Research at Emeris

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Arts Honours Psychology
• Master of Arts Psychology (Research)

Research interests

• Adolescents
• Diet Intake
• Food Insecurity
• Mental Health
• Scoping Reviews

Biography

Akhona Nkwanyana is an HPCSA registered Research Psychologist currently registered as a part-time PhD candidate at the University of the Western Cape, with a Master's degree in Research Psychology. Her PhD research is interested in understanding the relationship between food insecurity, diet intake, and mental health among adolescents.  

Her past research has focused on adolescent substance use/abuse/misuse, instrument validation and development. She has an extended interest in race relations, ethnic-socialisation, social cohesion, mental health and mental health services among other topics. She is currently a committee member as part of the psychology association of psychology (part of the decolonising psychology division).

When not doing her own research, she is a peer reviewer for journal articles for publishers such as Springer Nature. When not focused on research and supervision, she enjoys the outdoors and spending time with her friends, family, and working in her community. 

Qualifications

• M.Ed. Life Sciences Education
• B.Ed. Hons. Life Sciences Education
• PGCE
• BSc. Human Genetics

Research interests

• Life Sciences Education
• ICT Education
• Coding and Robotics Education
• Online Education
• Pre-service Teacher Training

Biography

Alvira Prakash is a lecturer in the Faculty of Education at Emeris Pretoria, lecturing Natural Sciences and Technology Education and Education Research.

She has completed her Masters in Life Sciences Education at the University of Pretoria on the Teaching of Life Sciences on Online Platforms.

Alvira is an emergent researcher in Science Education, ICT Education and Pre-Service Teacher Training.

Qualifications

• PhD Marketing Management (Candidate)
• MCom Marketing Management
• BA HONS Communication Management
• BCom HONS Marketing Management
• BCom Marketing Management

Research interests

• Relationship marketing
• Relationship quality
• Brand hate
• Brand love
• Consumer behaviour

Biography

I am currently a PhD candidate in Marketing Management, building on a strong and diverse academic foundation that includes an MCom in Marketing Management, a BA Honours in Communication Management, a BCom Honours in Marketing Management, and a BCom in Marketing Management. Throughout my studies, I have developed a comprehensive understanding of marketing principles, communication dynamics, and consumer–brand relationships. My main research interests focus on relationship marketing, relationship quality, brand hate, brand love, and broader consumer behaviour, areas that allow me to explore how emotional and relational factors shape the way consumers engage with brands. I am particularly interested in understanding how both positive and negative consumer emotions emerge and influence brand connections. My academic journey reflects a deep commitment to expanding knowledge within the branding and business field, accordingly, at present, my main project is my PhD research, through which I am actively investigating themes in brand hate and contributing meaningful insights as I continue to grow as an emerging scholar.

Qualifications

• BEd FET General (UP)
• BEd (Hons) Inclusive Education (UNISA)
• BA (Hons) Psychology (UNISA)
• BEd (Hons) Psycho-Educational Support (UNISA)
• BCom (Hons) Industrial & Organisational Psychology (UNISA)
• PGDip Higher Education Studies (UCT)
• PGDip Research Supervision (UJ)
• MEd Higher Education Studies (UKZN) – in progress

Research interests

• Research Education
• Research Supervision
• Inclusive Education
• Environmental Education
• Social Conservation

Biography

André van der Westhuizen is the Head of Education at The IIE’s Emeris campus in Sandton. He completed his initial teacher training with a Bachelor of Education (BEd) in Further Education and Training at the University of Pretoria and began his career teaching Geography at a public high school in Gauteng. André holds multiple postgraduate qualifications spanning psychology, inclusive education, higher education, and research supervision.

He is actively engaged in the training and development of pre-service teachers and is passionate about strengthening research capacity in teacher education. André primarily lectures research methodology and research design to final-year Bachelor of Education (BEd) students and also supervises their research projects.

Qualifications

• Design Thinking African Bootcamp (2023) – Design Thinkers Academy
• UNESCO International Bioethics Teachers Training Course (2015) - UNESCO
• PhD (Psychology - Education) – Philosophiae Doctor (2013), University of Johannesburg
• Masters (Psychology - Education) – Magister Educationis (2007) – University of Johannesburg (Awarded Chancellors Gold Medal and Best Thesis Award for Masters)
• Bachelor of Arts (Psychology - Honours) (2004) with distinction, UNISA
• Bachelor of Arts – with distinction (2001), UNISA
• DOH - Oral Health (1995), University of the Western Cape

Research interests

• Public health issues (HIV, TB, mental health and GBV)
• National Health Insurance Fund
• Developmental psychology and education

Biography

Dr Aneesa Moolla is an accomplished researcher with a multidisciplinary background bridging psychology, public health, and health systems research. She holds a PhD in Psychology and brings more than a decade of senior-level experience in research management, strategic programme leadership, and evidence-informed policy support. Her work has spanned higher education, large-scale donor-funded initiatives, monitoring and evaluation, and regulatory and ethics governance. Dr Moolla’s research interests centre on health systems strengthening, behavioural and mental health, implementation science, and the optimisation of research processes for improved data quality and impact.

During her work as a Principal Researcher and member of the Senior Management Team at the Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office (HE²RO) at the University of the Witwatersrand, she led methodology design, scientific writing development, project oversight, and strategic stakeholder engagement across national and international portfolios. In addition to her research leadership, Dr Moolla currently teaches at Emeris (Ruimsig), where she contributes to student development through active, constructivist learning approaches and applied psychology teaching.

Qualifications

• MA Corporate Communication (UFS)
• BA Communication Science (UFS)
• Post Graduate Certificate in Education (NWU)

Research interests

• Strategic communication
• Brand communication
• Marketing communication
• Language and identity
• Culture theory
• Consumer engagement

Biography

I hold a Master’s degree in Corporate Communication, with my thesis examining the communication relationship between Deaf clients and their banks—a research focus supported by my studies in South African Sign Language.

After completing my postgraduate studies, I taught at a Deaf school in London, where my fluency in sign language was further strengthened through the completion of my PGCE and British Sign Language Level 1 and 2 qualifications.

Upon returning to South Africa, I completed a short learning programme in Strategic Brand Communication at Vega School, and spent eight years in the advertising industry before transitioning into academia as a full-time lecturer at Vega School.

My research interests centre on communication accessibility, brand communication, and the intersections of language, identity, and consumer engagement.

In recent years, I expanded my expertise by completing an online course in Brand Building through the University of London’s Business School.

I have also contributed to two textbook chapters in South African academic marketing communication textbooks, both published in 2025, reflecting my ongoing commitment to knowledge development within the field.

Qualifications

• Master of Education (Cum Laude)
• BA Hons in Psychology
• BA (with Education and Psychology as majors)
• Higher Diploma in Education

Research interests

• Higher Education
• Teaching and Learning
• Student support
• Dialogic learning
• Staff Development in higher education

Biography

Annatjie Pretorius is a registered PhD candidate in Education at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. She works as a Teaching and Learning Specialist in the private higher education sector. Her research interest falls with student engagement and dialogic learning, with specific focus on conversational learning and in talk as social and pedagogical action. Her learning and teaching practice and philosophy is underpinned by constructivism and socio-cultural learning theories.

Qualifications

• LLB
• LLM
• MPhil in Higher Education

Research interests

• Family Law 
• Legal Education
• Law of Persons

Biography

I am an admitted attorney and an experienced law lecturer, with a strong commitment to advancing both legal scholarship and higher education. I hold a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree, a Master of Laws (LLM) degree, and a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree in Higher Education. This combination of qualifications enables me to approach complex legal and educational issues with a critical and informed perspective.

My research focuses on family law, the law of persons, and legal education. I am passionate about meaningful legal reform and improving the student learning experience through research-based teaching and curriculum alignment. Through my work, I aim to contribute positively to society and support the continued development of both the legal profession and the higher education landscape.

Qualifications

• National Senior Certificate - Die Hoërskool Menlopark -2009
• B.Ed in ECD and Foundation Phase - University of Pretoria(TUKS)- 2013
• Honours Bachelor of Education in Inclusive Education.- UNISA - 2017
• (72524) Programme in Basic, INT and ADV Project Management -UNISA -2020

Research interests

• Puppetry and storytelling as a pedagogical tool
• Behavioural problems in young children and implementing support strategies.
• Learning support for young learners who faces learning barriers or difficulties.

Biography

Ansone’s academic journey started when she had to decide between studying Arts in Drama or Education in the Foundation Phase. As the universe aligned it was evident that she was meant to study and complete a bachelor’s degree in education in the Foundation Phase. When she started teaching, she fell in love with inclusive education and then pursued her Honours degree in Inclusive Education. There after Ansone completed a programme in Project Management, turned out the universe aligned again and she went into lecturing on foundation phase. Ansone is currently enrolled as a student and pursing her Master’s in Inclusive Education.

Qualifications

• BSc Civil Engineering, 2022)
• MSc Systems Engineering, 2026

Research interests

• Structural behaviour and design of perforated steel beams and steel structures
• Advanced structural analysis and efficient structural systems
• Systems engineering approaches to engineering education
• Cognitive science and learning processes in technical disciplines
• Engineering pedagogy and curriculum design for science-based subjects

Biography

I am a civil engineering lecturer with experience in both academic research and industry-based design and infrastructure projects. I am currently completing my master’s degree, with research focused on the structural behaviour and design performance of perforated steel beams, investigating the influence of web openings on strength, stiffness, and failure mechanisms to support more efficient and economical steel design.

I previously completed an honours research project, where I obtained a distinction for a research project on Quantifying Areal Rainfall Uncertainty. While outside my primary structural specialisation, this work strengthened my background in data analysis, modelling, and rigorous research methodology.

Professionally, I have worked in structural engineering and multidisciplinary consulting environments, contributing to the assessment, design, and rehabilitation of engineering systems and infrastructure. Alongside technical research, I maintain a strong interest in engineering education and the application of systems thinking to improve how complex, science-based subjects are taught and learned. I am interested in how insights from systems engineering, cognitive science, and learning theory can be integrated to enhance engineering education, problem-solving ability, and long-term knowledge retention among students.

Qualifications

• Master of Laws in Business Law
• Bachelor of Laws

Research interests

• Corporate rescue development in South Africa
• The effectiveness of Business Rescue in South Africa
• Corporate Governance

Biography

I am a admitted attorney of the High Court. I hold both a Master’s degree and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. My research interests focus on the development and effectiveness of business rescue in South Africa, with a particular emphasis on exploring the role and skills of the business rescue practitioner to better understand this key functionary entrusted with turning around a company’s financial situation. Currently, I am finalising a paper for submission to an academic journal.

Qualifications

• Bsocsci in criminology and psychology
• Hons in Criminology

Research interests

• Female Criminality
• Cybercrime and Digital Deviance
• Gender-Based Violence
• Social Media and Crime Narratives

Biography

Boitumelo is a criminology and psychology lecturer at Emeris Sandton. She has been in the academic space for 6 years in both public and private institutions occupying various roles. She hold an Honours degree in Criminology, and she plans on pursuing a Masters degree in the same field. Boitumelo is a novice researcher who is interested in exploring research relating to female criminality, cybercrime and digital deviance, gender-based violence, and social media’s role in shaping crime narratives. She am open to any form of collaboration.

Qualifications

• BCom Cum Laude (UFS)
• LLB Cum Laude (UFS)
• LLM Cum Laude (UFS)
• LLD (UFS)

Research interests

• Family Law
• Trust Law

Biography

After twenty years in the public higher education sector, Prof Bradley Smith joined Emeris as a Senior Researcher in 2023 and was simultaneously appointed as an Extraordinary Professor of Private Law at the University of the Free State. He has published extensively on family law and the law of trusts, with more than thirty peer-reviewed national and international publications in these fields.

He has also co-authored various textbooks and contributed to scholarly works, including The law of divorce and dissolution of life partnerships in South Africa (Heaton ed, Juta, 2014) and Fundamentals of South African trust law (LexisNexis 2019 and 2023, with F du Toit and A van der Linde). 

He is rated as an established researcher by the National Research Foundation. His research has contributed to legal development by being cited in a number of leading judgments of the South African courts, including the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court of Appeal.

Notable examples include PAF v SCF 2022 (6) SA 162 (SCA); Bwanya v The Master of the High Court and Others 2022 (3) SA 250 (CC); Laubscher NO v Duplan 2017 (2) SA 264 (CC) and Paixão v Road Accident Fund 2012 (6) SA 377 (SCA).

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS)
• Master of Science (MSc) in Epidemiology
• PhD in Public Health

Research Interests

• Social determinants of Health
• Women’s health
• Oral health research

Biography

Dr Bukola Olutola is a Senior lecturer in Public Health at the Emeris Ruimsig. She has a PhD in Public Health, and she is a public health researcher. She has published and reviewed articles in international journals, presented papers at conferences both local and international. She has also published chapters in books and has supervised and still supervises research students (Honours, Master’s and PhD) from different Higher Education Institutions across South Africa. She is a member of the Editorial Board of the BMC Public Health journal.

Her citation score as at November 2025 is 410 with an h-index of 11 and an i10-index of 13.

Dr Olutola won the top researcher award at the IIEMSA for the years 2022 and 2024.

Qualifications

• Executive Development: Essentials of Management Coaching Certificate
• PhD in Marketing Management: Thesis: The role of alternative brand contact planning in the South African marketing and communication industry.
• Master’s in Communication: Dissertation: The approach of South African creative directors in advertising to the black market.
• BA Communication Honours: Specialising in Advertising and Political Communications
• BCom (Hons) Industrial & Organisational Psychology (UNISA)
• BA Communication

Research interests

• Experience and research in brand building include the development, design and implementation of brand identity systems
• Internal brand alignment and contact/touchpoint strategies.
• Research related to Master’s and Doctoral supervision in Southern Africa.

Biography

Carla Enslin is Dean of the Postgrad & Research Centre at Emeris. She manages and is a course supervisor and trainer for the Master of Arts in Creative Brand Leadership and the Doctor of Philosophy in Brand Leadership at Vega. Carla lectures and presents widely in Africa and abroad and conducts corporate training, consulting, and coaching.

Qualifications

• BA Honours Information Design (University of Pretoria)
• PGDip Higher Education (The Independent Institute of Education)
• PGDip Instructional Design (The Independent Institute of Education, Vega School)

Research interests

• Africanisation of Education
• Inclusive teaching and learning pedagogies
• Instructional Design
• Cultural Competence
• Visual Communication

Biography

Carmen Gunkel is committed to creating inclusive and innovative learning experiences that respond to the needs of diverse learners. She holds an Honours degree in Information Design from the University of Pretoria, a certificate in Client Relationship Management from UNISA, a Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education from The Independent Institute of Education, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Instructional Design from Emeris (Vega). These qualifications inform her approach to curriculum development and learning experience design.

Her research focuses on knowledge construction for South African diverse learners, with an emphasis on equity, authenticity, and accessibility in education. Carmen views education as a dynamic system where content, context, and human experience intersect. She strives to design learning environments that are empathetic, inclusive, and transformative, ensuring that teaching transcends socio-economic barriers and fosters growth. Her work is grounded in understanding the complexity of students’ social, cultural, and contextual realities, aiming to make learning relevant and meaningful.

Carmen has contributed to the academic and design community as a judge for national design awards and as a conference chair for the Design Education Forum of South Africa. She values collaboration and continuous learning as essential to framing education as a human-centered endeavour.

Qualifications

• BA Honours Photography (Photography) (2015)
• BA Honours Communication (Communications) Qualification (1987)

Research interests

• Indigenous Storytelling & Sustainability
• Cultural Oral Histories
• Symbolism & Material Culture
• Visual Semiotics in Culture and Political Memory
• Ethical Storytelling in Indigenous Communities

Biography

I am an academic, researcher, photographer, and video producer with over 30 years of experience in multimedia communication, video production, and documentary photography. My work is rooted in a documentary-style approach with a strong focus on cultural research. Current research as Work in Progress: (1) Storytelling for value transmission, Book chapter Manchester University Press. Navigating Authenticity through Cultural and Ethical Challenges: The ǂ Khomani San’s Cultural Revival within the Spirit of Being Bushman. (2) To explore the interplay between time, materiality and identity in fashion by incorporating experimental photographic processes and design elements. (3) Frames of Time; Exploring Personal Narratives Through 35mm Black-and-White Film (4) Political Narratives in Graffiti on the Lennon Wall – Prague.

Selected Projects and Academic Contributions: 2025 - AMPS Teaching and Learning Conference Prague - Innovative Pedagogies in Art and Design: Exploring Kallitype Photographic Printing as a Creative Problem-Solving Tool through ǂKhomani San Bushmen Portraits. 2025 – DEFSA Conference: From Observation to Interaction: Exploring the Impact of Lived Experiences in Design and Cultural Identity. 2024 – Named After Nelson: Exhibition at the Nelson Mandela Foundation (in collaboration with Loughborough University, UK – Graphic Heritage Project). 2024 SAPHE Conference – Improving Food Security through Vertical Food Towers: Engaging students in sustainable practices. 2022 – Blood, Culture, Origin – Practice-Based Research Exhibition (Khomani San Bushmen visual Ethnography). 2021 – Presenter at Asian Conference on Cultural Studies 2020 – Presenter at Ethnography Symposium, University of Liverpool, UK (online).

