Cape Town, South Africa : The who’s who and the rising stars of the palaeontology world will meet in Cape Town, South Africa from 30 November to 3 December 2026 for the first-ever International Conference of Palaeontology to be hosted in Africa. Held at the University of Cape Town , this foremost global gathering will see researchers, educators and students from around the world present their latest findings and projects and discuss developments in the field at large with peers.
Organised under the auspices of the International Palaeontological Association, the 7th International Palaeontological Congress (IPC7) is a premier global platform for advancing palaeoscience, fostering international collaboration, and inspiring new generations of researchers. The gathering takes place every four years.
“We are excited to host this important conference in the beginning of the South African summer, and to bring it to Africa for the first time. It is only the second time that an IPC is being held in the Global South,” says IPC7 Organising Committee chair Prof Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan from the Department of Biological Sciences at the IPC7 host institution, the University of Cape Town .
International experts are convening 25 topic-specific symposia to cover all aspects of palaeontology. Participants will share research, explore emerging methods (including palaeoneurology, molecular palaeobiology and advanced imaging), and engage with topics at the forefront of deep-time science. The sessions will delve into finds from the Archean to the Holocene, and cover work from all continents.
Recent findings from distinct prehistoric times such as the Precambrian and the Devonian will be discussed, disease in the fossil record, the evolution of flight in vertebrates, recent advances in the study of dinosaur eggs and reproduction. This meeting will also host exhibitions of professional palaeoartists and the work of aspiring young artists. Specialised workshops on topics such as how to communicate palaeontology to the broader public, the use of R statistical software, fossil preparation and sketching paleoart will be presented. “In tandem with our scientific programme we are also looking forward to field trips that will take participants to renowned fossil sites and museums around South Africa, such as the West Coast Fossil Park, the Karoo Basin, and the Cederberg and sites around Makhanda ” says Prof Chinsamy-Turan. “This will allow delegates to engage with some of South Africa’s top palaeontologists working at these sites.”
The fossil heritage of South Africa is renowned globally for its importance in understanding the history of life on Earth. It extends from the very beginnings of life on Earth, some 3,8 billion years ago, and tells the world about how biodiversity originated and diversified from the Precambrian to the present. It also includes world-famous hominin relatives dating back as far as 4 million years.
Behind the scenes, the local organising committee has been hard at work, raising funds to support emerging researchers and professionals from around the world to come to this meeting. To-date 29 travel grants have been awarded.
More information: scientific leaders in action
Key plenary speakers from around the globe will lead discussions on evolutionary patterns, biodiversity, and the connections between ancient life and modern ecosystems, fostering dialogue across scientific specialities. The international plenary speakers are:
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