announcement was made on November 12, 2026, by Pr Koudou Landry Roland, president of the organizing committee and a philosophy lecturer-researcher.

The colloquium aims to revitalize teaching and training in human sciences through scientific and pedagogical reflection on disciplines in this field. According to Pr Koudou, the event will enable participants to rethink conceptual frameworks guiding researchers' thoughts on work, social ties, and innovation, leveraging humanist knowledge contributions. The discussions will be structured around four main axes, including humanities as a crucible for future skills and innovation, and the impact of humanities on public policies and sustainable local development.

The first axis will explore humanities as a source of critical thinking, creativity, communication, and emotional intelligence. The second axis will address changes in the work world and questions related to well-being, focusing on new forms of professional organization such as telework, uberization, and automation. The third axis will examine the relationships between humanities, public policies, and sustainable local development, reflecting on the contribution of human sciences to the design and evaluation of policies promoting equitable and sustainable social development.

The fourth axis will focus on innovative pedagogies and modes of transmission of humanist knowledge to adapt teaching to current requirements of personal and professional development. The event will bring together around fifty speakers, including academics and professionals from Côte d'Ivoire, Canada, Burkina Faso, Benin, and Mali. The colloquium is under the patronage of the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Pr Adama Diawara.

The Minister of Planning and Development, Souleymane Diarrassouba, is the sponsor, while the President of UFHB, Pr Ballo Zié, will preside over the event. The organizing committee president expressed gratitude to authorities and partners who supported this initiative. This event is part of the actions undertaken by the UFR Sciences de l'homme et de la société (SHS), including the organization of biennial open days and the creation of professional training programs within its departments, centers, and institutes.

The colloquium is expected to foster reflection on the role of humanities in addressing current development challenges. It will provide a platform for participants to share knowledge and experiences, with a view to identifying strategies for integrating humanities into development policies. The event is also expected to strengthen partnerships between the university and other stakeholders in the field of humanities.

The University Félix Houphouët-Boigny has taken steps to promote humanities and strengthen its programs in this field. The colloquium is a significant step in this direction, demonstrating the university's commitment to promoting humanities and addressing current development challenges. The event will contribute to the ongoing efforts to revitalize humanities and strengthen their role in Côte d'Ivoire's development.

Key points

• The colloquium will focus on four main axes, including humanities as a crucible for future skills and innovation.