Ouagadougou: The Media and Organizational Communications Research Laboratory (LAMCO) has announced the organization of an international and multidisciplinary scientific meeting set for November 6 and 7, 2025, at Joseph Ki-Zerbo University. The conference aims to address the challenges facing information and communication professions in the digital era.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the director of LAMCO, Dr. Firmin Gouba, stated that the event will also serve as a tribute to Professor Serge Theophile Balima. Professor Balima is recognized as a pioneer in the field of information and communication sciences in Burkina Faso and Africa, and his contributions have significantly advanced the academic domain.
The discussions at the conference will assess the current state of educational training in these fields, examining its strengths and limitations in the context of evolving market demands. Participants will explore the adaptation of curricula, teaching methods, and research frameworks. They will also consider the necessary ethical and professional distinctions between journalism, communication, and cyberactivism in the digital media era.
Under the theme "Can we still train for information and communication professions in the face of the challenges of digitalization and digital media?", the meeting will scrutinize the relevance and future of training systems amid technological and media changes. Key topics include training for information and communication professions in C´te d'Ivoire, the legitimacy of information during periods of terrorism in Burkina Faso, and distinctions between information and communication in the Burkinabe press.
The event is organized in collaboration with the Pan-African Institute for Media, Information, and Communication Studies and Research (IPERMIC). It will gather lecturers, students, media professionals, and digital stakeholders to engage in dialogue and promote intergenerational knowledge transfer.