by Kgothatso Monono
Elevating the Tshwane University of Technology's (TUT) research profile on the global stage, Faculty of ICT (FoICT) lecturer, Vianney Witesyavwirwa Kambale, has won the coveted Best Paper Award at the 2025 IEEE Conference on Information Communication Technology and Society (ICTAS) - an event renowned for showcasing cutting-edge research in technology and innovation across the globe.
Vianney’s award-winning paper, “Lag-Horizon Sensitivity Analysis of Knowledge Distillation for Time Series Forecasting: A Case Study on Energy Data Applications”, stood out for its innovative approach to improving AI model performance in resource-constrained environments. His research explores knowledge distillation, a method of transferring knowledge from large, complex AI models to smaller, lightweight versions, making advanced forecasting tools accessible even on devices with limited processing power, such as smart meters in energy systems.
The study also examined the impact of historical data (lags) and forecasting periods (horizons) on model accuracy, offering valuable insights for real-world applications in energy, healthcare, IoT and finance.
Faculty of ICT (FoICT) lecturer, Vianney Witesyavwirwa Kambale
“Winning the Best Paper Award is a personal and professional milestone for me,” said Vianney. “It validates our efforts while highlighting the relevance of our work in advancing AI and time series forecasting. It also reflects positively on TUT as a leading institution for impactful research.”
Originally from Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and now based in Pretoria, Vianney’s academic journey has spanned multiple countries, enriching his perspective on global education and research. He holds a BTech, M-Tech as well as MSc in Electrical Engineering and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Information Communication Engineering at the University of Klagenfurt in Austria.
At TUT, he lectures and conducts research in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and Time Series Forecasting (TSF) - areas critical to building smart, efficient systems for solving real-world problems. His passion for technology is deeply rooted in a desire to innovate for social good.
“Teaching is more than a career, it is a calling. Education is not only about sharing knowledge, but about empowering the next generation of innovators,” he said.
Looking ahead, Vianney plans to integrate knowledge distillation with meta-learning, enabling AI models to quickly adapt to new datasets with minimal retraining. His future work will expand into healthcare and finance, in collaboration with international partners in Austria and Italy.
He encourages aspiring researchers to stay curious, collaborate widely, and focus on real-world challenges: “Stay persistent, seek mentorship and work on problems that make a meaningful impact.”
Vianney’s recognition at ICTAS 2025 underscores both his individual excellence and affirms TUT’s growing reputation as a hub for innovative, high-impact research in Africa and beyond.
A proud moment for Vianney Witesyavwirwa Kambale, who has won the coveted Best Paper Award at the 2025 IEEE Conference on Information Communication Technology and Society (ICTAS).