18 – 23 January 2026

Near Hermanus, Western Cape

Get practical teaching, tools and training to proclaim Jesus and his ways wherever he places you. Join a community passionate about doing the same. Applications for the 2026 Academy are closed.

SHOW INTEREST FOR 2027 ACADEMY

The Why and the Who

The Wilberforce Academy is the starting point of a journey with others in the Wilberforce Collective – a growing community of Christians from different vocations and cultures – who are working together to bring the hope and truth of Jesus to every part of society.

The Academy’s purpose is to prepare you for servant-hearted, Christ-centered engagement in the areas God has placed you, including your community, church, workplace etc. Over the course of the Academy week, you will be grounded in a Biblical framework to guide your thinking, prayers and actions in interacting with the complex socio-cultural issues of our time.

 

The What and the How

In addition to daily worship and devotions, through the teaching sessions, elective seminars, and inspiring testimonies from believers who are living boldly for Christ, we trust you will grow in a revelation of what it means to live for God’s glory in every area of life. You will also have the opportunity to reflect with others in your vocational field on what you are learning in daily application groups (guided by our faculty members) and build one another up through prayer.

And the Academy is not the end – it is only the beginning. The journey continues through ongoing engagement and training in Wilberforce Vocational Communities and at Refocus Days.

Important information for the 2026 Wilberforce Academy

Dates

18 – 23 January 2026

 

Location

  • A conference venue near Hermanus, Western Cape. Specific details will be communicated to successful applicants by the end of November 2025.
  • For successful applicants who choose not to make use of their own transport, transport options will be made available from Cape Town International Airport and Stellenbosch/Somerset West. These transport options will travel to the venue and back to their original destinations after the Academy.

 

Cost

  • Wilberforce Academy is a subsidised programme. The cost of the Academy Week is R7,950 per delegate (including accommodation, meals, teaching and course materials for the week).
  • Student rate: R5,950 per delegate.
  • Payment is due before the Academy commences – by no later than 11 January 2026.
  • IMPORTANT: Depending on individual applicants’ circumstances, it may be advisable to start saving as soon as possible towards the attendance fee of the Academy Week in January.
  • Discount for delegates making use of own transport
    Delegates who will make use of their own transport to and from the conference venue, and during the Academy Week, will qualify for a discount of R500 to R1,000 on the Academy attendance fee.

 

Scholarships

  • There is a total of 10 scholarships available for the 2026 Wilberforce Academy – FIVE (5) full scholarships and FIVE (5) half scholarships. Interested candidates are invited to include a motivation to be awarded either a full or half scholarship in their application forms.

 

Application process

PLEASE NOTE:

  • Wilberforce Academy is not open to the general public.
  • Space is limited, and available spaces will be filled by successful applicants on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. We encourage you, therefore, to apply as soon as you can.
  • We may invite you to an interview (either in-person or online) to discuss your application further.

Programme, speakers and more…

Click here for the Academy Week brochure which gives an overview of the programme and speakers.

A key feature of the Academy week is the application groups for daily reflection in group discussions. Delegates become members of one of our vocational peer groups, including:

 

  • Farming and Agricultural management
  • Church / pastoral, family and para-church ministry
  • Business, Economics and Finance
  • Education (Pre-Primary, Primary and Secondary)
  • Academia, Research and Higher Education
  • Medicine and Healthcare professions
  • Media, Creative arts and Entertainment
  • Law
  • Politics and Public service
  • Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)

Christians from five Southern African nations equipped at 2025 Wilberforce Academy SA

Special report by Embeth du Toit and Ryan Smit

From January 19 to 24 a group of about 90, including 60 delegates, 18 faculty and 12 team members, gathered at the beautiful Beloftebos (Forest of Promise) near Stanford, Western Cape, for the third annual Wilberforce Academy South Africa.

'Wilberforce Collective - Regional Leaders’ Summit 2025'

Report by Clarina van Ieperen and Ryan Smit

From 7 to 10 July 2025, Wilberforce Academy hosted the first Wilberforce Collective Southern Africa Leaders’ Summit outside Johannesburg. The event brought together Wilberforce alumni and co- labourers from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, and Ghana, marking a significant next step in the continued pursuit to be faithful and fruitful for the Lord’s kingdom purposes, especially in public life, in each of the represented nations, the region and the continent.