Prof Geesje van den Berg, a professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instructional Studies at Unisa's College of Education, has been ranked among the top 100 scientists in South Africa in her field of education. This notable achievement reflects her sustained scholarly contributions to open, distance, and e-learning (ODeL), teacher education, and the use of emerging technologies in education.

According to the AD Scientific Index, Van den Berg is ranked 76th in South Africa in the education category, based on five years’ h-index performance. She is also ranked 154th at Unisa, 3 836th nationally across all disciplines and 675 726th globally.

Her research profile demonstrates sustained and growing academic influence. She has an overall h-index of 16, of which 14 have been achieved during the past five years, together with 1 428 citations. Her five-year h-index ratio of 85.7% is particularly significant, indicating that much of her scholarly influence has been generated in recent years.

While these figures indicate her research standing, they represent only one dimension of Van den Berg's broader contribution to education in South Africa and beyond.

A distinguished career grounded in service

Van den Berg joined Unisa in the early 2000s. She was initially appointed on a contract basis to teach the National Professional Diploma in Education, a qualification designed to support underqualified teachers.

Today, she is an established scholar and academic leader. She holds a C2 rating from the South African National Research Foundation and coordinates Unisa’s structured Master of Education in Open Distance Learning programme. In December 2025, she received Unisa’s Women in Research Leadership Award in recognition of her contribution to research and academic development.

Her research covers some of the most pressing questions facing education today, including generative artificial intelligence in education, AI readiness among pre-service teachers, teachers’ and students’ experiences of technology in ODeL environments, multimedia-supported learning and the role of openness in making education more accessible and equitable.

Her commitment to developing future education researchers is reflected in her supervision record. To date, 63 master’s and doctoral candidates have completed their studies under Van den Berg's supervision or co-supervision. Fourteen of these graduates were colleagues from Unisa, reflecting her contribution to strengthening the institution's academic capacity. Sixteen of her master’s students graduated with distinction, while eight postgraduate students received research awards. She adds: "For me, education is not only about academic achievement but also about supporting students with care and respect so they can develop confidence, independence and the attributes associated with graduateness. This is particularly crucial in ODeL."

Advancing open and distance learning internationally

From 2023 to 2026, Van den Berg served as the Commonwealth of Learning Chair in Open and Distance Learning for Teacher Education. She was one of six scholars selected from institutions in five Commonwealth countries: New Zealand, Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, Cyprus and South Africa. The Commonwealth of Learning, headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, established its Chair programme to promote research, innovation and thought leadership in areas such as ODeL, technology-enhanced learning and open educational resources.

At the time of her appointment, Van den Berg expressed pride in representing South Africa and emphasised the value of learning from ODeL experts across the Commonwealth. Her aim was to bring relevant insights and expertise back to Unisa while strengthening collaboration among institutions and countries.

Her work as a COL Chair centred on research, capacity building and collaboration in ODeL for teacher education at the institutional, national and regional levels. She remains involved in the Network for Open Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa (NOTES), an initiative of the Commonwealth of Learning that promotes regional cooperation, the sharing of intellectual resources and the advancement of open education and technology-enhanced teacher education.

Strengthening Unisa's research and academic community

Van den Berg's achievements reflect both her individual scholarship and the academic environment in which she works. Unisa’s College of Education plays a central role in preparing teachers for the South African education system. At the same time, the Department of Curriculum and Instructional Studies contributes to teaching, research and postgraduate development across a range of educational fields.

Van den Berg has played a significant role in shaping the department’s academic and research culture. She served as its first Chair from 2012 to 2019 and has continued to contribute through postgraduate supervision, mentoring, research collaboration and academic development.

From 2018 to 2023, she led a collaborative academic capacity-building initiative for Unisa academics in partnership with Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg in Germany. Through the project, 97 Unisa academics completed a master’s-level Certificate of Advanced Studies in Online Teaching and Learning.

Her influence also extends through the achievements of the researchers she has supervised. Among them is Prof Mpho-Entle Puleng Modise, whose doctoral research on digital transformation in African ODeL institutions received the Postgraduate Medal from the Education Association of South Africa and the Doctoral Thesis Award from the South African Education Research Association.

This recognition illustrates the broader influence of Van den Berg's work through the academics, researchers and education professionals whose development she has supported.

A vision for the future of learning

As ODeL continues to evolve in response to artificial intelligence, digital transformation and changing student needs, Van den Berg remains committed to research that improves how education is designed and supported, making it more accessible.

"Open, distance and e-learning is a niche area that has not been well researched and therefore offers many unique opportunities for Unisans", she has previously observed.

Her curiosity, collaborative approach and commitment to educational development have contributed to her standing among South Africa’s leading education researchers. These qualities continue to inform her efforts to promote accessible, equitable and contextually relevant approaches to teaching and learning.

For Unisa – in particular, the College of Education and the Department of Curriculum and Instructional Studies – Prof Geesje van den Berg represents more than a highly ranked researcher. Her career demonstrates what can be achieved through sustained scholarship, academic leadership, collaboration and a firm commitment to open education.

* By Dineo Horner, Department of Curriculum and Instructional Studies, College of Education