IIE ACADEMIC LISTED IN TOP 50 TECH LEADERS TO WATCH IN 2024

Johan Vorster, Head of Faculty: ICT at The Independent Institute of Education, SA's leading private higher education provider, has been listed in the 50 Tech Leaders to Watch in 2024 (DT50) as part of the Digital Transformation Summit. He is the only representative from the Private Higher Education sector in South Africa.

The Summit aims at getting a deeper understanding of how organizations are currently adopting digital transformation, overcoming their challenges with various technologies and enhancing cyber security.

This Summit brings together 200+ C-Level Executives, Directors, and Heads of Technology to discuss innovative technology solutions that will fully exploit the potential of Web 3.0, AI, metaverse, blockchain, cryptocurrency, ICT, IoT, cyber security and other 4IR technologies which will succour in South Africa’s social and developmental challenges.

In announcing the DT50, The Digital Transformation Summit noted these digital leaders were united in their passion and unwavering commitment in making a difference, making waves in their respective fields, from digital transformation, artificial intelligence and augmented reality to blockchain and quantum computing.

The Independent Institute of Education is the largest private higher education institution in South Africa operating across 23 sites offering more than 130 registered and accredited higher education programmes from Higher Certificate to Doctorate level on its IIE Varsity College, IIE Vega, IIE MSA, IIE Rosebank College and IIE HSM campuses.

Vorster has been involved in education and training for over 20 years with various public and private institutions. In his most recent roles he has headed up the IT departments at Monash South Africa, from where he moved to the Academic Institute of Excellence as HOD for the School of IT, before being appointed as Academic Principal.

While living in London he taught at the University of Roehampton, and then moved into private industry, where he worked for a multinational company in the field of Business Intelligence, completing various Project Management and Business Intelligence certifications. He holds an M.Sc. Computer Science degree and is currently reading for a PhD in Information Systems, with his major interests being technology adoption and integration of technology in teaching and learning.

His paper at the 2018 International Conference on E-Learning was selected as the best PhD paper and presentation at the conference. He has supervised several Honours and Master's research students, and published several conference papers at local and international conferences.