Prof Kathija Yassim

Overview

Prof. Kathija Yassim is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Johannesburg and an internationally recognised leader in sustainability‑driven educational leadership. With over two decades of experience across Africa, the Middle East, Europe and the Global North, her work sits at the intersection of global engagement, green pedagogy, and future‑fit leadership development. She leads the Global Green Pedagogy Community of Practice and serves as UNESCO SUCN lead for sustainability consciousness in higher education. Prof. Yassim has spearheaded high‑impact international collaborations and COIL initiatives with universities across Europe, Africa, the Americas and Asia, and has secured and led major funded projects in sustainability, AI‑enabled leadership, and digital innovation. A sought‑after keynote speaker and public intellectual, she contributes actively to global policy, scholarship and media debates on education for sustainable futures, inclusive leadership, and Africa‑centred internationalisation. Research Interests Leading Education for Sustainable Futures specifically in the African and Global South context, with an emphasis on sustainability consciousness and SDG‑aligned praxis of leadership. Green Pedagogy and Curriculum Innovation in higher education and TVET, Collaborative International Online Learning (COIL) Future‑Fit Educational Leadership , including ethical, inclusive, and AI‑enabled leadership development Humanising and Decolonising Pedagogies , using participatory, narrative, self-study and arts‑based methodologies Research Profiles Google Scholar | ORCiD | ResearchGate Areas of expertise for media commentary Artificial Intelligence in Education and Leadership – implications of AI for teaching, assessment, decision‑making, ethics, and the future role of human leadership. Education System Reform and School Performance – interpreting matric results, systemic inequality, school culture, leadership accountability, and post‑Covid recovery Future Skills, Youth Unemployment, and Education Pathways – TVET, alternative pathways beyond matric, employability, and preparing young people for a volatile labour market Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) – climate education, food security, green skills, and sustainability integration in schools and universities Decolonising and Humanising Education – curriculum relevance, African knowledge systems, learner and teacher well‑being, and equity in education reform Digital Transformation and Online Learning – online, blended and COIL learning models, access, quality, and global collaboration Teacher and School Leader Well‑being – burnout, mental health, leadership under pressure, and rebuilding trust in education systems