Qualifications

• BA (Hons) Information Design
• BA (Hons) Brand Leadership
• PGDIP Higher Education
• MA Creative Brand Leadership

Research interests

• Personal branding and social media
• Animals and branding
• Home language in communication design
• The purpose of awards in the communication design curriculum

Biography

I began my academic career at Vega in 2013 as a lecturer in Communication Design, teaching both second- and third-year students. Over the years, I became increasingly involved in the awards portfolio, helping to guide and celebrate student achievement. In 2019, I was honoured to be ranked the number one lecturer by the Loeries, and I placed second in 2020.

In 2021, I stepped into the role of Head of Discipline for Communication Design, where I have been able to contribute to curriculum development, academic leadership, and the overall direction of the programme. I completed my Master’s degree in Creative Brand Leadership in 2024, strengthening my expertise in design, branding, and educational practice.

My current research focuses on the relationship between language, culture, and design. In 2025, I presented a paper at the DEFSA conference at Nelson Mandela Bay University, exploring how home languages influence design thinking and the value this brings to communication design students. I continue to pursue research on linguistic diversity, student identity, and inclusive creative pedagogy to help shape the next generation of designers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Arts, UWC
• Bachelor of Arts Honours in Psychology, UWC
• Master of Arts (Research Psychology), UWC
• PhD (in progress)

Research interests

• Psychology education
• Community mental health
• Social accountability
• Postgraduate student success

Biography

Experienced researcher and academic, with a keen research interest in higher education, psychology education, community mental health, social accountability and community engagement. I am currently a PhD candidate at the University of the Western Cape. My PhD research focuses on developing a framework for undergraduate psychology education in South Africa. Other research projects include: “A scoping review for on best practices for community engagement in South Africa” and “Exploring the psychology honours research identity”

Qualifications

• PhD in Commerce
• PhD in Business Management
• MCom in Business Management
• Honours in Business Management
• BCom General

Research Interests

• Organisational Behaviour
• Knowledge Management
• General Business Management

Biography

Conrad serves as the Head of MBA, MIB, and PhD (Commerce) Studies at the Emeris Postgraduate and Research Centre. His academic and professional interests include, among others, economics, financial management, knowledge management, and organisational behaviour. His research contributes meaningfully to the advancement of knowledge-intensive businesses.

He is a contributing author and editor of academic textbooks, a reviewer for selected accredited journals, and an active member of the Southern African Institute for Management Scientists. In addition, Conrad is a proud member of the Golden Key International Honour Society.

Qualifications

• BA Honours Fine Art – University of Pretoria
• PGCE Art and Design (FET phase) - University of Pretoria
• MA Information Design - University of Pretoria
• PhD Information Design – in progress (University of Pretoria)

Research interests

• Media Ecology
• Visual Culture
• Metaphysics
• Jungian Studies
• Instructional Design

Biography

Courtney is a senior lecturer at IIE Vega School Pretoria. She has worked in both public and private tertiary education institutions since 2016 in various roles including lecturing, postgraduate supervision, research co-ordination and instructional design. She is currently enrolled as a PhD candidate in Information Design at the University of Pretoria. Additionally, she holds an M.A. in Information Design, a B.A. Hons. in Fine Art, and a PGCE. Her research navigates meaning-making at the intersection of metaphysics, education, and visual culture, driven by a keen interest in Media Ecology and Jungian Studies.

Qualifications

• Master of Library & Information Studies, University of Cape Town (UCT)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Library & Information Studies, UCT
• Bachelor of Arts Honours in Development Studies, University of the
  Western Cape (UWC)
• Bachelor of Arts

Research interests

• Information literacy
• Lifelong learning
• Teacher-librarian collaboration

Biography

Cwayita Notshokovu is an information professional who holds a Master of Library & Information Studies and a Postgraduate Diploma in Library and Information Studies from the University of Cape Town. She also holds an Honours degree in Community Development and Bachelor of Arts degree from University of the Western Cape. Professionally, Cwayita has over five years of experience in the Library and Information Services field, currently serving as a Postgraduate Information Specialist at the Independent Institute of Education (IIE), Emeris (formerly known as the IIE Varsity College) and previously held roles as Information Specialist at the IIE Vega School, Metadata Librarian (in the graduate programme) at the National Library of South Africa, and has volunteered and worked at Eikendal Public Library in the EPWP programme.

Her current research focuses on information literacy in public libraries, particularly how public libraries can support school learners with information literacy instruction. Her master’s dissertation examined the readiness of public libraries to deliver information literacy instruction to school learners.

Cwayita has presented in the LIASA Annual Conference 2025 on the topic “Role of public libraries in supporting information literacy instruction for school learners in disadvantaged communities”. She also presented in the City of Cape Town Public Library Seminar 2025.

Qualifications

• Master of Information Science (M.Inf – UNISA)

Research interests

• Meta-context of information
• Information ethics
• Information architecture
• Information literacy
• Knowledge management

Biography

Currently an Information Specialist – Postgraduate Support at Emeris Sandton Campus. Cyril completed his Master of Information Science in 2025, where he explored the role of academic libraries in combating academic misconduct.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Commerce: Intrapreneurial Management
• Honours: Strategic Management
• Master of Commerce: Strategic Management
• PhD: Business Managament

Research interests

• Entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial education, business management small business development

Biography

Dr. Daniella Teles Amaral is a distinguished academic and researcher, holding a PhD in Business Management from the University of Johannesburg. She currently holds the position of Head of Management Studies and Senior Lecturer at Emeris Sandton. Her areas of expertise include business management, entrepreneurship, and small business development, with her doctoral research examining how entrepreneurial education influences the individual entrepreneurial orientation of university students. Dr. Teles Amaral has contributed to leading academic journals, advancing knowledge in entrepreneurship and business management, and actively participates as a peer reviewer and external moderator. She is also a member of the Council on Higher Education’s (CHE) Quality Review Committee. With extensive experience teaching postgraduate students at multiple institutions, she has earned numerous awards for excellence in teaching and learning. Dedicated to the advancement of higher education, Dr. Teles Amaral blends academic leadership with a strong commitment to fostering entrepreneurship and innovation, making a meaningful impact in both scholarly and practical realms.

Qualifications

• Master of Social Sciences
• Honours in Social Sciences
• Bachelors of Arts General Degree

Research interests

• Self-concept clarity and social media
• Self-concept and self-presentation
• Social media as a socialisation agent

Biography

Budding novice researcher fascinated with self-concept/self-concept clarity and social media as a socialisation agent. Currently busy with a scoping review submission to the JSM titled: The Shaping of Self A Scoping Review Exploring the Role of Social Media in Shaping Self-Concept Clarity.

Qualifications

• Master of Laws in Mercantile Law (LLM)
• Bachelor of Laws (LLB)

Research interests

• Baking Law
• Insolvency Law
• Corporate Governance
• International Law
• Contract Law

Biography

David Sithole is a seasoned law lecturer at the Faculty of Law in Emiris, Sandton. He holds an LLB from the University of Venda and an LLM in Mercantile Law from the University of Pretoria. David is an experienced legal practitioner and the director of David Akani Sithole Inc., a law firm specialising in commercial law. He is also a renowned legal analyst who frequently features on leading news platforms, including Newzroom Afrika.

Qualifications

• PhD in Educational Studies – University of the Western Cape (in progress)
• Master of Education – University of Johannesburg
• Dissertation: Lecturers’ adoption of AI in STEM teaching for first-year undergraduate students at a private higher education institution in South Africa
• BSc Honours in Computing – University of South Africa
• BSc in Information Technology – Oval International
• National Diploma in Information Technology – Oval International
• A+ in PC Technology – Damelin
• Facilitator, Assessor, and Moderator Certificates – THT Hospitality Training
• Registered Assessor – MICT SETA

Research interests

• Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education
• ICT Integration in Higher Education
• Teaching and learning Pedagogies
• Curriculum transformation
• Experiential Learning & Work Integrated Learning (WIL)

Biography

Denzyl Soobramoney Govender is a passionate computer science lecturer with over a decade of academic and industry experience in IT education. He is currently a full-time lecturer at IIE Varsity College, Durban North, and is pursuing a PhD in Educational Studies at the University of the Western Cape. His academic journey includes a Master of Education from the University of Johannesburg, with a research focus on AI adoption in STEM education. Denzyl’s teaching portfolio spans programming languages such as Java, C#, and VB.Net, and he has demonstrated leadership in quality assurance, curriculum development, and accreditation processes. He has authored peer-reviewed conference papers on AI in programming education and ICT integration in higher education. His ongoing research explores innovative approaches to experiential learning and student collaboration in IT education. As a member of SAARMSTE, Denzyl is actively engaged in promoting technology-enhanced learning within South Africa's higher education landscape.

Qualifications

• Master of Commerce
• Bachelor of Commerce Honours in Business Management
• Bachelor of Commerce in Business Management

Research interests

• Sustainability and Environmental Management
• Employee Pro-Environmental Behaviour (PEB)
• Organisational Behaviour and Culture
• Sustainability and Strategic Management
• Entrepreneurship

Biography

Dimakatjo Dorcus Mamabolo is an emerging scholar and Management Lecturer. She holds a Master of Commerce, a Bachelor of Commerce Honours in Business Management, and a Bachelor of Commerce in Business Management, reflecting a strong and progressive academic foundation.

Her research identity centres on understanding the antecedents of employee pro-environmental behaviour and how sustainability can be strategically embedded within organisations, an interest developed through her master’s research on environmental behaviour in hospitality firms within Limpopo Province. Dimakatjo’s broader scholarly interests also include organisational culture, green management practices, and entrepreneurial development.

With over four years of experience in higher education, she has taught and supported learning across multiple management disciplines, contributing to curriculum delivery, programme coordination, and academic development. She played a key role in fostering student engagement through academic support interventions aimed at improving learning outcomes.

Qualifications

• IIE Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase Teaching, Emeris
• Bachelor of Education Honours, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg

Research interests

• Educational Leadership
• Curriculum Issues in Education
• Integration of Digital Technology in Education

Biography

Dintle Sebothoma recently joined the School of Education as a full-time lecturer. She is currently in the final stages of completing her masters thesis titled Exploring Teachers’ Readiness to Implement Coding and Robotics in South African Foundation Phase Classrooms.

She received a Wits Postgraduate Merit Award that fully funded her Honours studies. It motivated her to continue to work hard and remain dedicated. Her ambition is to publish research articles and to solidify her place in the field. As a life goal of hers, obtaining a PhD is definitely something she is striving towards.

Qualifications

• Bcompt Honours Accounting Science
• Bcompt Accounting Science

Research interests

• Small business funding
• Accounting for small business
• Ownership structure of small business

Biography

With over 10 years of experience in Higher Education. Currently serving as an full time lecture in the school of finance and accounting. Donald’s academic journey began as a tutor and evolved into a full-time lecture at the University of South Africa.

His academic qualification includes honours degree in accounting and undergraduate degree in accounting science. He is also a qualified chartered accountant, registered with the South African Institute of Chartered Accountant (“SAICA”). Donald has extensive experience in bank, investment banking and regulatory banking compliance, which plays a pivotal role in shaping his lecturing experience with his students and helping students connect the dots between theory and practice.

Beyond his current role, he is actively reading and researching in preparation for his Master’s degree journey and ultimately PhD.

Qualifications

• BSc Hons in Business Administration
• MBA

Research interests

• Consumer behaviour
• Brand behaviour
• Brand Equity
• Arts management
• World Economics
• Micro Economics
• Change Management
• Strategic Management
• Teaching and Learning- Creative Minds

Biography

DonnaI studied management in England following on from a career in the performing arts, classical ballet. She has industry experience in marketing, strategy, data management and statistics as well as project management in entertainment business sectors both abroad and in South Africa. In terms of academics, Donna has decades of lecturing and mentoring experience in the various disciplines of performing arts but more recently in management, marketing, project management and brand strategy subjects. For academic research specifically, she enjoys learning about how society and economies operate, especially the people and aspects that make it a lived reality. Donna’s current studies revolve around how creative mind students learn linear aspects, and another study is about the consumer differences by generation. Lastly, Donna is currently working on a longitudinal research study with art auctioneers Christies in London about contemporary art values and the leverage effect of branding.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Accounting Sciences
• Certificate in the Theory of Accountancy
• Masters of Commerce

Research interests

• None as of yet. TBC.

Biography

Dylan is a new lecturer in the Faculty of Commerce: School of Finance and Accounting and is also new to the world of academia. Dylan obtain his Masters of Commerce in 2018 in which his thesis explored the impact of the 2008 financial crisis on the capital structure of JSE listed Companies.

Qualifications

• Master of Engineering (Civil)
• Bachelor of Engineering (Civil)

Research interests

• Pavement Engineering (road design, materials)
• Finite Element Analysis
• Engineering Education
• Machine Learning

Biography

I completed my master’s degree in civil engineering (Stellenbosch University) specialising in pavement (road) engineering. A strong passion for approaching projects in an innovative manner motivated postgraduate research about the use of Spray Jet Technology and its influence on Pavement Life using various means of analyses such as Mechanistic Methods and Finite Element Modelling. The research was conducted in collaboration with the University of Pisa (Italy) from which a paper was published, presented, and awarded “Best Paper by a Young Professional” during the 12th Conference on Asphalt Pavements for southern Africa in 2019.

The complexity and diversity of the postgraduate work and other projects have provided the platform to be challenged by deriving solutions in more innovative ways. Thus, there is the continuous drive to be challenged with latest technology/ methods such as machine learning.

Through various teaching and student experiences, I have been able to use my love for teaching to eagerly share knowledge to help enrich the scientist or engineers of tomorrow. A career in engineering academics has allowed my passion for solving problems, working with students and contributing to society to improve everyday life.

Qualifications

• MSc Computing
• BCom Honours Business Informatics
• BCom Business Informatics

Research interests

• Exploring how digital technologies, learning management systems, and cloud-based tools enhance teaching, learning, and administrative efficiency in educational institutions.

Biography

Farshida holds a Master of Science degree in Computing, with a strong academic foundation in information systems, and emerging digital technologies. Her main research interests revolve around integration of technology and education, particularly how digital tools, learning management systems, and innovative pedagogical approaches can enhance teaching and learning outcomes. She is passionate about exploring how educational technologies can bridge learning gaps, improve engagement, and prepare students for the demands of the digital economy.

Her academic work has focused on applying computing principles to real-world educational contexts, examining topics such as e-learning adoption, digital literacy, and data-driven decision-making in education. Currently, her research continues to explore the transformative potential of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in shaping the future of education, with a focus on practical, evidence-based strategies for effective technology integration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Arts
• LLB
• LLM

Research interests

• Legal Education
• Business Rescue
• Insolvency Law
• Company Law

Biography

Fiona is a legal academic based in Durban, South Africa. Her academic background includes completing a LLM in Mercantile Law in 2017 at the University of Free State. She is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of the Witwatersrand in the field of Business Rescue and is on the practising roll of legal practitioners in South Africa.

She began her legal academic career at the Applied Law department of the Durban University of Technology in 2005. She started her career at the IIE Varsity College as a part-time lecturer in 2006. She began managing the Law programme nationally from 2007 and was appointed as the Head of School: Law at Emeris in 2015. She is currently employed as the Dean.

Fiona has presented at both national and international law conferences in the field of Insolvency Law, Business Rescue and Legal Education and has a keen interest in these areas. She is also currently supervising final year LLB students.

Her research explores issues such as dispute resolution in the management of financially distressed companies and investigating the key challenges posed to legal education.

Areas of teaching and research include Legal Education, Social Justice and Insolvency Law with a particular interest in business rescue.

Qualifications

• BCom LLB
• LLB
• LLM (Estate Law)
• LLD – In Progress

Research interests

• Labour Law
• Intellectual Property Law
• International Law

Biography

Henry is a legal scholar and practitioner with a developing research focus at the intersection of labour law, performers’ rights, and constitutional values. In his role as a lecturer at IIE Varsity College, he has cultivated a strong academic profile through supervising senior LLB students and guiding them in designing and executing rigorous legal research projects. This work has strengthened his interest in how South African law can better protect creative and vulnerable workers, particularly within evolving socio-legal and economic contexts.

Henry holds an LLM in Estate Law and continue expanding my scholarly work toward questions of fair remuneration, worker protection, and the development of rights-based frameworks within South Africa’s labour and creative sectors. His research is driven by a commitment to critical inquiry, clarity, and the pursuit of knowledge that contributes meaningfully to legal practice and policy development.

Qualifications

• PhD Education Management Law and Policy
• MEd Education Management Law and Policy
• BEd(Hons) Education Management Law and Policy
• Home Economics (HED)

Research interests

• Education Management and Leadership
• Higher Education
• Education Law and Policy
• Teaching and Learning

Biography

Dr Ilze Breedt have a passion to support and help educators/lecturers to grow and develop to support learners and students to become the best version. She has a PhD in Education Management, Law and Policy, and her thesis focused on the governance in independent schools.

She has 27 years of experience in the field of education, both school-based and Higher Education Institutions. As the Teaching and Learning Specialist on Emeris Pretoria Campus, she focuses on the development of lecturers in all the different schools and ensures quality lecturing takes place in all faculties. She is passionate about research and enjoys collaborating with colleagues and discussing various fields of research.

Her research interests include leadership and management as well as technology and the development of educators.

