The Durban University of Technology (DUT) Business School has strengthened its global research footprint, with the appointment of Professor Wibke Heidig from Albstadt-Sigmaringen University in Germany as an Honorary Research Professor.
This appointment recognises more than a decade of impactful collaboration between Prof Heidig and DUT scholars, with joint research spanning critical and contemporary areas such as food waste, technology acceptance and the role of artificial intelligence within cross-cultural contexts. These impactful focus areas speak directly to global sustainability challenges and the evolving digital landscape shaping societies and economies.
The partnership also reflects DUT’s expanding research network within Germany’s Baden-Württemberg region, which is a globally recognised hub for innovation, industry and applied research. A key contributor to this relationship has been Professor Thomas Dobbelstein of the Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW), who serves both as an Honorary Research Professor at DUT and Chairman of the DUT Business School Board.
Director of the DUT Business School, Professor Pfano Mashau, emphasised that the appointment signals more than academic recognition, it represents a strategic step in deepening international collaboration and knowledge exchange. This partnership enhances DUT’s ability to contribute meaningfully to global research conversations while ensuring that the research remains locally relevant and socially responsive.
In April, Prof Mashau will further solidify these ties with an academic visit to Albstadt-Sigmaringen University and DHBW in Ravensburg, Germany, aimed at advancing joint research initiatives and expanding opportunities for collaboration.
Prof Heidig’s appointment is expected to catalyse new joint publications, research projects and academic exchanges, contributing to DUT’s Philosophy of Education, where creativity and innovation shapes adaptive graduates who transform society.
This growing collaboration also reinforces the long-standing relationship between the sister provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and Baden-Württemberg, demonstrating how academic partnerships can serve as powerful bridges between regions, institutions and communities.
Pictured: Professor Wibke Heidig from Albstadt-Sigmaringen University in Germany.
Alan Khan/Professor Thomas Dobbelstein
