Prof. Freda van der Walt
NRF Rating: C3
Dean: Faculty of Management Sciences | Full Professor
Qualifications: PhD (Organisational Behaviour) | Registered Industrial/Organisational Psychologist (HPCSA) | Master HR Practitioner (SABPP)
Professional Background
Prof. Freda van der Walt is an NRF-rated scholar in Organisational Behaviour with over two decades of experience in higher education and academic leadership. Her research focuses on workplace spirituality, mental health, ethical leadership, and well-being, with a strong track record of publications in leading national and international journals.
Currently serving as the Dean of the Faculty of Management Sciences, Prof. van der Walt has supervised numerous Master’s and Doctoral candidates and contributed to national research and funding panels. Her leadership philosophy is grounded in inclusivity, service, and evidence-based practice, aimed at fostering environments where both students and faculty members can thrive.
Professional Leadership & Recognition
- Academic Leadership: Dean of the Faculty of Management Sciences, driving strategic academic and research initiatives.
- National Service: Active contributor to national research and funding evaluation panels, and Deputy Chairperson, South African Commerce Deans Association.
- Institutional Excellence: Recipient of multiple institutional awards for outstanding contributions to teaching, research, and community engagement.
Areas of Expertise
- • Workplace Spirituality
- • Ethical Leadership
- • Mental Health & Well-being
- • Organisational Behaviour
- • Talent Management
Selected Publications
Highlighting top recent contributions. DOIs are linked for easy access.
Top Journal Articles
- • Tigedi, R.N., van der Walt, F. & Nyetanyane, M.P. 2025. Understanding workplace flourishing: Insights from South African employees. E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (EHASS).
https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20256145 → - • Thasi, M.E. & van der Walt, F. 2025. Human Resource practitioners’ perspectives on talent management in the South African gold-mining sector. SA Journal of Human Resource Management.
View Publication → - • Khoza, N.G. & van der Walt, F. 2025. A systematic review on AI-enhanced pedagogies in higher education in the Global South. Frontiers in Education.
- • Garg, N., Van der Walt, F. & Burgess, J. 2025. Editorial: Navigating the psychological landscape of remote work: understanding, resilience, and well-being, volume II. Frontiers in Psychology, 16:1681363.
- • Van der Walt, F. & Wiese, L. 2025. The role of leadership and values in creating a positive organisational culture. South African Journal of Higher Education, 234-249.
Selected Book Chapters
- • Mahomed, F.E., Proctor, C., & Van der Walt, F. 2024. Developing Character Strengths to Foster the Well-Being of First-Year University Students. In K. Dube (Ed.), Redefining Education and Development. Springer, Cham.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-69954-2_11 → - • Van der Walt, F. 2022. The Role of Spirituality in Ethical Decision-Making During Projects. In N. Garg (Ed.), Handbook of Research on Integrating Spirituality in Modern Workplaces. IGI Global.
- • Van der Walt, F. & Nkoyi, A. 2022. Students’ Learning Styles and Perceptions of Online Learning: Exploring a Multi-Modal Approach to Teaching and Learning. In E.T. Woldegiorgis & P. Jonck (Eds.), Higher Education in the Face of a Global Pandemic. Brill.
Top Conference Presentations
- • Khoza, N.G. & van der Walt, F. (2025). Systematic Review on AI-Enhanced Pedagogies in Higher Education in the Global South. 11th Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Conference, CUT Bloemfontein, 8-10 October 2025.
- • Nyetanyane, P.M. & van der Walt, F. (2025). Managerial perspectives on regulating personal social media use in South African workplaces. 18th International Business Conference (IBC), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 21-24 September 2025.
- • Van der Walt, F. & Nyetanyane, M.P. (2024). Academic Success: A Construct Analysis. 10th Annual International Conference on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) in Higher Education, CUT Bloemfontein, 3-5 October 2024.
- • Adonis, V.A. & van der Walt, F. (2024). Navigating service delivery in a developing state: A South African perspective. 30th International Conference – Recent Advances in Retailing and Consumer Services Sciences, Spain, 27-30 June 2024.
- • Qumbisa, N., Khoza, N. & van der Walt, F. (2024). Ameliorating Collaborative Online International Learning Projects to Promote Internationalization in Higher Education. IFOR Paris Conference on Education, Paris, 13-17 June 2024.