Qualifications

• BProc degree
• LLM degree
• Advanced Diploma Higher Education
• CEDR Accredited Mediator
• Administration of Estates (Insolvent and & Deceased)
• Admitted attorney in law

Research interests

• Law of contract
• National Credit Act
• Consumer protection Act
• Constitution

Biography

Ingrid is a Law Lecturer as the Sandton Campus with a background in private law, having completed her Master’s degree on a full research dissertation on a Comparative Analysis on The National Credit Act – Reckless lending.

Ingrid’s academic interests primarily focus on Law of contract and specifically within the National Credit Act and she also enjoy reading research on the Constitutional Law.

Throughout her studies, Ingrid has developed expertise in interpretating and applying legislation (especially the National Credit Act, Constitution and the Consumer Protection Act, critically analysing case law and statutory developments and improving my academic writing and argumentation which has shaped her analytical approach and informed my research direction.

Ingrid has presented at the Faculty of Law Indaba as well as Research seminars hosted by VUT, which have strengthened her engagement in the field and broadened her academic contributions. Additionally, she has been involved in the 4th year LLB students research reports as supervisor.

Qualifications

• M Com Taxation
• Chartered Accountant
• Certificate in Theory of Accounting (BCOM Accounting honours)
• B Com Accounting

Research interests

• Research on practical tax matter and the impact of tax policy changes

Biography

Jackie obtained her masters in 2022, which included a mini dissertation on “Tax Implications of Income and Benefits Received By Social Media Content Creators”. In 2025, an abstract titled “South Africa’s National Health Insurance: Projected Impact of the Removal of Medical Tax Credits on Taxpayers” was accepted to be presented at the SAAA2025 conference. This is currently being completed to be submitted for publishing to a journal.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) Psychology
• Post Graduate Certificate in Education – ECD and Foundation Phase Teaching
• Masters in Education – Educational Psychology

Research Interests

• Innovations in Initial Teacher Education
• Service-learning in Initial Teacher Education
• Initial Teacher Education and the Sustainable Development Goals

Biography

I am a dedicated educator and academic with over ten years of experience in Initial Teacher Education within the private Higher Education sector in South Africa. I have extensive experience in lecturing, curriculum design and academic leadership with a passion for strengthening the professional competence of pre-service teachers for the demands of 21st-century classrooms. I co-authored and published my first academic journal article in 2025, “Exploring pre-service teachers experiences of an Online Microteaching Model in initial teacher education in South Africa”. My current scholarly interest is around the role of service-learning in advancing teacher identity, professional growth, community engagement  and The Sustainable Development Goals

Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy in English – Stellenbosch University (in progress)
• Master of Arts in English Language, Literature and Modernity – University of Cape Town (graduated 2010)
• Bachelor of Arts Honours – University of KwaZulu-Natal Howard College (graduated 2006)
• Bachelor of Arts – University of KwaZulu-Natal Howard College (graduated 2005)

Research interests

• Speculative fiction
• Queer literature and theory
• South African literature
• Intersectionality
• Ecocriticism

Biography

I am a passionate academic and researcher within the fields of English Literature and Communication. I have lectured and developed course material and assessments in these fields for over 15 years and I am the co-author and editor of Mindcraft: The Theory and Practice of Persuasive Communication, published through Juta in 2023.

I am currently completing my PhD in English with Stellenbosch University. In this I am conducting a qualitative critical analysis of selected South African postapocalyptic and dystopian novels and short stories published within the last decade, drawing on queer, speculative, and ecocritical perspectives to explore the intersectionalities and representations in these texts. The aim of my study is to interrogate how the authors employ diction, form, genre, setting, temporality, characterisation, and overall narrative structure to problematise hetero- and homonormative conceptions of gender, identity, and sexuality within and against the sociohistorical and sociocultural contexts and contemporary ideological discourses present in South Africa.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Commerce-Financial Management
• Postgraduate Diploma-Finance, Investments and Banking Management
• Master of Commerce- Management
• Doctor of Philosophy- Management (In progress)

Research interests

• Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurial Education
• Numeracy Education
• Feminism and Gender-based Issues in Contemporary Society
• Leadership
• Sustainability in Higher Education

Biography

Jayseema Jagernath is the Deputy Dean in the School of Management within the Faculty of Commerce at Emeris. She is responsible for the academic management and quality assurance of Management Studies programmes delivered across campuses nationally. Jayseema holds a Master of Commerce degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and is currently a PhD candidate. Her professional journey began in the corporate sector before transitioning into academia, allowing her to bring practical, real-world insights into her academic leadership and teaching practice. Prior to her academic career, she worked within the non-governmental sector, where she gained experience in supporting rural communities across South Africa with the development and management of resources. Her academic specialisations include Finance, Investments, Banking, and Management. She is deeply committed to advancing women’s empowerment and gender equity within higher education and broader societal contexts. Her current research interests include entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship education, numeracy education, feminism and gender-based issues in contemporary society, leadership, and sustainability in higher education.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Arts Journalism – University of Johannesburg (2008)
• Bachelor of Arts Honours in Journalism – University of Johannesburg (2009)
• Master of Arts Journalism – University of Johannesburg (2015)
• PhD Communication – UNISA (in progress)

Research interests

• Power of social media
• Social media activism
• Intercultural communication challenges
• Higher Education
• AI and Communication Science

Biography

Jenna has worked in the Higher Education sector for 17 years and is currently finalising her PhD in Communication where she explores the empowerment potential of social media activism. Her academic background and professional experience have fostered a strong research interest in the intersections of communication, digital engagement and the evolving landscape of teaching and learning in tertiary institutions. Jenna has published several pieces in the field of Higher Education and has contributed a chapter to the academic textbook ‘Mindcraft: The Theory and Practice of Persuasive Communication’ (2023) and published a journal article ‘Quandaries of Contract Cheating in South African Higher Education Institutions: The Way Forward’ which was published in the South African Journal of Higher Education. Jenna’s current work reflects her commitment to addressing contemporary challenges in Higher Education and understanding the role of communication in fostering ethical, engaged and empowered academic communities.

Qualifications

• MEd - Technology Education. Fostering Critical Thinking Dispositions. University of Pretoria.
• BEd Honours - Teacher Education and Professional Development. Indigenous spaces of Learning. University of Pretoria.
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education. Engineering Graphics and Design and Design and Technology. University of Pretoria.
• BSc Interior Architecture. University of Pretoria.

Research interests

• Critical Thinking
• Education practice
• Generative Artificial Intelligence
• Large Language Models

Biography

I hold a Master of Education in Technology Education from the University of Pretoria, where my research explored ways to foster critical thinking dispositions. My BEd Honours in Teacher Education and Professional Development focused on Indigenous spaces of learning, while my Postgraduate Certificate in Education specialised in Engineering Graphics and Design, as well as Design and Technology. I began my academic journey with a Bachelor of Science in Interior Architecture, also at the University of Pretoria. My research and publications centre on critical thinking, technology-enhanced learning, and the role of generative AI in education. I am currently developing additional papers and a conference proceeding that build on these themes. I plan to pursue a PhD in Education, further investigating how generative AI can support and extend critical thinking. I am passionate about empowering educators to think more deeply and creatively through meaningful engagement with technology.

Qualifications

• Master of Arts in Creative Brand Leadership (IIE-Vega)
• Post Graduate Diploma in Architecture (University of Natal)
• Bachelor of Architecture (University of Natal)

Research interests

• Design Thinking
• Visual Mapping
• Public Spaces
• Learning Spaces
• Creative Collaboration
• Reflective Practice
• Meaningful Brands
• Brands and spaces
• Brand leadership

Biography

Jody Simpson is a Senior Lecturer and Head Academic at Vega School, where he has been teaching for nearly a decade. With a background in architecture and brand communication, his research explores the intersections between learning spaces, public spaces, collaboration, and branding—examining how spatial design shapes identity, experience, and engagement in educational and urban contexts. He has presented at seven national and international conferences, including INTED, EDULEARN, and DEFSA, and has published on topics spanning social cohesion, creative collaboration, and design pedagogy. Jody is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Brand Leadership (DPhil) at Vega, focusing on developing a framework that aligns spatial design, pedagogy, and brand identity in higher education environments. His broader academic interests include human-centred design, organisational culture, and creative learning environments. Through his teaching and research, he aims to bridge theory and practice, creating innovative, inclusive, and purpose-driven approaches to design education.

Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy (Psychology) – UKZN
• Post-graduate Qualification in Advanced Banking Law – UJ
• Bachelor of Business Science (Finance) - UCT

Research interests

• Unethical Influence
• Spiritual/Religious Experiences
• Bipolar Disorder
• Mental Health Literacy
• Stigma

Biography

Dr. John Hunter is a South African researcher and lecturer, based in Johannesburg. His interest in large group awareness trainings (LGATs) – and their impact on mood and psychosis – is grounded in his personal experience of bipolar disorder and his participation in an LGAT in 2010. In 2017, he completed a Ph.D. in psychology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, proposing a neurobiological explanation for the relationship between LGAT conditions and results. Specifically, Dr. Hunter put forward the dopaminergic-defense hypothesis, offering insights into both: (i) the “transformational” experiences associated with LGAT participation; and (ii) the common claims of psychological harm and problematic behaviour associated with participation. In 2022, Dr. Hunter published an article explaining the dopaminergic defense in the Journal for the Cognitive Science of Religion (Hunter, 2022), in July 2023 he presented this work at the annual International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA) conference in Louisville, Kentucky, and in June 2024 acted as an expert witness in a United States federal court regarding the use of LGATs in the Troubled Teen Industry. Dr. Hunter’s first book, Manufacturing Mania: The Dopamine Hypothesis of Religious Experience, is complete and is now available and will be published in Chinese in 2026 by Locus Publishers.

Qualifications

• M. Ed Science Education
• B.Ed (Hons) Science Education
• B.Ed

Research interests

• Artificial Intelligent tutoring and Science learning.
• Inquiry based Science Pedagogical Strategies
• Inquiry based learning and how technology can enhance the understanding of abstract science concepts.

Biography

PhD Candidate, specialising in the integration of Artificial Intelligence within inquiry-based science learning and teaching. Justin is deeply passionate about science education, research, teaching, and leveraging technology to enhance conceptual understanding.

As a mixed-methods researcher, he values the robustness of this approach, as it offers a comprehensive understanding of complex research problems through the combined strengths of both qualitative and quantitative methodologies.

He is a proud member of the Golden Key International Honour Society, completed his Master’s degree with distinction, and has published in international peer-reviewed journals.

His current PhD research focuses on developing a framework for AI-driven tutoring to support both teachers and learners in enacting Inquiry-Based Science Education practices within the Physical Sciences.

Qualifications

• BSC Sport Science – University of Pretoria
• PGCE Senior + FET Phase – University of South Africa
• PGDip Tertiary Education – University of South Africa
• PGDip Management – The Independent Institute of Education
• MPhil Strategic Management – University of Pretoria (Graduation 2028)

Research interests

• Strategic Management and Leadership
• Education
• Female Representation in Sport
• Sport

Biography

Katie has recently been accepted into the Masters in Strategic Management at the University of Pretoria for commencement in the 2026 Academic year.

Katie has a passion for her students and creating critical-thinking, good, upstanding members of society – Chalk and Talk is really not a thing!

Katie is highly driven, self-motivated, disciplined and a stickler for policy and procedures.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Social Science in Anthropology and Psychology (Rhodes University)
• Bachelor of Social Science Honours in Anthropology (Rhodes University)
• Master of Social Science in Anthropology (Rhodes University)

Research interests

• First Year Experience
• Anthropology
• Higher Education
• Orientation Process

Biography

Kelsey Nebbe is an anthropologist who seeks to make universities her field sites. She applies social and medical anthropology theories into exploring and understanding the experiences of students and staff of universities. Her Masters of Social Science and prior qualifications were obtained from Rhodes University. Currently, she is presenting at conferences and publishing papers based on her Masters thesis into the longitudinal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic had on first-year student integration into a small public residential university in South Africa.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Arts Honours Psychology
• Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGCE)
• Masters of Arts (Psychology)

Research interests

• Higher Education
• Stress (particularly of students)
• AI (particularly ethical use)
• Emotional Intelligence
• Experiential learning

Biography

I am currently the Head of Humanities at Emeris Durban North. I have worked in the Higher Education sector for 18 years. I have lectured in the fields of Psychology and Education for the last 13 years and currently a Supervisor for Psychology Honours students. I am also currently a PhD candidate at the University of KwaZulu Natal. Research enables me to combine my love of writing, education and inquiry into meaningful contributions to academia. Since starting my current role 18 months ago, I started writing for conferences and journals. This year I presented at the UNISA International Teaching and Learning Conference in May and the digiTAL 2025 Conference in November and will also be presenting at the IIE Conference in Cape Town. I currently have 2 journal articles and 1 book chapter that have been accepted for publication – so watch this space!

Qualifications

• Certificate: Investment analysis and Portfolio Management
• BCom Degree: Financial Management
• BCom Honours Degree: Business Management
• Masters: Financial Management Science

Research interests

• Artificial Intelligence
• Fintech,
• Dividend policy
• Cash holdings
• Capital structure

Biography

Kudzai is a Lecturer in Business and Financial Management with over 15 years of academic and professional experience. His research expertise lies in corporate finance, particularly capital structure within the banking sector. He has published work examining the relationship between capital structure and profitability in South African banks, contributing to the understanding of financial decision-making in emerging markets. Kudzai’s master’s research focused on dividend policy in South African banks and insurance companies, exploring how payout strategies influence firm value and investor behaviour. Currently, he is pursuing a PhD that investigates the intersection of artificial intelligence and financial technology (FinTech), with a specific emphasis on cash holdings and dividend policy in South African banks. This project aims to uncover how AI-driven innovations are reshaping liquidity management and shareholder returns in the financial services industry. Through this work, Kudzai strives to bridge theory and practice, offering insights that support sustainable financial strategies in a rapidly evolving digital economy.

Qualifications

• Master of Arts – Design (In progress, expected completion 2025)
• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) – Multimedia Design
• Bachelor of Arts – Multimedia Design

Research Interests

• Design
• Technology
• Humanities
• Psychology
• Sustainability
• User Experience
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Artificial Intelligence
• Computer Science

Biography

Kyle has a background in Multimedia Design with experience ranging from marketing and branding, print, animation and motion, to interaction design and software development.

Kyle’s research efforts started in 2023, when he presented at the IIE Teaching and Learning Symposium as well as the 2023 and 2024 IIE Vega Symposium.

In 2025, Kyle presented and submitted a paper for the Design Education Forum South Africa (DEFSA) 2025 conference.

Kyle’s current research interests are computer science and information communication technology, artificial intelligence, human-centred design, user experience design, interaction design, human-computer interaction, software engineering, and sustainability.

Qualifications

• PhD Business Administration
• MCom (Management)
• BCom Honours (HRM)
• BSocSc. (Psychology)

Research interests

• Research culture and engagement in PHEIs
• Professional Development and mentorship for emerging researchers
• Leadership and academic strategy in research

Biography

Dr Lailah Imandin is the Deputy Dean Research at Emeris Vega School, where she leads and supports the strategy and development of researchers across the Vega School campuses. She holds a Master of Commerce in Management from the University of Natal (UKZN) and a PhD in Business Administration from North West University. With more than 20 years experience in higher education, Lailah has served as a senior academic and Academic Manager of Postgraduate Programmes and has extensive expertise in research development, assessment governance. She has supervised numerous master’s dissertations, examined Master’s and MBA research at several universities and contributes as a reviewer for several conferences. Her research focuses on strengthening research culture and engagement in private higher education institutions with particular interest in professional development and institutional support systems. Lailah is currently advancing a series of studies on drivers and barriers to research engagement among academics on PHEIs and continues to build initiatives aimed at cultivating a sustainable, collaborative research environment at Vega school.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Commerce in Economics
• Bachelor of Commerce Honours in Management

Research interests

• Numeracy
• Economics
• Strategic Leadership
• Strategic Management
• Private Higher Education
• Higher Education

Biography

Lauren is currently a full-time lecturer in the Faculty of Commerce: School of Management Studies at the Emeris Pretoria campus. Lauren is currently lecturing Economics and Intro to quantitative thinking at Emeris Pretoria.

I am currently completing my master’s in business leadership at UNISA.

Lauren is an emergent researcher with an interest in economics, strategic management and leadership in private higher education.

Qualifications

• PhD Candidate – Public Law, UCT
• Master of Laws – Administrative and Constitutional Law, Passed with distinction in the dissertation, UCT
• Bachelor of Laws – UWC.

Research interests

• Constitutional and Administrative law
• Criminal Justice
• Child law
• Human rights law
• Refugee Law

Biography

Lelethu Nogwavu is a Law Lecturer at the Faculty of Law. She is also a PhD Candidate at the Department of Public Law, University of Cape Town. She holds an LLM in Constitutional and Administrative Law, which she completed with distinction in her dissertation, also at the University of Cape Town. During her studies, Lelethu worked as a researcher at the Democratic Governance and Rights Unit (DGRU) and has held various positions in civil society organisations. She obtained her LLB from the University of the Western Cape. Lelethu’s primary research interests include Human Rights Law, Constitutional and Administrative Law, Criminal Justice, Refugee Law, Child Law, and Cyber Law.

Qualifications

• LLB (NWU)
• LLM (NWU)
• PhD (Wits) ongoing

Research interests

• Employment law
• Medical law
• Disability law
• Family law
• Legal education

Biography

Liechen holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Master of Laws in Labour Law from North-West University and is currently pursuing her PhD at the University of Witwatersrand. Her academic career spans over a decade, combining practical legal experience as an attorney specializing in labour law with academic roles, and she currently serve as Head of Law at Emeris Sandton.

