ŽIVOTOPIS PREDAVAČICE:
Prof. Dr. Hanlie Smuts is an accomplished academic leader and industry expert with extensive experience at the intersection of business transformation, knowledge management, and digital innovation. She currently serves as Head of the Department of Informatics and Chair of the School of Information Technology at the University of Pretoria, where she plays a pivotal role in advancing research, teaching, and industry collaboration.

Her career spans both academia and industry, underpinned by more than two decades of leadership in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector. Before transitioning to academia, Prof. Smuts held senior executive positions at MTN South Africa, where she led Product and Digital Development and played an instrumental role in establishing telecommunications insurance ventures across Africa. This unique combination of corporate and academic expertise enables her to approach digital transformation and knowledge management from both a theoretical and applied perspective.

Prof. Smuts holds 2 PhDs and is a C2-rated researcher by the National Research Foundation (NRF). Her scholarly work focuses on the organisational impact of information technology, knowledge management infrastructures, human-computer interaction and user experience design, applied artificial intelligence, Society 5.0, and sustainable digital transformation. Her research output includes numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, conference proceedings, book chapters, and contributions to professional forums, alongside engagements in keynotes and thought leadership platforms. Dedicated to cultivating the next generation of innovators and leaders, Prof. Smuts is deeply committed to postgraduate supervision, mentorship, and cross-sectoral collaboration. She actively drives partnerships between academia and industry to ensure that research addresses real-world challenges while equipping graduates with the skills and mindset required to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital society.