Professor Ben Daniel Motidyang
Ben Kei Daniel, PhD, SMIEEE, is Professor of Research Methodologies and Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED). He is the Head of the Department of Higher Education Development Centre at the University of Otago, New Zealand. He teaches Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED), Research Methods (Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Methods), and Educational Technology. Ben has held Visiting Professorial positions with Makerere University, Uganda and the University of Technology Malaysia (UTM), Malaysia. He is Adjunct Professor in the College of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada.
Ben’s research primarily focuses on developing and evaluating learning technology and exploring innovative teaching strategies for postgraduate students and faculty in research methods and patient research. He has published over 200 peer-reviewed publications, including five books. He has supervised over 50 postgraduate students to completion. He is an experienced PhD examiner, examining 10 PhD theses from various Universities. His research has contributed valuable knowledge to the pedagogy of research methods, aiding students, researchers, and scientists in achieving reliable, valid, and trustworthy research outcomes.
Further, Ben has earned international recognition as an award-winning research methodologist, possessing extensive theoretical and practical expertise in various research methodologies, including Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Methods. He is the Chief Editor of Research Methods—Frontiers and Electronic Journal of Business Research Methods, reflecting his leadership and expertise in the field.
In addition to his academic duties, Ben is actively involved in various professional bodies; he holds memberships in several professional organizations, including the New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER), the National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM) in the UK, the Council of Australasian University Leaders in Learning and Teaching (CAULLT), the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), and the International Society for Artificial Intelligence in Education (IAIED). His role as a Senior Member of the IEEE highlights his commitment to the global engineering and technology community.
Dr Willy Engelbrecht
Willy Engelbrecht presently holds the position of Dean: Research and Postgraduate Studies at The Independent Institute of Education (IIE), showcasing a distinguished career marked by academic leadership and a fervent commitment to advancing the realm of higher education. His extensive experience in higher education spans over a decade, encompassing roles as Deputy Dean Research, Deputy Head of Faculty Commerce, Head of Faculty Commerce, Head of Programme, and Lecturer.
Willy’s academic journey is underscored by a series of notable academic achievements. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree in marketing and tourism management from North-West University in 2010, subsequently earning a BCom Honours, M.Com, and Ph.D. in Tourism Management. His pursuit of knowledge extended to educational management, culminating in the completion of a Master of Education (M.Ed) from the University of Johannesburg in 2021.
During his tenure at The IIE, Willy has held key leadership roles, including Deputy Dean Research, Deputy Head of Faculty Commerce, and Head of Faculty Commerce. His responsibilities included academic leadership, research capacity building, administration and operational management, human capital development and leading the various divisions in alignment with the regulatory and institutional governance structures. His passion for quality education led him to engage in transdisciplinary research and contribute to program design across Commerce disciplines, resulting in his promotion to Head of Faculty for Commerce.
Noteworthy international experience includes his appointment as Assistant Professor at Woosong University in South Korea in 2018. There, he imparted knowledge in commerce-related modules in hospitality programs and collaborated on a business simulation course with Institut Paul Bocuse.
Returning to The IIE in 2018, Willy established a vibrant research culture, focusing on human capital development by supporting fellow academics in their research endeavors. His commitment to research is evident through active participation in transdisciplinary research projects and his role as a reviewer for local journals and conferences.
Beyond his research contributions, Willy has showcased a commitment to academic conferences, acting as the Scientific Chair for the South African Private Higher Education (SAPHE) conference and The IIE’s Teaching and Learning Conference. Furthermore, he extends his passion for research by supervising Master’s and Doctoral studies at various higher learning institutions in South Africa. His scholarly impact is underscored by publications in international and local journals, conference proceedings, and co-editorship of six textbooks in areas spanning supply chain, tourism, hospitality, and business management.