Liechen’s research interests focus on employment law, medical law, disability law, family law, and legal education. She has published on topics including contract cheating in higher education, digitalization in legal practice, and preparing practice-ready law students. her work has appeared in the South African Journal of Higher Education and various conference proceedings, and she has co-authored textbooks on criminal law. She has also supervise LLB research students and has been involved in curriculum development and quality assurance initiatives.

Her current research projects explore the intersection of labour law with infertility, neurodiversity in the South African workplace, and accommodating neurodiverse students in tertiary legal education—areas that reflect her interest in addressing contemporary challenges in employment law and legal pedagogy.

Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy in Education, specialising in Environmental Education. (In progress) Rhodes University.
• Master of Education, in Environmental Education with Distinction. (2007) Rhodes University.
• Bachelor of Science Honours in Environmental Science. (2006) Rhodes University.
• Bachelor of Science, Geography and Environmental Science. (2005) Rhodes University.

Research interests

• Social ecological systems, Natural resource management, conservation and livelihoods
• Citizen Science
• Transdisciplinary research and learning
• Social learning, adult learning and social network analysis and learning

Biography

Linda Downsborough is the Head of Environmental Science at the Independent Institute of Education, Emeris Ruimsig. As a lecturer and researcher Linda has been integral to designing, co-ordinating and lecturing on a number of water related education programmes at the IIE and has worked on a number of externally funded research grants.

Linda’s passion for the environment started growing up in Zambia and travelling to many of southern Africa’s national parks in Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia. She completed her honours in environmental science at Rhodes University working with conservancies (voluntary conservation organisations). From this research her interest in what drives people to voluntarily participate in conservation activities laid the foundation for her masters dissertation which investigated social learning process within a citrus farming community of practice. Her current doctoral research explores the potential for social network analysis to be used as an educational tool to enhance learning and competency building for various stakeholders within a biosphere reserve context.

Linda is passionate about learning, adult education, social networks and communities of practice all within a natural resource management context and has a number of publications in these fields. She believes that by facilitating and nurturing the connections between people there is enhanced capacity for learning and mutually beneficial decision-making. In 2021 Linda was awarded the IIE Researcher of the Year award.

Qualifications

• MA Communication Science (UFS)
• BA Communication Science (Hons): Media Studies and Journalism (UFS)
• BA Communication Science: Media Studies and Journalism (UFS)

Research interests

• Contemporary media history
• Erasure
• Representation
• Curriculum Development

Biography

Linda Fekisi is a journalist and academic. Her Master’s was a comparative study of Drum magazine’s coverage of the 1976 Soweto Uprisings to the 2015 Fees Must Fall protests. She’s an avid supporter of contextual storytelling, exploring hidden narratives and challenging misrepresentation.

Her interests are curriculum development, erasure, contemporary media history and representation. She is a PhD Candidate at the University of South Africa (UNISA).

Qualifications

• Dip in High School Education (UZ)
• Dip. Graphic Design (CPUT)
• B-Tech Graphic Design (CPUT)
• M-Tech Graphic Design (CPUT)
• PhD Graphic Design (Results Pending – UJ)

Research Interests

• Multicultural design education
• Cultural Semiotics
• Design education in South Africa
• African Design Education, what it is and what it could be
• Work-integrated learning (WIL) for design education

Biography

I am a qualified High School teacher who majored in Art and Design education and English (EFL and ESL). It was my exposure to Art and Design that sparked an interest in art and design education in Africa. My Master's degree focused on the renewal of design education to accommodate multicultural and multilingual studio education. An output of the study was a book Chapter in The Transformative Power of Language, edited by Russell Kaschula and Ekkehard Wolff.

As an offshoot of my Master’s study, work-integrated learning (WIL) emerged as a critical focus in graphic design education. The study focuses on investigating WIL practices across three institutions of higher education to propose a WIL framework for graphic design. The framework is designed to promote equal access to WIL for all graphic design students at institutions of higher education. Significantly, the study illuminates students’ cultural capital and its impact on their participation in WIL. 

Qualifications

• BA (FA) Information Design (UP)
• MA Information Design (UP)

Research Interests

• Design, Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship
• Design education
• Co-design / Designing with ( SMEs and communities)
• Design for social impact
• Decolonisation of design

Biography

Lizette Carstens started her career designing voter education material for the IEC for South Africa's first democratic elections. She later joined a subsidiary of QData as a digital designer responsible for developing interactive training material and maintaining the company’s website and in 2002, founded her own design studio. Her academic career started as a part-time lecturer while completing her Masters degree in Information Design at the University of Pretoria. She joined the Independent Institute of Education's (IIE) as part-time lecturer and Honours supervisor in 2014, before moving to a full-time position as National Programme Manager For Creative Brand Communication and Gamification. Lizette is a member of the Golden Key Society and has published on the use of co-design approaches in SME and educational contexts. She is currently Deputy Dean of Design, managing the design unit at The IIE Emeris (Vega School) and pursuing a Doctoral degree in Innovation and Technology Management, focussing on the use of design thinking approaches to support innovation capacity in South African SMMEs.

Qualifications

• Undergrad: Bachelor of Education in the Foundation Phase, 2014
• Postgrad: Honors in Learning Support, 2018
• Postgrad: Masters in Learning Support (Inclusive Education), 2023

Research Interests

• Beginner Foundation Phase teachers
• Inclusive education in South Africa
• Low resourced schools
• Induction programmes and mentorship models for beginner teachers  
• Bridging the gap between theory and practice in the classroom

Biography

She is an emerging scholar in the field of Inclusive Education, with a strong academic foundation shaped by her completed master’s degree and her ongoing development as a novice researcher. Her work focuses on strengthening support structures for beginner teachers, particularly those in the Foundation Phase who work in low-resourced and diverse South African classrooms. Her core research interests include teacher induction, mentorship models, inclusive classroom practices, and bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application for novice teachers. She has presented at various e-symposiums and at the International Conference on Education Research, where her first paper was published. Her second paper, titled Transforming Classrooms with Coding and Robotics: A Path to Inclusive Education, has been submitted to the Journal of Education (UKZN) and is currently under review. She is also the co-author of a forthcoming book chapter titled Why School Placement Matters: Preparing Globally Competitive Teachers in Diverse School Contexts, to be published next year. Her work draws on constructivist principles and Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory to examine how contextual factors influence teacher readiness and learner support. Her current research seeks to advance inclusive education in South Africa through evidence-based strategies that support both teachers and learners in under-resourced communities.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in economics (In progress)
• Honors Degree in Economics
• Bachelor of Commerce in Economics
• Diploma in office computing

Research interests

• The effect of exchange rate on current account balance in South Africa.
• Exchange rate volatility on inflation in South Africa
• The effect of monetary shocks on macroeconomic variables in South Africa.
• Expansionary policy effect on aggregate demand in South Africa.
• Macroeconomics
• Econometrics
• Financial Economics

Biography

Rudolph Mantshwane is a full-time lecturer at Emeris, Sandton campus in faculty of management studies, currently completing master’s degree in economics, researching on effect of exchange rate on current account balance in South Africa. He holds honors degree in economics, completed in 2017 at the University of Venda. Rudolph is a passionate professional who is dedicated and committed to driving innovation and change to demonstrate teaching philosophies that stimulate students’ progress and success.

His research interests include macroeconomics, econometrics and financial economics. He has been in the industry for 8 years with a focus on economics and finance.

Qualifications

• PhD Engineering
• MEng. Electronic Engineering
• BEng. Electronic Engineering

Research Interests

• 5G/6G enabling technologies
• Machine learning applications in wireless networks
• Vehicular networks and D2D communications
• Massive MIMO and cell-free massive MIMO
• Millimeter wave communications

Biography

Malcolm Sande obtained his PhD in Electronic Engineering from University of Pretoria in 2023. Malcolm is a member of Emeris’ Research and Ethics Committee. As a senior lecturer in research at Emeris, he is driving research outputs in engineering as part of the Faculty of Science & Technology. His research interests are in wireless communications as well as applications of machine learning techniques therein. His current projects focus on machine learning applications in cell-free massive MIMO networks and in integrated access and backhaul networks.

Qualifications

• Master’s in Media Studies (UCT)
• Bachelor of Arts – Social Sciences  (Wits)

Research Interests

• Conceptualisation for brand communication, advertising and copywriting
• Teaching and assessment of conceptual thinking and creative processes
• Humanising pedagogy for online education
• The role copywriting in design education
• Writing and communication for digital media
• Human-computer interaction

Biography

Mandy Speechly is the national head of copywriting at Emeris - Vega and is a senior lecturer at the Cape Town campus. She has extensive industry experience as an advertising copywriter, online tutor, course designer, and curriculum developer. She has won over fifty tutor awards in various student advertising competitions. Mandy completed her Master’s in Media Studies from the University of Cape Town, specialising in writing for mobile media and the role of language in digital user engagement. She has published textbook chapters and articles on writing for digital media. Her current academic interest relates to creative education in the context of advertising, brand communication, design, and copywriting. She has particular expertise in creative processes and conceptual thinking, which underlines the theme of a conference presentation in June 2025. Her interest in creative education has also expanded to the teaching of these fields in the online context, where she recently presented a paper on the role of the tutor in humanising the virtual learning environment.

Qualifications

• BSc Interior Architecture
• BInterior Design Honours
• Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education
• Master of Education in Information and Communication Technology (in progress)

Research interests

• Microlearning and Cognitive Apprenticeship in Design Education
• Postdigital Responsive and Disruptive Assessment in Design Education
• Postdigital Approaches to Online Interior Design Studio Pedagogy in South Africa

Biography

Maretha Geyser is the Head of Interior Design at IIE Emeris Vega School and a researcher specialising in design pedagogy and curriculum innovation. She holds a BSc in Interior Architecture, a BInterior Design Honours, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education and is currently completing a Master of Education in Information and Communication Technology at the University of Johannesburg. Her dissertation, Reimagining Online Interior Design Studio Pedagogy: Postdigital Design Principles for South African Higher Education, critically responds to the growing demand for online design programmes following the COVID-19 pandemic. While interior design education is traditionally rooted in studio-based, constructivist, and learning-by-doing approaches, emerging literature highlights the risks of simply replicating face-to-face studio models online. Maretha’s research addresses this gap by exploring how postdigital theory can inform online studio pedagogy while preserving its collaborative, socio-material and process-oriented nature.

Her current research interests also include microlearning and cognitive apprenticeship, postdigital frameworks for responsive and disruptive assessment and authentic approaches to curriculum design in creative disciplines. She recently presented at DEFSA and developing a Postdigital Responsive Assessment Framework to support equitable, future-ready learning in design higher education.

Qualifications

• Enrolled in Masters - Educational Technology
• Honours Bachelor of Education with specialisation in Psycho- Educational Support (Cum Laude)
• Post Graduate Certificate in Education (Cum Laude)
• BA in Health Sciences and Social Services with a focus on Psychological Counselling (Cum Laude)

Research interests

• Technology-enhanced learning
• Assessment accommodations for diverse learners
• Pre-service teacher experiences
• The relationship between inclusive pedagogy and digital tools.

Biography

Mariaan Avenant holds an Honours Bachelor of Education with specialisation in Psycho-Educational Support (Cum Laude), a Post Graduate Certificate in Education (Cum Laude), and a BA in Health Sciences and Social Services with a focus on Psychological Counselling (Cum Laude), all obtained through the University of South Africa. Her academic background reflects a strong and ongoing commitment to inclusive education, learner support, assessment accommodations, and the integration of educational technology in teaching and learning. Her primary research interests focus on technology-enhanced learning, assessment accommodations for diverse learners, pre-service teacher experiences, and the relationship between inclusive pedagogy and digital tools. She has been selected to present her research at the SAARMSTE 2026 conference, and her paper is currently in the publication process. In her professional role, she lectures in the School of Education at Emeris and serves as the Educational Technologist for the Durban North Campus, where she provides training to lecturers in LMS utilisation and best teaching practices. She has contributed to curriculum development for the Coding and Robotics module in the Intermediate Phase and continues to support innovation, research, and inclusive digital teaching practices within higher education.

Qualifications

• Honors: Bachelor of Education, Law, and Systems (Northwest University; 2018).
• H.D.E Diploma (Port Elizabeth Teachers Training College,1991).
• E.D. Diploma (Port Elizabeth Teachers Training College, 1988 - 1990).
• Senior Certificate (1987)
• (Master’s in educational management: In progress).

Research interests

• Mathematics anxiety amongst preservice students in private higher institutions.
• Technology-enhanced & innovative pedagogies in teacher preparation and school practice.
• School leadership’s influence on teacher morale amid classroom infrastructure challenges in schools.

Biography

I am a lecturer in the Faculty of Education at Emeris Sandton, where I specialise in Mathematics Education for Foundation and Intermediate Phase teacher training. My professional journey spans over three decades in the South African education sector, including 26 years as a Foundation Phase teacher and six years as a principal and teacher of all subjects from Grade 4 – 7, at a no-fee rural school in the Eastern Cape. These experiences have deeply shaped my commitment to advancing quality education in under-resourced and multigrade school contexts. My research interests focus on mathematics anxiety, teacher attitudes towards mathematics, and the influence of school leadership practices on teaching and learning. As a master’s student, I am currently investigating the effectiveness of distributed leadership in enhancing pedagogical practices and teacher morale in primary public schools in Gauteng, with a focus on promoting Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education. I am also passionate about integrating technology—such as unplugged, coding, and robotics activities—into teacher education to foster inclusive, engaging, and contextually relevant mathematics learning.

Qualifications

• Master of Arts in Fine Arts
• Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Technology
• Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts

Research Interests

• Creativity education
• Sustainable pedagogies
• Arts based practice
• Postdigital learning
• Digital education

Biography

My published research lies at the intersection of ecological sustainability, creative practice, learning design, and digital technologies. I am especially interested in how creative processes and material engagements can foster more relational, ethical, and ecologically attuned forms of learning. Drawing from posthuman, new materialist, sociomaterial, and postdigital theories, I investigate how educational practices can be reimagined to reflect the entanglement between humans, materials, technologies, and environments. Through this lens, I aim to contribute to educational futures that are responsive, inclusive, and grounded in the understanding that learning is both a human and more-than-human endeavour. My work is practice-based, emerging from real educational contexts and are always directed toward enhancing sustainable teaching and learning practice. Currenlty, I am working on a postdigital learning project that use creative practice as a pedagogical approach to develop ecological sensing and a more relational understanding of our world. 

Qualifications

• PhD (Anthropology) University of the Free State, Bloemfontein
• M (Ed) Information and Communication Technology Cum Laude University of Johannesburg
• MA (Social Anthropology) University of Stellenbosch
• Post Graduate Certificate in Education (Intermediate and Senior Phase) Cum Laude University of South Africa
• BA (Honours) Social Anthropology Cum Laude University of Stellenbosch
• BA (International Studies) Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, USA 2006

Research interests

• Anthropology of Sport
• Heritage and Identity
• Embodiment and Sport
• Large Language Models and 21st Century skills

Biography

Dr Marizanne Grundlingh is a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Humanities at Emeris Cape Town. With a background in anthropology her research focuses on issues related to symbolism, gender, identity, and heritage in the social world of sport. She has published in leading international journals on sports heritage and presented her research at conferences both locally and abroad. She recently completed her second master’s in information and communication technology (Education) Cum Laude at the University of Johannesburg. Her research considered the use of large language models to promote the development of 21-st century skills among university students.

Qualifications

• Masters in Library and Information Science (UCT)
• Honours in Library and Information Science (UCT)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education (IIE)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Library and Information Science (UCT)
• BA (Public Administration, Political Science and Sociology)

Research interests

• Academic writing interventions
• Learning experiences
• Inclusive library support
• Student well-being

Biography

My academic background is in library and information science. I also hold a Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education qualification where I have learnt about approaches in education, curriculum development as well as teaching and learning strategies. These have equipped me with the necessary skills especially in designing and delivering meaningful information literacy sessions. I have collaborated with academics and other librarians in producing research, presenting at conferences, both local and abroad as well as getting published in conference proceedings and journal articles. Together with an academic we have recently presented at a virtual conference in Spain and had our research paper published in the same conference proceedings. Our paper is titled: Learning experiences from interventions in learning academic writing – the creative mind student was presented at the 18th International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation held in Seville, Spain, 10th - 12th November 2025. I am currently working with a colleague on a paper titled: Creating inclusive library spaces for neurodivergent students: A case study of a private higher education institution. The same topic was presented at the LIASA conference in Gqeberha, 30th Sep – 03rd Oct 2025.

Qualifications

• BA in English and Communication Science
• BA Honours in Communication Science
• BA Honours in English Studies
• MA in Media and Culture Studies (Culture, Communication & Media Studies)

Research interests

• Decolonial thought and practice in Education
• Identity and Identity Communication in the digital space
• Power dynamics in Communication contexts
• AI in Higher Education
• Intersectional Identity in the Literary and Communication Context

Biography

I am an academic and researcher at Emeris Westville, with a strong foundation in Communication, Media, and English Studies. My research journey began with a focus on life-long learning and the complexities of communication and identity in South Africa, particularly among marginalized communities. My postgraduate works explored gendered communication conflicts in corporate settings and the representation of gender performativity in literature, laying the groundwork for my ongoing interest in gender studies, decolonial thought, and African literature. I specialize in mixed-methods research and have published multiple conference papers on topics such as gender identity, decolonial curriculum design, and digital selfhood. I am actively involved in campus research initiatives, with future projects focussed on ethical AI in education, decolonial learning experiences, digital identity among South African and queer communities, and various projects focused on marginalised communities. With several forthcoming international conference presentations and collaborative publications, I am committed to expanding my research impact, pursuing my PhD and further Master’s in English, and fostering inclusive, transformative scholarship in her field.

