Villa College Launches 10th International Research Conference

Villa College has opened the 10th International Conference on Social Research and Innovation (ICSRI) 2026, bringing together researchers, academics, government officials and industry representatives to discuss sustainable development and social innovation.

The two-day conference, which began on Saturday at the Villa College QI Campus Hall, is being held under the theme “Tides of Transformation: Shaping Sustainable Futures” and will conclude on Sunday.

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Conference Chair and Villa College Deputy Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation Dr Mohamed Adil said organisers received 116 abstracts, of which 81 were accepted, while 25 full research papers were submitted. A total of 138 participants from academia, government and various industries have registered for the conference.

Dr Adil said the conference aims to strengthen connections between researchers, students and industry experts while providing a platform to discuss new ideas and approaches in social science and development.

Villa College Rector Dr Ahmed Anwar said the growing participation and international representation demonstrate the increasing importance of ICSRI within the higher education and research community. He also stressed the importance of ensuring research produces practical benefits for society.

Minister of Economic Development, Transport and Trade Mohamed Saeed, who officially opened the conference, highlighted the need to explore new economic, social and environmentally sustainable development models.

The minister also launched the second issue of Volume 9 of Villa College’s International Journal of Social Research and Innovation (IJSRI).

The conference programme includes three keynote speeches, four panel discussions and eight Impact Room sessions, which bring researchers, policymakers and industry experts together to discuss practical policy solutions.

Panel discussions will cover psychosocial risks, technical and vocational education and training, the digital divide, and waste management in small island developing states.

The Impact Room sessions will address topics including digital transformation, sustainable tourism, fisheries governance, emerging technologies, education and Industry 4.0, sustainability, mentoring and coaching, and decentralisation.

The conference will also feature research presentations across eight areas, including health systems, digital education, social innovation, ethical technologies, renewable energy, circular economies, public policy and social transformation.

The conference is being held with the support of 21 partners, journals and endorsing organisations.

The closing ceremony will take place on Sunday evening, when the Best Paper Award and Best Paper Presentation Award will be presented to outstanding research presented during the conference.