Ouagadougou hosts an international symposium on artificial intelligence and education in Africa
Ouagadougou – Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the service of education in Africa was the central focus of a major international symposium that opened on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at the National Institute for Social Sciences (INESS) in Ouagadougou. Held over two days, the event brought together academics, experts, and digital stakeholders around the theme: “Languages, Digital Languages, Artificial Intelligence and Education in Africa.”
In a global context marked by the rapid rise of AI technologies, the symposium aimed to explore the opportunities this innovation offers to transform educational systems across the continent. The objective: to spark concrete discussions and propose ways to integrate AI into African education policies, while taking into account local linguistic and cultural realities.
For Aoua Carole Congo, born Bambara, Director of INESS and Chair of the symposium’s steering committee, this initiative is part of a national effort to promote local languages and foster education that is adapted to the African context. “This symposium is a patriotic act in terms of research, not only for Burkina Faso but for all of Africa,” she stated, recalling the recent creation of the National Commission for National Languages.
The relevance of the theme was also highlighted by Ky Jean Célestin, representative of the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation, who emphasized the importance of initiatives focused on local solutions to global challenges.
The opening lecture was delivered by Professor Mamadou Sanogo, Director of Research at INESS. He offered a candid assessment of the situation: under-equipped local languages, a lack of digital resources, and weak integration of technology in education. “We are facing a threefold challenge: technological, linguistic, and educational. It is urgent to act,” he urged, calling on researchers and practitioners to mobilize.
Over the two days, the program includes panels, lectures, and interdisciplinary exchanges aimed at laying the groundwork for an African strategy to harness AI for education—while respecting the continent’s linguistic diversity.