Qualifications

• LL.B
• LL.M (Tax Law)
• PhD Candidate (Law)

Research interests

• Legal Education and Artificial Intelligence and the Law
• Afrocentric and Decolonial Pedagogies
• Afrocentric and Decolonial Legal Practices
• Corporate Law (with Afrocentric lenses)
• Human Rights, Inclusion, and Social Justice

Biography

Melisa Chawaremera is a legal academic and researcher whose scholarship is grounded in Afrocentric, decolonial, and inclusionary epistemologies. She holds an LLB and an LLM and is currently pursuing a PhD in Law at the University of Witwatersrand. Across all her research, she adopts a critical approach that interrogates Eurocentric legal frameworks and centres African lived realities, Indigenous knowledge systems, and historically marginalised voices within law, governance, and education.

She has extensive academic and professional experience, having worked both in legal practice and higher education. Prior to her academic career, she served as a Commercial Law Firm’s Forensics Division Manager, gaining practical experience in corporate investigations and regulatory compliance.

Melisa currently serves as the Head of the Law Faculty, where she plays an active leadership role in academic governance and supervision. She has presented at national and international conferences and has published in peer-reviewed journals.

Central to her work is a commitment to inclusion and epistemic justice in both legal scholarship and pedagogy.

Areas of teaching and research include Legal Education, Corporate Law, Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, all approached through Afrocentric, decolonial, and socially responsive frameworks that seek to reimagine law as a tool for justice rather than exclusion.

Qualifications

• Postgraduate Diploma (PGDIP) in Higher Education (2016).
• Baccalaureus Technologiae (B-TECH) Interior design (1998).
• National Diploma (N-DIP) Interior design (1997).

Research Interests

• Design education
• Virtual assessment
• Augmented assessment

Biography

I hold a Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education (PGDip) and a Bachelor of Technology Degree in Interior Design (B-Tech), with over 20 years of academic experience across various institutions. I have actively helped shape academic practices in higher education. My work includes curriculum development and delivering innovative, student-centred teaching methods. My dedication to teaching was recognised through an Academic Lecturer Award and a nomination for the Dr Freysen Teaching Excellence Award. I furthered my professional development by completing the Fundamentals of Digital Teaching and Learning course, which explores adaptive teaching and learning strategies. My teaching philosophy is rooted in constructivist principles, and I employ a range of pedagogical approaches tailored to diverse needs, backgrounds, and learning styles. I remain committed to ongoing professional growth and am open to pursuing a master’s degree to strengthen my contribution to teaching and learning.

Qualifications

• BA English and Psychology
• LL.B.  Legal Aid and Forensic Medicine
• PGDip Business Management and Administration
• MBA Strategic Marketing
• HDip Ed (Mentoring and Counselling)

Research Interests

• Responsibility of brand and business in context of social impact
• Shared value creation as an extension of sustainability and corporate governance
• The power balance in education between investors, fee-payers, learners and educators
• Ethical brand and business practice
• The inclusion of gender-based violence policy as a business imperative
• Respect for self and others in educational and business practice

Biography

A diverse background in the social sciences, law, business and education developed as a response to the systemic interaction between different entities, individuals and concepts within diverse cultural and environmental landscapes. As an activist for humanitarianism, social inclusion and ethical business practice, I have been involved in many practical research projects in these fields. I have only recently been engaged in academic research as my approach has previously been practical and industry/organisation focused.

Being actively engaged in the creation of shared value, where businesses commit to the generation of profit whilst serving a purpose mindful of social impact, inclusion and societal upliftment has required that I design and critique research projects for corporate and societal entities, necessitating both pragmatic and interpretivist approaches. My interest lies primarily in the qualitative field of insight generation.

Projects in education have been driven primarily by an interest in ethical practice and the development of learners as responsible and independent individuals, mindful of the human and environmental context within which they are developing, and for which they will take responsibility as they enter the world of accountability, self-actualisation and work.

Qualifications

• MCom Taxation (University of Pretoria)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting (Monash South Africa)
• Bachelor of Business Science (Accounting) (Monash South Africa)

Research interests

• Taxation
• Financial Accounting
• Higher Education

Biography

Michelle holds an MCom Taxation with a mini dissertation that explored the efficacy of the South African Anti-Avoidance rules in comparison to its counterpart in New Zealand. This dissertation won the 2022 SAIPA Accountancy Top Achievers Award in the Masters of Tax Category. She co-authored an article titled “Progressive tax: a proposal for customer loyalty programmes” (2019) which was published in the Pacific Accounting Review journal as well as co-authored an article titled “Did New Zealand get it right?: Lessons for the south African GAAR” (2022) which was published in the Journal of Australasian Tax Teachers Association. Currently Michelle is working on a paper for submission to a journal titled “South Africa’s National Health Insurance: Projected Impact of the Removal of Medical Tax Credits on Taxpayers”.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Computer and Information Sciences (Application Development)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Data Analytics
• Masters in Strategic Information Technology Management (in progress)

Research interests

• Data Analytics and Visualization
• Machine Learning and TinyML
• Human–Computer Interaction
• Internet of Things (IoT)
• Applied AI for Real-World Problems

Biography

Mishka Dewlok is a postgraduate researcher in Data Analytics with a background in Computer and Information Sciences, specialising in Application Development. Her research focuses on the design, analysis, and evaluation of data-driven systems that integrate embedded sensors, mobile applications, and machine learning models deployed on resource-constrained devices.

A central aspect of her work lies in human–computer interaction, particularly in understanding how users engage with sensor-driven and intelligent systems in real-world contexts. She investigates how interaction techniques, feedback mechanisms, and interface design influence usability, interpretability, and user trust in systems powered by embedded intelligence.

She is currently working on a research project titled MoveWithMe, which explores the use of smart wearable technology and sensor-based analytics to support movement monitoring and interaction for children. The project integrates embedded sensors, lightweight machine learning models, and mobile interfaces to enable real-time feedback and adaptive interaction. Move With Me is scheduled to be piloted in Namibia, with a focus on evaluating system performance, usability, and user experience in a real-world setting.

More broadly, her research examines how analytics, embedded intelligence, and HCI principles can be combined to develop practical, human-centred

Qualifications

• BCom (Marketing Management)
• BCom (Hons)
• MBA (Strategic Management)

Research Interests

• Investing Challenge Alpha versus the market
• African Digital Currency Union
• AI enabled verbal assessments

Biography

Mohini Pather is a Lecturer in Management at Emeris, based in Nelson Mandela Bay. She holds expertise in economics and emerging technologies, with a strong focus on integrating innovation into higher education. Her research centres on blockchain applications and the development of an African Digital Currency Union, exploring how digital finance can transform economic systems across the continent. Mohini has contributed to curriculum design by incorporating AI-enhanced learning strategies and interactive teaching methodologies, earning recognition through a recent teaching award nomination. She has published 4 papers in DHET-accredited journals, examining the intersection of blockchain and regional economic integration. Beyond research, Mohini is passionate about creating student-friendly learning environments and leveraging technology to improve engagement and outcomes. Her work reflects a commitment to advancing both academic scholarship and practical solutions for Africa’s digital economy.

Qualifications

• In progress: LLD (Jurisprudence) University of Pretoria (UP)
• LLM Master of Laws: University of Cape Town (UCT)
• LLB Bachelor of Laws: University of Witwatersrand (Wits)
• BA-Law Bachelor of Arts in Law: University of Witwatersrand (Wits)

Research interests

• Jurisprudence
• Constitutional Law
• Decoloniality
• Human Rights

Biography

Mphathi received her BA-LAW and LLB degrees from the University of Witwatersrand (Wits), and her Masters in Constitutional & Administrative Law (LLM) from the University of Cape Town. Their passions as an undergraduate student were human rights, politics, international relations, and African literature. During the year she completed their Masters at UCT, she developed a passion for an area of law called Law & Society, which examines the way laws really work in social settings and societies.

Mphathi has had the privilege of combining all her passions and has begun doing most of her research in the field of Jurisprudence (Legal Philosophy). This is also the field in which she has chosen to pursue her doctoral studies. Jurisprudence continues to draw heavily on her background in constitutional law, human rights, and law & society, while providing a more critical focus on the philosophies and thinking that underlie law-making processes.

Qualifications

• LLB
• LLM Mercantile Law
• LLM Labour Law

Research interests

• Pension fund law
• Labour Law
• Customary Law
• National Credit Act
• Consumer Protection

Biography

Muvhumbi is a full-time lecturer with lecturing experience across both private and public institution. In his post graduate studies Muvhumbi has researched on virtual currencies and their legal implications. He has further researched on decolonization of labour law in South Africa. As an emerging research Muvhumbi has presented an international conference paper on the proposed national credit act, debt relief intervention. Muvhumbi currently supervises LLB forth year research at Emeris Sandton, where he has supervised some of the exceptional research in the institution in areas such as Tax Law; Pension Fund Law; Constitutional Law; Criminal Law and currency manipulation.

Qualifications

• Higher Certificate in Events Management
• Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communication
• Bachelor of Arts Honours (Communication)
• Master of Arts (Strategic Communication)

Research interests

• Digital Counter publics, Black Twitter & Online Public Spheres
• Social Media Research, Digital Activism & Online Communities
• Critical Media Studies & AI in Higher Education
• Pedagogical Innovation & Transformative Teaching Practices

Biography

Muzi Sithole is a Humanities scholar whose research sits at the intersection of digital culture, social cognition, and transformative teaching. With a Master’s degree from the University of Johannesburg, his work critically examines how Black Twitter South Africa functions as a digital counterpublic, with a particular focus on Operation Dudula and the discursive practices of online communities. His broader research interests include social media behaviour, media studies, strategic communication, and the evolving role of AI within higher education assessment systems. Alongside his research, he is deeply committed to pedagogical innovation - drawing on Vygotsky’s Social Development Theory and Freeman’s Stakeholder Theory to design collaborative, student-centred learning experiences. His notable work includes the Dragon Pit project, a creative academic initiative that showcases his passion for merging theory, storytelling, and educational development. Currently, he continues to explore the transformative potential of social media as a space for resistance and identity formation, while also documenting innovative humanities initiatives within his institution. His work reflects a commitment to intellectual rigor, community engagement, and reshaping the academic experience for future generations.

Qualifications

• BAcc degree, University of Stellenbosch
• Hons BAcc, University of Stellenbosch
• MBA (cum laude), University of Stellenbosch

Research Interests

• Entrepreneurship
• Accounting education
• Business management

Biography

Natasha Buitendag is a senior lecturer in Teaching and Learning at Emeris, Ruimsig, where she serves as the module leader and Head of Programme for Management Accounting at the postgraduate level of the Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting. Alongside her academic responsibilities, Natasha brings extensive business experience to her teaching, having served as the Managing Director of one of South Africa’s leading pharmaceutical companies and later establishing and running her own enterprise.

Her passion for accounting education, business, and entrepreneurship is reflected in her research contributions. She has published work on firm characteristics and excellence in integrated reporting, as well as on communication competencies within accounting education. These publications highlight her interest in both disclosure quality and the soft skills required in professional training.

Natasha is currently pursuing her doctoral studies, focusing on mapping the entrepreneurial competencies of South African chartered accountants and examining how the SAICA training model cultivates skills such as risk tolerance, innovation, and opportunity recognition. She remains committed to producing research that meaningfully bridges academic inquiry, industry relevance, and educational practice, with the aim of strengthening professional

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering – 1990 – University of Witwatersrand
• Diploma in Datametrics – 1994 – UNISA
• Master of Science in Civil Engineering – 1998 – University of Witwatersrand
• Postgraduate Diploma in Tertiary Education – 2013 – UNISA

Research Interests

• Building mathematical models of real-world systems to help decision makers make accurate, evidence-based decisions. These models include simulation, optimisation and decision-analysis techniques.
• Improving teaching and learning in applied formal and natural sciences, with a specific focus on assessing teaching and learning in these sciences.

Biography

Neil Manson is an engineer, researcher and academic leader whose work spans water resource optimisation, operations research, and the application of technology in developing-world contexts. He holds an MSc in Civil Engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand, where his early research produced influential contributions to the optimisation of reservoir systems, pumping policies, and water distribution networks. His work has been published in journals such as ORiON and the Journal of the South African Institution of Civil Engineers, and he has authored multiple Water Research Commission reports on asset management and hydraulic system optimisation. Neil has presented widely at national and international conferences, with research interests that include modelling of water supply systems, operational optimisation, and the role of open-source technologies in engineering education and practice.

Qualifications

• B.Arch (Wits)
• MBA (GIBS, UP)
• PhD (UP – in progress)

Research interests

• Curriculum Design
• Design
• Neurodivergence
• History of Architecture

Biography

Nicole Mason has a degree in Architecture, an MBA and is currently pursuing a PhD in Curriculum Design for the neurodivergent student in the Design disciplines. Her research for her MBA was about the management of Creative Design Professionals.

Qualifications

• PhD in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)- University of Pretoria
• Masters in Early Childhood Intervention (MECI)-University of Pretoria
• Bachelor of Social Science (Honours)- Psychology-University of KwaZulu Natal

Research interests

• Public health
• Mental health
• Student wellness
• Information processing
• Health systems strengthening

Biography

Dr Njabulo is a public health and wellness researcher with a research agenda that encompasses United Nations SDGs 1,3,4 and 10. Her research interests, which are public health, mental health, health information, information processing and student wellness, are found in the form of journal articles, book chapters, magazine articles and op-eds. Her book titled, “Improving health literacy for people with low literacy: an analysis of a South African HIV heath education programme” was based on research conducted during her PhD studies in Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) which was completed at the University of Pretoria. In addition to the PhD, Mbanda’s professional training includes a Masters in Early Childhood Intervention and Bachelor of Social Science Honours majoring in Counselling Psychology. Njabulo is currently involved in the following research projects; an edited book titled, “ Loss in Many Voices: The Untold Stories of Grief; which is a compilation from authors of different sectors, fields and academic practice and two other projects at Emeris. The one project is the ‘Goal Set Success’ programme which is coaching project for undergraduate student and the other is a Faculty of Humanities study on the Relational Well-Being and Academic Performance among Undergraduate Students.

Qualifications

• Master of Library and Information Studies
• Bachelor of Information Science Honours 

Research Interests

• Information Literacy 
• Library technologies (AI Literacy, digital collections and virtual services)
• Library users’ experiences
• Digital scholarship
• Library accessibility

Biography

I hold a Bachelor of Information Science Honours, Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education and currently pursuing my Master of Information Studies degree.  My topic for my dissertation focuses on AI literacy and how information specialist can encourage ethical use. My main research areas are - AI literacy, Information literacy, Library technologies, library user experiences, A highlight of my academic journey was presenting a paper title:  The use of information resources by undergraduate students at a Cape Private Higher Education Institution at ICERI2025 18th annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation in Seville, Spain. The ICERI conference experience not only going to showcase my work internationally but also provided me with an opportunity to connect with researchers and this inspired me for future collaborations. My future aspirations are to expand my research through publications and exploring new projects that will contribute to the evolving field of librarianship.

Qualifications

• BSc Computer Science
• BSc Honours Information Technology

Research Interests

• Artificial Intelligence Ethics
• Creative Computing
• DevOps Frameworks
• Feminine Coding
• Responsible AI

Biography

Nqobile Magongo is a full-time School of Computer Science lecturer with 13 years of experience in corporate training and lecturing undergraduate Computer Science, specializing in software development, cloud development, and emerging technologies. Her academic background in Computer Science, further learning path, and professional work focuses on an interdisciplinary engagement in AI ethics, creative computing, and feminist approaches to development operations practices. In addition to her academic role, Nqobile is an independent musician, a creative influence that informs her interests in the intersections of algorithmic decision-making, artistic expression, and responsible use of AI.

Her current research focus is on feminine coding, where she examines how inclusive development practices can reshape coding cultures in development operations environments. Through this research, she aims to investigate feminist-informed conceptual frameworks and contribute to more equitable, creative, and ethically grounded technological approaches to development operations settings.

Qualifications

• Master of Arts (Demography and Population Studies)
• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) (Demography and Population Studies – Graduated with Distinction)
• Certificate in Computer Engineering
• Bachelor of Science Honours (Geography)

Research interests

• Adolescent health
• Women’s health
• Substance uses among youths
• Social determinants of health

Biography

Nwamaka Nwogwugwu is a senior lecturer in public health (Teaching and Learning) at Emeris Ruimsig. She is a public health researcher and has a master’s degree in Demography and Population studies from the University of the Witwatersrand. As a senior lecturer, Nwamaka Nwogwugwu is responsible for module development, year level coordinator and lecturing a number of public health modules. Nwamaka is also responsible for experiential learning, coordinating and placing students at different organizations for health promotion practicum where students complete 100 hours of field placement.

She has published articles in international journals and presented at international conferences. She has also published a chapter in a book. Nwamaka Nwogwugwu has supervised research students (Public health Honors).

