Navigating the Future of Education with AI, Inclusivity, and Sustainability in Pedagogy

Upasana Singh is the Academic Leader and Associate Professor in the Discipline of Information Systems and Technology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal's Westville Campus in Durban, South Africa. She is also an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Victorian Institute of Technology in Australia. Prof. Singh holds a Ph.D. in Information Systems from the University of South Africa, along with a master’s degree and a B.Com. Honours degree in the same field. With over 15 years of experience, she specializes in e-commerce, IT consulting, and programming. Her research focuses on educational technologies, and she has published four edited books, 24 journal articles, and numerous conference papers. Since 2018, Dr. Singh has assisted more than 1,500 academics across South Africa, Mauritius, India, and Malaysia in adopting digital teaching methods. She developed three conceptual models for online learning during the pandemic and has received significant research grants throughout her career. Additionally, she has been nominated for various awards in the domain of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL).Sid Nair is Professor and Executive Dean and the Dean of Learning, Teaching & Student Experience at the Victorian Institute of Technology (VIT), Australia. In his role, he is responsible for strategic directions, learning and teaching, student experience, and quality matters at the institution. Prior to his appointment at VIT, Dr. Nair was the Executive Director of the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), Mauritius. As Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, he was responsible for formulating and executing strategies, policies, and procedures in the higher education sector in Mauritius. He was instrumental in developing the National Research Agenda for the higher education sector and introduced several research schemes to promote and build research capacity aligned with Mauritius’s vision. His research focuses on the quality of teaching and learning, classroom and school environments, and implementing improvements based on stakeholder feedback. His current role involves building the capacity of academics in digital delivery of teaching. He has extensive lecturing experience in the applied sciences in Canada, Singapore, and Australia and is an international consultant in quality and evaluations in higher education.Willy Engelbrecht is a Senior Lecturer at North-West University in the School of Management Sciences. With over 13 years of dedicated service in higher education, Dr. Engelbrecht has held various academic, managerial, and leadership roles at public and private institutions both locally and internationally. His career reflects his unwavering commitment to advancing knowledge and inspiring others to achieve their full potential. Dr. Engelbrecht actively contributes to the academic community through publishing journal articles, authoring and editing textbooks, and presenting research at conferences worldwide. His scholarly interests span tourism, marketing, supply chain management, higher education, and teaching and learning. In addition to his academic contributions, Dr. Engelbrecht serves as Associate Editor for The Independent Journal of Teaching and Learning and has twice chaired the South African Private Higher Education Association Conference as its Scientific Chair. His expertise is further recognized by his appointment to the Council on Higher Education (CHE), where he serves as an Institutional Audit Panel member. Driven by a passion for excellence and innovation, Dr. Engelbrecht exemplifies the transformative power of education. His work continues to inspire students, colleagues, and the broader academic community to embrace lifelong learning and leadership in the pursuit of societal progress.