By Richard Onyango
Daystar University officially opened the 2026 Nairobi Regional Hub Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA) today, bringing together scholars, researchers, students, and communication professionals for conversations centered on communication and inequalities in society.
The conference, running from June 4–6, is part of the 76th Annual ICA Conference taking place in Cape Town, South Africa, under the global theme, “Communication and Inequalities in Context.” The Nairobi Regional Hub is among several hubs organized worldwide to expand participation and create opportunities for scholars and students unable to attend the main conference physically.
The opening session featured virtual addresses from international communication scholars and ICA leaders who emphasized the urgent need for inclusivity, collaboration, and mentorship in addressing global inequalities through communication. Speaking during the opening session, incoming ICA President for 2026–2027, Professor Ingrid Bachmann of Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, described ICA as a growing and increasingly diverse organization that still has room for broader inclusion.
“This has become a diverse organization which still needs to grow,” she said.
Professor Bachmann noted that inequalities around the world inspired this year’s conference theme and challenged communication scholars to intentionally create spaces that include more voices and perspectives.
“ICA can deal with these inequalities by being aware of these inequalities and differences and being intentional about including other people and more people,” she added.
Outgoing ICA President 2025–2026, Professor Dr. Thomas Hanitzsch of LMU Munich, commended the work being done within the African communication landscape and acknowledged the importance of regional hubs such as Nairobi in shaping global academic conversations.He also emphasized that inequality remains a major global challenge and encouraged ICA to deliberately mentor future leaders from underrepresented regions and countries.
At the local level, Dr. Robert Aswani, Dean of the School of Communication at Daystar University and Chair of the ICA Kenya Chapter, highlighted the role the conference continues to play in advancing communication scholarship in Africa. Dr. Aswani noted that while ICA has already made tremendous progress globally, there is still room to strengthen its impact through greater interdisciplinary collaboration among scholars and researchers.
He further described the conference as an important breakthrough platform that allows scholars, students, and practitioners to network, share research, and contribute toward addressing communication inequalities.
The conference continues to position Daystar University as a leading center for communication scholarship in Africa. Over the years, the university has hosted several editions of the ICA Regional Hub, attracting participants from universities across Kenya and international presenters from around the world.
This year’s conference features live sessions, research presentations, panel discussions, and breakout engagements focusing on media, digital communication, artificial intelligence, journalism, public relations, and emerging communication technologies.
For students pursuing communication and media-related courses, the conference offers an opportunity to engage directly with scholars and professionals shaping conversations around communication in Africa and beyond.
As discussions continue throughout the three-day event, participants are expected to explore how communication research, innovation, and collaboration can help address both global and local inequalities in an increasingly digital world.
The conversation continues tomorrow with more panel discussions, research presentations, and collaborative engagements expected to further examine the role of communication in addressing inequalities across different contexts.