Nwamaka Nwogwugwu won the best session at 10th International Conference on Public Health (ICOPH), 2024 Bangkok, Thailand

Qualifications

• Masters in Education – Specialising in Psychology
• Honours Psychology
• Post Graduate Diploma in Tertiary Education
• Honours Criminology
• Bachelor of Arts (Psychology and Criminology)

Research Interests

• Psychology of high performance and wellbeing – Exploring the psychological, organisational and cultural factors that enable individuals and systems to achieve and sustain optimal functioning, resilience and excellence across educational and professional settings.
• Criminology – Exploring the psychological and social factors that influence criminal behaviour, including offender motivation, decision making, and patterns of offending.
  Investigating the experiences of victims of crime, and the role of empathy and evidence in promoting fair restorative and effective criminal justice responses.
• Learning environments that foster engagement, adaptability and the development of professional competence through applied learning.

Biography

Pat Scalone is an academic with a multidisciplinary background in psychology, criminology and education. She is currently pursuing a PhD. Her research explores how individuals and systems achieve and sustain excellence, focusing on the psychological and organisational conditions that enable optimal functioning, resilience and peak performance. Alongside this, Pat is interested in how applied learning environments enhance and deepen academic learning. In addition, she has an interest in criminal behaviour from a forensic psychology perspective, examining the motivations, decision-making processes and patterns of offending that inform both investigative practice and justice system interventions.

Qualifications

• B.Eng – Mechanical Engineering Science – University of Johannesburg
• M.Eng – Mechanical Engineering (Research) – University of Johannesburg (Cum Laude)
• PhD – Mechanical Engineering – University of Johannesburg
• SAIMechE Member
• ECSA Pr.Eng Candidate

Research interests

• Material Science
• Manufacturing Methods
• Machine Design
• Sustainable Design

Biography

Dr Pieter A. le Roux is a Senior Lecturer – Research, Programme Leader, and the National Head of Mechanical, Electrical, and Electronic Engineering at Emeris. He is also a member of the Research and Ethics Committee of The IIE, contributing to research quality assurance, ethical compliance, and professional development across the institution.

Dr le Roux holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Johannesburg, where his research focused on enhancing the fatigue life of Ti-6Al-4V ELI alloys through the optimisation of machining-induced residual stress fields. His academic and professional interests include material science, manufacturing methods, and machine design.

Before joining Emeris, Dr le Roux worked as a consultant engineer in the mining and automotive sectors, specialising in the design, testing, and optimisation of structural and mechanical systems.

He has presented at international conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals on surface integrity and fatigue life optimisation. Dr le Roux remains actively involved in postgraduate supervision, applied research, and the advancement of engineering education and innovation within South Africa.

Qualifications

• BA: Public Administration and Political Studies
• Master’s in Business Administration
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education

Research Interests

•    Researcher Development
•    Research Leadership
•    Bibliometric Analysis
•    Personality and Career Development

Biography

Portia Webb is an emerging scholar in the field of researcher development and vocational psychology. Her research journey began with a narrative literature review exploring the factors that influence researchers within private higher education institutions. Building on this foundation, she is preparing for her PhD application by conducting two bibliometric analyses that examine trends and gaps in the literature, with a particular focus on faculty experiences. Portia also contributes to theoretical advancements in career development as a co-author on an article introducing Personality-Interest Motivational Sequences (PIMS), a dynamic framework for predicting academic and career trajectories, with a second related paper currently in progress. In addition to her research, Portia plays a strategic role in fostering a strong research culture on her campus. Collaborating with the Head Academic, she leads initiatives that advance the institutional research agenda and create an environment that supports scholarly engagement and innovation.

Qualifications

• 2008- BSocSci (UKZN)
• 2009- BSocSci Hons Cum Laude (UKZN)
• 2012 - MSocSci (UKZN)
• 2016 - PhD (Sociology) (UKZN)

Research interests

• Gender and religion in the working world
• Domestic workers in the South African informal economy
• Islamic CAPS based education
• The negotiation of identity/ culture on online platforms

Biography

Dr Dawood’s passion for research lies in the intersections of gender, religion and the grey areas of the economy such as informal work, online work and emerging occupations. Based on her PhD, which focused on the emergence of mechatronics in South Africa, she was awarded a travel grant to present her study at the International Sociological Association in Vienna. Her Masters thesis, which focused on the intimacy between ‘madams’ and ‘maids’ in Durban was presented at the British Sociological Association in Leeds. The thesis formed the basis for her first fiction novel, published by Penguin in 2022, entitled Stirring the Pot. The book was shortlisted for the NIHSS Best Fiction award. Dr Dawood’s most recent publications have explored the entrepreneurial strategies of Muslim women who own Instagram based business, the rise of CAPS-based Islamic online schools in South Africa, as well as a study on generational employment of domestic workers among families in Durban. The latter will be published in a book by the University of Johannesburg and the University of Edinburgh. Based on her academic articles, she has published many as feature pieces in newspapers such as the Sunday Tribune and the community newspaper, Al-Qalam. In order to learn more about teaching and learning, she has embarked on a PGCE, which has allowed her to grapple with the moral, epistemic and structural inequalities plaguing the South African education landscape.

Qualifications

• Awaiting confirmation of Master's in Information Technology, December 2025
• Honours in Software Development 

Research Interests

• IOT
• Mental Health
• HCI
• Computer Science

Biography

Reece's research interests are primarily concentrated on the Internet of Things (IoT). He is deeply engaged in exploring the practical, real-world applications of IoT technology to devise robust solutions for complex problems. His work is not just theoretical; it involves designing and implementing systems that can operate in diverse, challenging environments. This ranges from developing IoT solutions for resource management in remote areas, such as deserts, to optimising urban logistics, such as streamlining on-campus parking. He is motivated by IoT's potential to drive efficiency and provide novel, data-driven insights.

Complementing this technical focus, Reece holds a strong interest in mental health. This passion was formalised during his master's degree, during which his research centred on practitioners' perceptions of e-therapy. This study investigated the adoption and effectiveness of digital therapeutic interventions. This work naturally extends to his enjoyment of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), as he is keen to understand and improve how people interact with the very technologies designed to help them. This dual focus on advanced systems (IoT) and user-centric design (HCI and IOT) equips him with a unique, holistic perspective.

Qualifications

• Master of Education: Information and Communication Technology (with Distinction from UJ)
• Post Grad Diploma in Higher Education (IIE)
• Bachelor of Education (Foundation Phase) – (Embury Institute of Teacher Education)
• Diploma in Pre-School and Foundation Phase Teacher Assistant (Cum Laude from Embury Institute of Teacher Education)
• Certificate in Pre-School Education (Cum Laude from Embury Institute of Teacher Education)

Research Interests

• Educational Technology
• Pre – service teacher education
• Online Learning
• Learning Barriers
• Higher Education

Biography

I have an academic and professional background in higher education supported by more than a decade of school-based teaching experience specialising in learning barriers, remedial education, and supporting learners with diverse needs, including those on the autism spectrum. I hold a Master’s in Education (ICT in Education, with distinction), which strengthened my focus on digital pedagogy, academic quality, and innovative teaching practices. My work in private higher education spans lecturing, faculty and module management, academic quality assurance, and comprehensive teaching and learning support across faculties. My research interests centre around educational technology, online learning success, lecturer professional development, and the evolving demands of teaching in the era of AI and the 5th Industrial Revolution. I have presented research at national conferences, including on debrief practices in teacher education and the changing STEM landscape. I have had the opportunity to present at local schools as part of their professional development training. In my previous position as Campus Faculty Head of Education I lead campus-level initiatives that enhance lecturer support, digital fluency, and student learning experiences. My current work as Teaching and Learning Specialist focuses on strengthening academic quality processes, supporting faculty-specific teaching and learning needs, as well as advancing research in EdTech-driven higher education.

Qualifications

• Doctorate in the Management of Innovation and Technology from Da Vinci Institute: School of Business Leadership
• MA Information Design University of Pretoria
• BA (FA) Information Design University of Preto

Research Interests

• Development design research and post-graduate studies in South Africa, interdisciplinary collaboration, design for social good, design leadership, management and entrepreneurship

Biography

Ria van Zyl started her career in 1985 as a communication designer and product developer. After this, she spent time at Woolworths, a South African retailer, in the capacity of Packaging Co-ordinator and Technologist before starting her own communication design consultancy. Ria joined the University of Pretoria in 1999 as senior design lecturer and researcher.

She completed her Master’s Degree at the University of Pretoria with a dissertation on the development of a service quality framework for the communication design industry. She published several articles and conference papers, and wrote a “pocket” book in 2007 aimed at the SMME market and entrepreneur: Brand your business. Looks are important. In 2014 she developed the academic contents of the Independent Institute of Education (IIE)’s Design School Southern Africa’s (DSSA) courses. DSSA has since then integrated with IIE Emeris Vega School where Ria is now Dean and programme lead in Design Leadership. In 2018 she completed a Doctorate at the Da Vinci Institute, looking at the development of post-graduate capacity in communication design education. 

Qualifications

• PhD (Psychology)
• MA (Psychology)
• B Soc Sci (Honours) (Psychology)
• BA (Psychology)

Research Interests

• access to healthcare, education and employment for persons with disabilities,
• health and sport
• community development
• psychosocial disability

Biography

Richard has a Psychology background obtaining his Masters Degree in Counselling and Research Psychology from UCT in 1995. After many years of doing counselling work in various contexts, lecturing psychology and research subjects at tertiary institutions and involved in several research projects, he completed his PhD in Disability Studies in 2016 from Stellenbosch University. His post-doctoral experience (from 2016-2018) primarily involved looking at disabilities in different contexts. He was the Research Officer of a Research Unit at UCT from 2019-2025 before joining Emeris as a full-time lecturer in May 2025. He is currently working on a research and training project with the Sabrina Love Foundation looking at training and evaluating teacher assistants to become more effective and valuable in inclusive education contexts.

Qualifications

• 2022 PG Diploma (Paediatric Palliative Care) – University of Cape Town (expected completion in November)
• 2006 D. Litt et Phil (Social Work) – University of Johannesburg
• 2000 M.A. Soc Sc (Clinical Social Work) – University of Jhb – cum laude
• 1996 B.A. Soc Sc (Social Work) – University of Johannesburg (RAU)

Research interests

• Embedding community engagement into the curriculum & research
• Child and youth care’s approach to medical and residential care of children
• Integrated social service delivery and Grand Challenges
• Professional supervision
• Measurement in the social sciences (‘Ecometrics’)

Biography

Prior to academia Dr Swanzen worked in child and family welfare, adolescent mental health, community development, residential care, foster care training and practice model development. During her professional practice she obtained her master’s degree in clinical social work, cum laude, and completed her doctoral study by the age of 31 with the development of a classification system for describing childhood social functioning challenges. During 2008 Dr Swanzen served as the project manager on national- and provincial level research projects, focusing on supporting orphaned and vulnerable children in the community and the effectiveness of diversion programmes for youth in conflict with the law, respectively. Since joining academia Dr Swanzen’s research focused on juvenile justice, service-learning, social entrepreneurship, paediatric palliative care, professional supervision, generations, residential child and youth care, parenting, and professional supervision. Her work received various campus awards, and she served as journal editor, peer reviewer for 10 journals, conference chair and moderator, external examiner, and ministerial appointee to the South African Council for Social Service Professions. From 2015-2018 I held the position of Adjunct Associate Professor with the Caulfield campus of Monash University. She authored 5 conference proceedings, 8 book chapters, 20 journal articles and 1 book between 2007 and 2025. In the same period, she presented at 27 conferences.

Qualifications

• BCom: Business Management
• BCom: Honours in Business Management
• MCom: Business Management
• DCom: Business Management

Research Interests

• Environmental sustainability
• Leadership
• Entrepreneurship
• Strategic management
• Small and medium-sized enterprises

Biography

Dr Riyaadh Lillah is a Management Lecturer at Emeris, Nelson Mandela Bay. He holds a Doctor of Commerce (DCom) in Business Management from Nelson Mandela University, where he also completed his undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications. His research interests include environmental sustainability, leadership, entrepreneurship and strategic management, with a particular focus on small and medium-sized enterprises. Dr Lillah has published in accredited journals and contributed to advancing knowledge on environmental management systems, ethical leadership, and organisational performance.

With over a decade of academic experience, Dr Lillah has taught a wide range of modules, including Strategic Management, Corporate Citizenship, and Financial Management, Business Ethics as well as Research Methodology. He has extensive experience in postgraduate supervision and has served as an external examiner and peer reviewer for academic programmes and journals.

Qualifications

• 2021- Master’s in education (cum laude)
• University of Kwa Zulu Natal, Science and Technology Education
• 2006 -Bachelor of Education (Hons) cum laude, University of South Africa
• Natural Science education
• 2004- Post Graduate Certificate in Education (cum laude)
• University of South Africa
• Mathematics Grades 7-9 and Physical Sciences Grades 10-12
• 1999- Bachelor of Science University of Durban Westville
• Chemistry and Biochemistry

Research interests

• STEM Education
• Teacher Training
• AI, digital literacy and ethics
• Emerging Technologies, coding and robotics
• Innovative Pedagogies

Biography

As Senior Lecturer Teaching and Learning, I am passionate about transforming science and technology education in Africa. With a strong foundation in chemistry and subject expertise in natural science and technology education, I empower future teachers with innovative pedagogies, digital ethics and cutting-edge emerging technologies. My research explores the intersection of AI, STEM education, coding and robotics through Apple Teacher and Code4kids organisations sparking crucial conversations about inclusive and equitable learning. As module leader, I collaborate with lecturers nationally to promote academic excellence in natural science and technology. I received the Dr Warner Graduate Student Research Award from Epsilon Pi Tau Honorary Society in 2022 and ignite a love for STEM in a new generation of teachers so that they can make a lasting impact, shaping the future of science and technology education in South Africa and beyond.

Qualifications

• MA (Psychology), University of Pretoria (Current studies)
• Bachelor of Social Sciences Honours Psychology, University of Pretoria (2018)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education (Intermediate and Senior Phase), University of South Africa (2013)
• Baccalaureus Artium (Drama), University of Pretoria (2009)

Research Interests

• Homelessness, shelter processes and sustainable pathways out of homelessness
• Community engagement and experiential learning in preservice teacher education
• Participatory and action research using qualitative, human-centred approaches
• Theatre for Development and drama-based methods in community and educational research

Biography

San-Marié Nel is an emerging researcher whose work sits at the intersection of psychology, education, and community development. With qualifications in dramatic arts, teaching, and psychology, she brings an interdisciplinary and human-centred approach to her research. Her primary focus is on homelessness and how policies, shelter practices, and community-based interventions can support sustainable pathways out of homelessness. She is enthusiastic about promoting more humanised approaches to policy design and about elevating the voices of people who are frequently ignored by using action and participatory research, along with other qualitative methods.

Drawing on her experience in higher education, San-Marié also explores how community engagement can enrich preservice teacher training.  To better prepare preservice teachers to work with low-resourced communities, her recent study examined how experiential learning at a homeless shelter can shape their meaning-making perspectives and inform teacher-training programs. She is particularly interested in integrating approaches from ‘theatre for development’ and psychological theories into participatory methodologies, and in finding creative venues for community discussion, reflection, and transformation. Her work aims to inform sustainable development initiatives while fostering dignified, practical, and socially responsive solutions for marginalised communities.

Qualifications

• Msc – Computer Science
• Phd _ Computer Science (Submitted)

Research Interests

• Community-Based Co-Design Methodologies: A fundamental interest in developing and applying inclusive research methods, specifically co-design (or participatory design), to ensure technologies are locally relevant and ethical within the Global South.
• Digital Health and Well-being: Focused research on using digital solutions, including cross-disciplinary reviews and qualitative studies, to address critical challenges in maternal and child health and promote physical activity (
• Sustainable AI and IoT for Rural Agriculture: A major current project area involving the pioneering deployment and evaluation of AI/IoT-enabled hydroponic systems aimed at supporting rural subsistence farmers in Africa.
• HCI and African Scholarship: Contribution to the broader field of HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) for Development (ICTD), specifically advancing African co-design methodologies and participating in global forums like HCI Across Borders.

Biography

Sarina Till is a researcher at the confluence of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICTD), with a dedicated focus on building ethical and sustainable digital solutions for resource-constrained communities in the Global South, particularly South Africa. Her academic background and methodology emphasize community-based co-design, ensuring technologies are developed with and for the users. Her main research agenda centers on two critical and complementary themes. First, Community-Centered Digital Health and Well-being, which includes cross-disciplinary scoping reviews and qualitative studies on maternal and child health technologies, informing the design of health dissemination systems and tangible interfaces like the "Move with me" project. Second, her current projects focus on Sustainable AI and IoT, pioneering the deployment of AI-enabled hydroponic grow tents with rural subsistence farmers and investigating user agency requirements for "Off the Grid" solutions. Her notable achievements include advancing African co-design methodologies and contributing to global dialogues through initiatives like HCI Across Borders.

Sarina also steers the following DesignLoop Human Computer Interaction research lab https://designloop-hci-lab.github.io/DesignLoop/index.html which hosts four community based co-design research projects spanning 5 years.

