The Southern Africa Regional Science Association (SARSA), in collaboration with the Regional Science Association International (RSAI), and the Department of Construction Economics and Management at the University of Cape Town, announces the
3rd Southern Africa Regional Science Association Annual Conference
Rethinking the Regional Development Opportunities and Challenges in Southern Africa
10 - 12 September 2025, University of Cape Town, South Africa

Conference Themes

The conference will specifically focus on how rapid urbanisation in Southern Africa has created a range of development opportunities and challenges. The conference seeks to address a broad range of themes that include but are not limited to the following:

• Urban and Economic Resilience
• Urbanisation and City Growth Processes
• Housing Development (Affordable & Low-Cost Housing)
• Smart Cities Planning and Sustainability
• Sustainable Urban Development and Management
• Urban Infrastructure
• Urban Agriculture & Food Systems
• Climate Change Resilience and Adaptability
• Regional Migration and Urban Development
• Urban Crime and Safety
• Poverty, Inequality and Informality
• Transportation and Mobility in Urban Areas

Key dates

Deadline for Submission of Abstracts: 28 February 2025
Notification of Accepted Abstracts: 31 March 2025
Submission of Full Papers: 30 April 2025
Notification of full paper acceptance: 30 June 2025
Resubmission of revised papers: 30 July 2025 

​The following deadlines apply for non-refereed papers and abstracts:
Submission: 30 July 2025
Notification of acceptance: 4 August 2025

Venue

​University of Cape Town
Upper Campus, Rondebosch

Accreditation

This conference is accredited by the South African Council for Planners (SACPLAN). CPD points will be awarded for attendance & paper submission ​

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

On the Measurement of Poverty at Different Level
​

Ana Vinuela
University of Oviedo, Spain
​

Modeling the Impacts of Tourism: Insights for Modelers and Practitioners
​

Eduardo Haddad
University of Sao Paulo, ​Brazil
​

Harnessing the potential of the informal urban economy: small scale rental housing

Ivan Turok
University of the Free State & HSRC, South Africa'​

Improving informal public transport services: Lessons from South African pilot projects

Roger Behrens
University of Cape Town, South Africa​
​​​

Unlocking the Future: Harnessing Innovation for Inclusive Regional Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa

Samuel Odei
University of Hradec Kralove, Hradec Králové, Czechia​

Spatial Interaction Model with Land Use, an upgrading with AI
​

Tomás P. Dentinho
University of Azores, Portugal
​​

ORGANIZATION AND SUPPORT