Prof.Dr HJ (Henk) de Jager has 35 years’ experience in higher education, including 12 years’ experience as Executive Dean in Engineering, Technology, Built Environment and Information Technology, and 10 years at executive management level as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC) and as Vice-Chancellor and Principal. Henk was a Board member of Universities South Africa (USAf) and SATN; Deputy Chairperson of the Board of SATN; Chairperson of the World of Work Strategy Group of USAf; member of the International Association of University Presidents (IAUP); and was Chairperson of the Joint USAf Admissions Committee & Matriculation Board in 2018. He was involved in various quality assurance audits for the Engineering Council of South Africa, the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) of South Africa, and the Quality Assurance Authority for Education and Training of the Kingdom of Bahrain. He has supervised at the postgraduate level and holds several publications in proceedings and scientific journals. Henk's journey continues as he currently serves as an Associate at Sereni T People Development. His future is equally promising, having been appointed CEO of the Technological Higher Education Network South Africa (THENSA), effective 1 July 2024. His areas of expertise, including innovation ecosystems, strategic management, and leadership in higher education and beyond, continue to shape his impactful career. He was born in Upington and matriculated from Upington Technical School in 1982, where he was Head Boy and Rugby Captain of the provincial Craven Week Team. After he completed the compulsory two years’ military service at the South African Intelligence School, he commenced with his studies at the then Vaal Triangle Technikon in 1985, where he also served as Students’ Representative Council (SRC) Chairperson in 1987. Henk studied on a full-time basis for three years, and on a part-time basis for 15 years. During the course of his studies, he obtained an MDipTech in Electrical Engineering; BA in Industrial Psychology; Postgraduate Diploma in Tertiary Education; and a DTech in Education Management. After working in industry for a period of four years as Trainee Certified Engineer at ISCOR, he commenced his academic career as a Lecturer in 1989. Henk regards himself as a proud African, and as a son of the soil of this great continent. He embraces the late President Nelson Mandela’s approach to leadership – “I am leading by serving others” – and regards the function of leadership as producing more leaders, not more followers.