Qualifications

• LLB University of KwaZulu-Natal
• LLM University of KwaZulu-Natal
• Attorney of the High Court

Research Interests

• Experiential Legal Education & Work-Integrated Learning (WIL)
  • High Court and Magistrates’ Court experiential design
  • Kolb’s learning theory, Vince’s emotional/affective learning, graduate attributes, employability
  • Transformative constitutionalism through pedagogy
• Professional Ethics & the “Fit and Proper” Standard in South African Law
  • o Judicial precedent on legal practitioner integrity
  • Ethical formation, misconduct jurisprudence, admission and re-admission standards
  • The connection between ethical identity and graduate readiness
• Transformative Constitutionalism, Social Justice & Legal Professional Identity
  • How legal education advances constitutional values
  • Professional identity formation in LLB students
  • Developing ethical, socially responsive legal graduates

Biography

Sean Alan Jackson is a full-time Lecturer of Law at Emeris Durban North, Property Law, Delict, Intellectual Property, and Legal Interpretation. His academic portfolio is strongly grounded in experiential and constructivist pedagogy, with a research focus on High Court–based experiential learning, Work-Integrated Learning (WIL), and the development of graduate attributes and professional identity within legal education. He has produced scholarly work on the “fit and proper” standard for legal practitioners, experiential teaching models, and the evolving boundaries of concurrent jurisdiction between the High Court and Labour Court. Sean has played a leading role in innovative curriculum design, including national teaching resources, gamified learning tools, and experiential court projects. He is currently developing a series of research outputs, including an article on High Court experiential learning, a comprehensive analysis of ethical formation in legal practice, and ongoing case-note scholarship. Deeply committed to student development, employability, and transformative constitutionalism, Sean continues to contribute to institutional culture, academic citizenship, and impactful legal education practice.

Qualifications

• MA English Literature and Language Studies (University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2025)
• BA Honours English Literature and Language Studies (University of Cape Town, 2017)
• BA Psychology and English (University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2016)

Research interests

• Memory Studies and Trauma theory in literature and film
• The Representation and Function of Silence in Literary and Cinematic Narratives
• Postmodern Theory and Its Application in Literary Studies

Biography

Serusha Pillay is a lecturer in English Studies with a strong academic and research background in literature, film, and cultural studies. Her Master’s research focused on trauma, memory, and the role of silence in postcolonial literature, exploring how narratives of pain and identity are shaped through absence and recollection. Her broader research interests include Memory Studies and Trauma Theory in literature and film, the representation and function of silence in narrative, and Postmodern theory in literary and visual media. Serusha’s current work extends into contemporary cultural analysis, where she is developing postmodern readings of popular children’s television shows, examining themes of metafiction, fragmentation, and self-reflexivity. In 2024, she presented a paper at the South African Communication Association (SACCOM) Conference on the representation of female identity in the sci-fi and fantasy genres, interrogating the intersections of domesticity, gender, and heroism.

Qualifications

• PhD in Leadership Studies
• Master of Commerce: Management
• Bachelor of Commerce Honours: Marketing
• Bachelor of Commerce -Marketing & Business Management Specialisation

Research interests

• Leadership
• AI in Education
• Sustainability in Higher Education
• Marketing

Biography

Dr Shamola Pramjeeth is the Deputy Dean in the School of Management within the Faculty of Commerce at Emeris. She is responsible for the academic management and success of the higher certificates, hospitality and services and honours qualifications within the school across 10 campuses. Shamola is a seasoned academic with over 20 years of experience in academia. Her career spans academia and industry, allowing her to bring a wealth of industry knowledge and practical experience into her classroom. Her qualifications include a Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Marketing and Business Management, a Bachelor of Commerce Honours in Marketing, a Master of Commerce in Management, and a PhD in Leadership. Shamola is a published author, lecturer, supervisor and external examiner for Masters and PhD dissertations and a reviewer for academic conferences and accredited DHET journals. Shamola’s research interests include management, marketing, leadership, sustainability, higher education teaching, learning, and AI. To date, Shamola has published 31 accredited journal articles and 3 papers in conference proceedings and 5 book chapters. Her current research projects are looking into leadership in higher education during disruptive times and generative artificial intelligence in higher education.

Qualifications

• NMMU – MCom – Masters in Accounting
• UNISA – CTA – Certificate of Theory in Accounting
• UKZN – Bachelor of Accounting

Research Interests

• Student wellbeing and its influence on academic performance in accounting education
• Teaching and learning practices in higher education, with a focus on engagement and academic support
• Curriculum and assessment design in undergraduate Financial Accounting modules
• Learning experiences and success factors among third-year Bachelor of Accounting students.

Biography

With over twelve years of lecturing experience in the fields of Financial Accounting, Management Accounting, and Finance, I have developed a strong academic and professional grounding in undergraduate accounting education. I have taught extensively at both second- and third-year levels and have served as a Senior Lecturer for the past three years, focusing on enhancing teaching and learning practices within the School of Finance and Accounting. My work is driven by a commitment to improving student engagement, academic support, and curriculum design across diverse learning contexts.

My research interests centre on student wellbeing, learning experiences, and academic success in accounting education. I am currently preparing a journal article for submission to the South African Journal of Higher Education titled Beyond Grades: An Exploration of the Interplay between Student Wellbeing and Academic Success Rates in Third-Year Accounting Students. This study reflects my broader scholarly focus on understanding how wellbeing dimensions influence performance outcomes in high-stakes accounting modules.

Across both teaching and research, I remain committed to fostering supportive learning environments and contributing to the development of evidence-based pedagogical practices in higher education.

Qualifications

• PhD (Anatomical Sciences) – University of the Witwatersrand (Current)
• MSc (Anatomy) – University of Pretoria
• BSc (Hons) Human Anatomy – University of Pretoria
• BA (Psychology, Archaeology and Anatomy) – University of Pretoria
• Digital Marketing Major – Red & Yellow Business School, Stellenbosch University
• Culinary Arts Diploma – International Hotel School
• Additional Certifications: Data Science in R (HarvardX), Python (University of Michigan), Writing in the Sciences (Stanford), Blackboard Level 1 & 2, Aviso 3D Imaging (UP)

Research Interests

• Forensic Anthropology: Skeletal biology, ageing methods, pathology population and sex specific standards
• Educational Technology & Digital Learning Design
• Blended and Online Learning Engagement
• Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods
• Generative AI and Large Language Models in Higher Education
• Psychology 

Biography

Shannon Verne is a multidisciplinary academic, lecturer, educational technologist, and forensic anthropology researcher with extensive experience across higher education, digital learning, and human skeletal biology. She currently lectures Psychology and Research Methodology while leading digital teaching and learning initiatives, staff development training, and curriculum innovation within higher education environments.

Alongside her education technology expertise, Shannon is actively engaged in forensic anthropology research. Her PhD focuses on statistical methods for age estimation in older individuals using vertebral osteophyte formation, building on her MSc work on sexual dimorphism and population variation in the vertebrae. She has hands-on experience in human osteology, skeletal analysis and pathology.

Shannon’s broader research contributions extend to academic stress, digital teaching strategies, and student engagement. Her work has been presented at national conferences, including HELTASA and the Conference on Education and Technology. She is passionate about advancing accessible, technology-enhanced learning while contributing to forensic science research in South Africa.

Qualifications

• LLB (UWC)
• LLM (UWC)
• PhD (UCT)

Research interests

• Children’s Rights
• Disability Law
• Family Law
• Human Rights

Biography

Dr Sharna-Lee Clarke is a legal academic based in Cape Town, South Africa, specialising in children’s rights, disability law and the broader field of international human rights law. Her academic background includes advanced legal studies with a focus on constitutional and international human rights law, particularly as these frameworks intersect with the protection and promotion of children’s rights in Africa. Her research explores issues such as the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, access to justice for minors, and the impact of socio-economic inequality on child well-being. Notable achievements include publications in leading peer-reviewed journals, contributions to policy submissions on child protection, and presentations at national and international conferences. Her current projects examine the evolving role of domestic courts in enforcing children’s socio-economic rights and the influence of regional human rights systems on South African jurisprudence. Her work aims to bridge doctrinal analysis with practical advocacy to advance a more equitable and rights-based approach to the rights of vulnerable and marginalised persons within the South African legal system.

Qualifications

• PhD (Clinical Psychology), MA, BA(Honours), BA

Research interests

• social construction of psychopathology
• critical identity studies
• the transformation of higher education

Biography

Dr Sharon Auld is a Postgraduate Academic Leader, Supervisor, and Senior Lecturer in the Discipline of Psychology, School of Humanities at The Independent Institute of Education, Emeris. She has lectured in the Discipline of Psychology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal where she was also a Postdoctoral Fellow with the National Institute for The Humanities and Social Sciences. Sharon is a Clinical Psychologist with an interest in long term psychodynamic psychotherapy. Her PhD involved work with policemen who suffered post-traumatic stress disorder in the line of duty. Her research interests include the social construction of psychopathology, critical identity studies and the transformation of higher education.

Qualifications

• PhD – Candidate (UP)
• Master of Education (UKZN – Distinction)
• Bachelor of Education Honours (UKZN)
• Bachelor of Education (FET Phase) (UKZN)

Research Interests

• Education for climate change
• Education for sustainable development
• Curriculum studies
• Critical pedagogies
• Education for social justice

Biography

Shaylen Naidoo is a lecturer in the Faculty of Education, focusing on social sciences and geography education. He was honoured with the prestigious Archbishop Denis Hurley Scholarship during his postgraduate studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), where he also received multiple Dean's Commendations for academic excellence. Shaylen brings substantial practical experience to his role, having taught secondary school Geography at four large institutions across both the private and public sectors in South Africa. This experience spans diverse socio-economic contexts, providing him with a nuanced understanding of the national educational landscape. He has further contributed to the educational system as a marker for both the public National Senior Certificate (NSC) and the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) Grade 12 examinations. His professional service also includes a tenure as a SADTU site steward. His research interests focus on education for climate change, curriculum design, and the development of inclusive pedagogies within the South African context. He has disseminated his findings through presentations at both national and international education conferences. Shaylen is an active member of the scholarly community, holding memberships with the Southern African Geography Teachers Association and the American Association of Geographers.

Qualifications

• 2012 – 2015 BEd (FET) Accounting and Mathematical Literacy (Cum Laude) – Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
• 2016 – 2017 BEd (HONS) Whole School Development and Educational Psychology (Cum Laude) – Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
• 2024 – Present MEd Research: Title of Dissertation – An exploration of education lecturers’ experiences on the effective integration of Artificial Intelligence-driven pedagogical tools in private higher education.

Research Interests

• Lecturer Perceptions, Self-Efficacy, and Adoption Drivers
• Pedagogical Design & Instructional Integration
• Professional Development and Institutional Support
• Assessment, Feedback, and Academic Integrity
• Ethical, Equity, and Responsible Use

Biography

Sheetal is a dedicated higher-education professional with more than five years of experience in teaching, research and service. She is deeply passionate about educating learners and guiding them toward becoming responsible young adults and employable individuals. With a proven track record of supporting student progression and delivering enriching learning experiences, she thrives in high-pressure environments and communicates effectively with students, parents and fellow educators alike.

As a capable leader, Sheetal inspires and directs both students and colleagues toward shared objectives. Her teaching philosophy emphasises inclusive, engaging and student-centred environments. She regularly implements innovative pedagogical approaches, such as flipped-classroom models, active learning and hands-on experiential learning that have led to measurable improvements in student outcomes. In alignment with institutional curriculum goals, she also develops module materials that resonate with academic objectives.

Her principal research expertise lies in artificial intelligence (AI) within higher-education teaching and learning, especially in areas such as personalisation, adaptive assessment and responsible AI integration. She is currently completing her Master’s degree, with a research focus on “An Exploration of Education Lecturers’ Experiences on the Effective Integration of Artificial Intelligence-Driven Pedagogical Tools in Private Higher Education.” Sheetal is enthusiastic about applying her experience, passion and commitment to 

Qualifications

• PhD in Information Technology
  • Year of Study: 2017-2020
  • Institution: Central University of Technology, Free State, South Africa
  • Research: Developed a framework for the adoption and effective use of ICT’s for visually impaired learners in higher education in South Africa.
• Master of Technology in Computer Science & Engineering
  • Year of Study: 2009-2011
  • Institution: Amrita University, Coimbatore, India
  • Research: Master of Technology in Computer Vision and Image Processing
• Bachelor of Laws – UWC.
  • Year of Study: 2005-2009
  • Institution: Toc-H Institute of Science and Technology, Kerala, India

Research interests

• Human Computer Interaction (HCI)
• ICT for Development (ICT4D)
• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
• Computer Vision and Image Processing
• Digital Education and Technology Adoption

Biography

Dr Sheethal Liz Tom is a Senior Lecturer (Research) in the School of Computer Science and Head of Programme for the PhD in Information Technology at Emeris. She holds a PhD in Information Technology from the Central University of Technology (South Africa), and an MTech and BTech in Computer Science and Engineering from Amrita University and Toc H Institute of Science and Technology (India), respectively. Her academic and research career spans more than a decade across South Africa and India, integrating expertise in Human– Computer Interaction, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Computer Vision, ICT for Development, and Health Informatics.

Key projects include BehaveSec, a mobile behavioural biometric authentication system; Machine Learning Models for Fraud Detection in the Telecommunications Sector; and AI-driven e-health applications that enhance healthcare delivery. Her framework for the adoption of ICTs for visually impaired learners in higher education advances equitable access to digital learning. A recipient of Teaching and Learning Excellence Awards and Best Paper honours, Dr Tom supervises Master’s and PhD students and collaborates with public universities and international research organisations. She has presented and published internationally, reviews for Springer and IEEE journals and conferences, and serves as Secretary of IFIP TC13 WG 13.8.

To view Dr Tom’s full research profile, projects, and publications, visit: https://sites.google.com/view/drsheethaltom

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Social Work
• Master of Social Sciences in Criminology and Forensic Studies
• Doctor of Philosophy (current)

Research Interests

• Cybercrimes
• social media and crime
• Anti-LGBTQ+ violence,
• The victimisation of vulnerable groups, and
• Gender-based violence (GBV).

Biography

Simangele Mkhize is a full-time lecturer at Emeris in the School of Humanities and a PhD candidate at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). She holds a master’s degree in Criminology and Forensic Studies and a Bachelor of Social Work, both from UKZN. Her research focuses on contemporary criminological issues, with particular interest in cybercrimes, social media and crime, anti-LGBTQ+ violence, the victimisation of vulnerable groups, and gender-based violence (GBV). Simangele has published eight peer-reviewed research articles and two book chapters and has presented her work at several academic conferences. She is a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society and has been recognised with a Best Mentor Certificate for her commitment to student development and academic excellence. Her current research projects explore GBV in same-sex relationships, the experiences of male victims of GBV, and online gender-based violence. She is also exploring the dynamics of online scamming on social media platforms such as Facebook, aiming to contribute to a more inclusive understanding of victimisation in the digital spheres.

Qualifications

• Master of Arts in Creative Media Production (ongoing)
• Master of Arts in Media Studies (Research)
• Bachelor of Arts Honours in Media Studies
• Bachelor of Arts in Media, Communication and Culture

Research interests

• Adaptation Studies (Remediation) and Transmedia Storytelling
• Media and Film Studies
• Decolonial Theory and Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS)
• New Media and Digital Humanities
• Critical University Studies and the Future of the Humanities

Biography

Simphiwe Mpho Zondani is a Mandela Rhodes Scholar (2024), who operates as a researcher-practitioner at the intersection of creative media production, media and cultural studies, critical theory, and African post-structuralism. His work uniquely straddles empirical research and creative practice. His academic background includes a Master of Arts in Media Studies (Research) from Nelson Mandela University, where he examined the media framing of South Africa's "reading/literacy crisis." He is also a member of SARCHI Chair in Identities and Social Cohesion in Africa (ISCIA).

As a creative practitioner, his work in film, poetry, and print has been widely published and exhibited. His creative-research response to the Horizons 2055 project (including the digital artefact ubuxhakaxhaka.exe, an experimental zine called Continua, and the poem Wemk'umlambo Magwala Ndin!) was exhibited at the Bird Street Gallery. This practice informs his current project, an MA in Creative Media Production, focusing on the cinematic "remediation" of traditional Xhosa folktales (iintsomi). His scholarly writing has appeared in peer-reviewed journals and as a book chapter in Emancipatory Imaginations (SUNPress).

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Education
• Bachelor of Education Honours
• Instructional Design in Higher Education SLP

Research Interests

• Gender, Social Inclusion, Higher Education, Educational Technology, Student Success

Biography

Simphiwe holds a Bachelor of Education degree as well as an Education Honours in management and governance. Simphiwe is currently pursuing a Masters in Education with specialisation in Higher Education. His research interests are in educational technology, gender and student success.

Qualifications

• PhD in Commercial Law, University of Cape Town
• LLM in International Trade Law, University of Cape Town
• LLB, University of Cape Town

Research interests

• Socio-legal approaches to contracts
• Legal pluralism
• Funeral insurance
• Commercial contracts

Biography

Sinikiwe Mzezewa is a legal scholar whose research examines the intersections of contract law and customary law. Her work investigates how legal pluralism shapes normative understandings of contractual practices, and how lived social realities inform and challenge doctrinal conceptions of law. Her broader academic interests include the reimagining of legal education to reflect the realities of contracting in diverse social contexts.

Sinikiwe actively participates in international conferences and contributes to academic dialogue as a respondent at PhD colloquiums. She reviews scholarly works and is also a member of research hubs that align with her interests in legal pluralism.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in Marketing Management
  Majors: Marketing and Industrial psychology
• Honours Degree in Business Management
  Majors: Business Admin. And management
• Masters Proposal in Digital Marketing

Research Interests

Experiential Marketing in Fashion & Retail
I’m interested in how brands can create memorable experiences for customers — whether that’s through great storytelling, interactive campaigns, or unique touchpoints along the customer journey. I love looking at what actually makes people connect with a brand and stay loyal to it.

Entrepreneurship & Digital Business Development
I’m passionate about how up-and-coming entrepreneurs, especially in the creative and fashion space, can use digital tools to build and grow their businesses. This includes everything from practical skills and upskilling to how we prepare students to take their ideas into the real world with confidence.

Biography

I began a Master’s in Marketing with a digital focus but paused my studies due to personal commitments and an overwhelming workload. Even though I stepped back temporarily, the themes I explored continue to guide much of my academic and professional work. My interests centre on digital marketing innovation, experiential brand building, and understanding how consumers engage with fashion and retail brands online. My background as a former women’s boutique owner, together with my ongoing involvement in the retail sector, gives me a practical and grounded approach to marketing strategy. I am currently managing and developing my own e-commerce site, overseeing online sales and teaching myself WordPress to make ongoing improvements and updates. This combination of industry experience, academic insight, and hands-on digital work shapes a well-rounded, applied perspective on marketing and consumer behaviour.

Qualifications

• Masters Consumer Science (UP)
• BTech Fashion Design (TUT)
• NDIP (TUT)

Research Interests

My current research explores the intersections of co-design and design thinking within curriculum design in Higher Certificate programmes. I am particularly interested in how collaborative and human-centred design approaches can be integrated to enhance learning experiences and strengthen their real-world relevance. My interests also extend to fashion and textiles, and as an emerging researcher, I am passionate about contributing to innovation and growth in design education.

Biography

I hold a Master’s degree in Consumer Science from the University of Pretoria, where my research, titled Luxury value perceptions that drive South African female consumers’ purchase intent for luxury exotic leather accessories, explored consumer behaviour in the luxury fashion sector. I currently work in higher education as the Programme Coordinator for Higher Certificate in Creative Development at Vega, specialist school of Emeris. As an emerging researcher, my work focuses on curriculum design through the lenses of co-design, design thinking, and human-centred design. I have presented my research at national conferences, including SAPHE 2024 (Curriculum Development: A Design Thinking Case Study) and DEFSA 2025 (A Human-Centred and Collaborative Approach to Curriculum Design for Higher Certificate Programmes in Creative Disciplines – A Case Study). My current research continues to explore how collaborative and human-centred design approaches can enhance learning experiences and real-world relevance in creative education. In addition, I have a strong interest in fashion and textiles and am currently exploring innovative and sustainable fashion and textile practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Laws
• Master of Laws (Banking Law)

Research Interests

• Cyber Law
• Banking Law

Biography

Ms Susan de Kock is currently the Head of Law and lecturer at IIE Emeris, Waterfall campus.

She holds the following degrees: LLB (UJ) (2005) and an LLM (Banking Law) from UJ (2014) and she is an admitted attorney since 2008. She practiced until 2014, when she pursued a patch in academia.

Susan has been lecturer since 2013 and has lectured to undergraduates and candidate attorneys as part of their practical legal training.
She has presented at the Southern African Insolvency Law Academics Society Insolvency and Business Rescue Conferences in 2024 and 2025 and is currently pursuing publications in the field of insolvency law. 

Qualifications

• Master of Arts (MA) (Psychology), Stellenbosch University, South Africa
• Honours Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, University of South Africa (UNISA), South Africa
• Bachelor of Theology (BTh), Stellenbosch University, South Africa

Research interests

• Developing and testing a CBT-based universal mental health intervention for children in South Africa to be delivered to them by mental health practitioners
• Developing and testing a CBT-based parent-delivered universal mental health intervention for children in South Africa

Biography

Suzanne is a Registered Counsellor and at present a PhD (Psychology) candidate at Stellenbosch University. For her PhD (Psychology) she is developing a CBT-based, parent-delivered, psycho-educational intervention for children in Grades 5-7 from public primary schools in South Africa. Suzanne’s research interests include developing mental health interventions for children and young people to be facilitated to them by mental health practitioners, as well as developing mental health interventions for children and young people to be facilitated to them by their parents (primary caregivers / legal guardians) with the support from mental health practitioners. Suzanne is passionate about conducting mental health research that can make a practical contribution to mental health services, and for mental health services to be informed by evidence-based research. A notable achievement is that Suzanne received a Harry Crossley Foundation (Doctoral Studies) scholarship for 2023, 2024, and 2025. Another notable achievement is that Suzanne is one of the co-authors of a Wiley Top Cited Article in Child and Adolescent Mental Health among work published between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023. Citation of paper: Coetzee, B., Loades, M., Human, S., Gericke, H., Laning, G., Kidd, M., & Stallard, P. (2024). Four Steps To My Future (4STMF): acceptability, feasibility and exploratory outcomes of a universal school-based mental health and well-being programme, delivered to young adolescents in South Africa. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 29(1), 22-32. doi: 10.1111/camh.12660

Qualifications

• Bsc in applied information technology
• Bsc honours in computing

Research interests

• Machine Learning forecasting accuracy in IT project management
• Predictive analytics and project estimation (cost, duration, effort)
• Software engineering education and student engagement
• Digital transformation and cloud adoption in higher education
• • AI-assisted teaching, learning, and assessment practices

Biography

Tebogo Sharon Rakgogo is an IT academic and the Head of Computer Science, with experience in lecturing and curriculum coordination since 2008. She began developing her formal research career in 2023 and is currently completing a master’s degree in project management at the University of Pretoria. Her postgraduate research focuses on assessing the accuracy of machine learning forecasting methods in South African IT projects, comparing traditional estimation tools with models such as Random Forest and Neural Networks.

Alongside her Master’s work, Tebogo has produced several publications on digital learning practices in higher education. Her studies explore student experiences with cloud technologies during the COVID-19 lockdown, the use of Git and GitHub in IT education, machine learning applications in e-learning systems, and strategies for enhancing engagement through portfolio-based assessments.

Her work reflects an interest in machine learning, IT project management, and technology-enhanced teaching and learning.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Education 
• Bachelor of Education Honours 
• Master of Education in Curriculum studies 

Research Interests

• Higher education studies 
• Decolonial /Gender studies 
• Social justice in society and education
• Teaching and learning with the integration of technology 

Biography

Thaiurie Govender is a Teaching and Learning Specialist with a Master of Education in Curriculum Studies. Her scholarly work is grounded in critical approaches to higher education, with research interests that include decolonisation of the curriculum, technology-enhanced teaching and learning, artificial intelligence and ethical usage in higher education, social justice, and gender studies. Thaiurie has published a peer-reviewed article and served as an editor for an academic book, contributing to discourse on inclusive and transformative educational practices. She is currently working on a journal article that interrogates gender dynamics in STEM education, reflecting her commitment to advancing equity and representation in academic spaces. Her expertise extends to exploring the intersection of pedagogy and emerging technologies, with a focus on how AI can be integrated responsibly to support teaching and learning in both private and public higher education contexts. Through her research and practice, Thaiurie advocates for socially just and culturally responsive frameworks that challenge traditional paradigms and promote meaningful change in curriculum design and delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Science (Psychology)
• BPsych Honor’s equivalence (Psychometry)
• Honor’s degree in Social Science (Psychology)
• Master’s degree in Psychology (Dissertation)

Research interests

• Youth
• Stress
• Coping
• Motivation
• Township economy

Biography

Thulani is a Manchester United fan and School of Humanities lecturer at Emeris Pretoria campus. He has lectured various modules which include, but are not limited to, Research Psychology, Psychological assessments, Abnormal Psychology, Cognitive Psychology. He is also a research supervisor who has successfully overseen over 15 research projects in his tenure. Thulani is a passionate novice research he is currently working on a number of research papers which will be published soon, watch the space…

Qualifications

• Stellenbosch University: Stellenbosch, ZA: 2024-01 to present | PhD in Urban and Regional Planning
• University of Cape Town: Rondebosch, ZA: 2022-01 to 2022-12 | Master's Degree in Urban Planning
• University of Cape Town: Rondebosch, ZA: 2021-02 to 2021-12 | Honour's Degree (School of Architecture, Planning & Geomatics)
• Tshwane University of Technology: Pretoria, ZA: 2016-01 to 2021-02 | Bachelor's Degree (Architecture)
• Pretoria High School for Girls: Pretoria, Gauteng, ZA: 2011-01 to 2015-11 | National Senior Certificate (Bachelor's Degree)

Research Interests

• Public Space planning and design 
• Afro-feminism 
• Care-based urbanism 
• Gender-sensitive design
• Community-driven planning

Biography

Tiisetso lectures in Interior Design at Emeris (Vega School) in Cape Town and is currently pursuing a PhD in Urban and Regional Planning at Stellenbosch University. Her research focuses on the relationship between sensorial planning, Afro-feminism and public space design in the Global South. She examines how care, mothering and community-driven spatial practices shape more inclusive and gender-sensitive urban environments, drawing insights from township spaces where everyday acts of care influence public life.

With a background in Architecture (Tshwane University of Technology) and City and Regional Planning (University of Cape Town), her work is grounded in placemaking, interior urbanism and feminist spatial justice. Her master’s research examined public space safety from a gender-sensitive perspective, and her PhD extends this through ReM(other)ing: an emerging framework that explores how nurturing, co-design and sensorial experiences shape the planning and experience of cities. This work draws on insights from the Girls Make the City initiative, where she serves as co-lead, as well as her own lived experiences, which together inform the case study for her doctoral research.

Alongside her academic work, Tiisetso is committed to reimagining spatial design education. She uses her multidisciplinary expertise to investigate interiors as microcosms of the city, exploring how learning environments and community-driven interventions can address broader urban challenges through thoughtful, care-centred design.

Qualifications

• PhD in Marketing Management (WITS Business School)
• MBL in Management and Marketing (UNISA SBL)
• Hons in Management and Marketing (UNISA)
• Bcom Marketing (ZOU)
• Dip in Education (University of Zimbabwe).

Research Interests

• Collaborative consumption
• Emerging Market 
• Higher education

Biography

I am the Head of Management Studies at Emeris Waterfall, where I oversee the delivery of undergraduate and postgraduate commerce programmes. I have 10 A’ list publications which are divided as 5 journal articles, 3 book chapters and 2 conference proceedings up to date. My teaching philosophy is grounded in constructivism and use various learning management systems, including Blackboard, ARC and Moodle which I use to deliver content synchronously and asynchronously. I hold a PhD in Marketing Management, Master of Business Leadership (MBL) with a focus on Management and Marketing, an Honours BCom (Marketing & Management), a BCom (Marketing), and a Diploma in Education. My research interests lie in the areas of collaborative consumption in emerging markets, entrepreneurship, leadership, management, diversity, teaching and learning in higher education. Currently, I am supervising three Master’s candidates from IIE MSA and five PGD Corporate Governance student from EM Online. I analyse data using Excel, SPSS, AMOS, Mplus, and Atlas.ti.

Qualifications

• Master of Technology: Graphic Design
• Bachelor of Technology: Graphic Design
• National Diploma: Graphic Design
• Studies in Progress: PhD: Art & Design

Research Interests

• Artificial intelligence
• Design Futures
• Design Education
• African Design Identities

Biography

As a design practitioner, educator and thinker, my focus is on outputting reflexive and critical research that integrates, and interrogates, the role of design in contemporary society.
In my professional practice, I have applied the Double-Diamond Design Process to solve design problems for businesses in the Education, Finance, as well as FMCG sectors, respectively. In my teaching practice, I have taught the understanding and application of the Double-Diamond design process to students, across all years, in the discipline of Communication/Graphic Design.

My current academic work’s focus is on exploring how the mainstream access and adoption of generative artificial intelligence in design education and practice affects established design paradigms.

This year, I have presented and submitted for published conference proceedings at DEFSA 2025. I have participated in the IIE’s 2025 Writer’s Retreat from 29 June – 4 July at Mont Fleur, Stellenbosch. This retreat was a focused time of writing in which I was able to produce a full paper for submission to an A-list journal (Technology, Pedagogy and Education).

Additionally, I participated in IIE Vega Research Workshop, facilitated by Dr Eugene Davids, from 15 – 16 May 2025. This workshop set the foundation for research enquiry, scientific writing and build a research focus as an emerging researcher.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Arts, Rhodes
• Bachelor of Arts (Hons in Psychology), Rhodes
• Master of Arts (Psychology), Rhodes
• PhD (Psychology), Rhodes

Research interests

• Affective turn in higher education
• Psychoanalysis in education
• Psychosocial studies
• Pedagogy of discomfort
• Critical pedagogy

Biography

Tracey is a Teaching and Learning Specialist in higher education with a strong grounding in research psychology, curriculum design, and academic development. Her work brings together psychology, pedagogy, and affective learning, with particular interest in the pedagogy of discomfort, presence pedagogy, emotional containment, and the relational aspects of adaptive instruction. She plays an active role in strengthening research culture at the Westville campus, leading initiatives such as the Couch to A-List programme, facilitating campus writers’ retreats, and coordinating the inaugural research colloquium in October 2025. In June 2025 she was honoured with the Emeris Westville campus’s Top Researcher Award in recognition of her scholarly contribution and leadership. Tracey also invests deeply in her own development, building connections with esteemed academics at national and international conferences to enrich her learning and collaborations. She is often invited to review work submitted in international journals and was awarded a certificate of excellence in reviewing from the Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies. Her current projects include shaping a dedicated “Couch to Conference” programme for 2026 and advancing a major scoping review on the use of artificial intelligence in service-learning and community engagement. She continues to mentor researchers, support multidisciplinary postgraduate work, and teach research at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Qualifications

• MSc. in Animal, Plant and Environmental Science (University of the Witwatersrand
• BSc. (Honours) in Ecology, Environment and Conservation (University of the Witwatersrand)
• BSc. Zoology and Archaeology (University of the Witwatersrand)

Research Interests

• Citizen Science
• Traditional Medicinal Plants
• Social Ecological Systems
• Water and the Environment
• Natural Resource Use and Management

Biography

Vanessa is a lecturer at Emeris with an interest in the interface between people and the environment. She lecturers in the Postgraduate Diploma in Water Management and also acts as a supervisor for Masters of Philosophy in Integrated Water Management.

She has a MSc. in Animal, Plant and Environmental Science from the University of the Witwatersrand with her research focusing on the trade in commonly used medicinal bulb species in South Africa. As part of this she contributed to Red Data lists for some of these species which honed her interest in how research can be applied to national, regional and international conservation efforts.

She is passionate about Citizen Science and her research on the topic is interested in how Citizen Science can be used as an educational tool as well as one for, community engagement, advocacy and action. This passion has led her to co-launch the Citizen Science for Southern Africa Association with colleagues. Her other research interest relate to sustainable resource use, traditional medicinal plant use, water management and social-ecological systems. She is also a registered Environmental Assessment Practitioner and registered Professional Natural Scientist.

Qualifications

• Master’s in Design, UCA London School of Design and Marketing, 2024
• BA Honours in Graphic Design, The Design School Southern Africa, 2015
• BA Graphic Design, The Design School Southern Africa, 2011

Research Interests

• Contemporary African-centred design 
• Food culture and identity
• Storytelling through design
• Creative thinking 

Biography

Vian Roos is a visual communication lecturer and designer with over thirteen years of experience in the design industry and higher education. He holds an MA in Design, and his academic work focuses on developing design approaches that reflect African aesthetics, cultural knowledge systems, and lived experiences. Vian also examines food culture and identity through visual communication, using design as a tool to document and reinterpret South African culinary narratives. His creative achievements include receiving a Merit Award in the 2025 Sasol New Signatures Art Competition and being recognised as one of the Mail & Guardian’s 200 Young South Africans in 2018.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree, Information Systems and Technology
  • University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
• BCom. Honours, Information Systems and Technology
  • University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
• BSc. Computer Science
  • Bowen University, Nigeria

Research interests

• Technology-enhanced learning;
• Educational technology;
• Computer-based assessments;
• BYOD (Bring-Your-Own-Device);
• Human Computer Interaction;
• Digital Divide;

Biography

I have a Master’s degree in Information Systems and Technology, and my experience as an academic began in 2012. I have contributed significantly to research and scholarly output, which directly informs my teaching practice. Between 2016 and 2024, I published eleven academic papers, covering areas such as e-learning adoption, digital divide, agile software development, BYOD challenges, e-books, and computer-based assessments. Recent outputs include: Integrating Adaptive Intelligent Tutoring Systems into Private Higher Educational Institutes (IST-Africa 2024), Computer-Based Assessments in Higher Education: Challenges and Remediations (IST-Africa 2024) and Integrating Technology in Teaching and Learning Practices: Students’ Competencies (SACJ, 2022). I also co-authored earlier works on students’ perceptions of computer-based assessments and the impact of the digital divide, both of which are widely cited. These publications strengthen my role as a scholar of teaching and learning, ensuring that my classroom practices are grounded in current research. Beyond teaching and research, I have consistently contributed to community and industry engagement. I have chaired and participated in academic committees such as research ethics committees, supported student assistantships and tutorships, engaged parents and external stakeholders, and organised events that strengthen the identity of computer science students. Many of my research outputs have come from my dissertations, desktop research, collaborations with other colleagues and with the postgraduate students whom I supervise. I have successfully published 3 papers with my postgraduate research students.