Saskia de Klerk

Associate Professor Saskia de Klerk is the Discipline Lead for the Marketing, International Business, and Tourism disciplines. She is also a core researcher at the Australian Centre for Pacific Island Research (ACPIR). Ass/Prof de Klerk’s research spans the Indian Ocean to the South Pacific, with a recent focus on Fiji, Samoa, and Vanuatu. Her research emphasises developing an entrepreneurial mindset, articulating pathways to transition into entrepreneurship, and fostering transitional and transformational entrepreneurship that contributes to sustainable practices and innovations, adding social, economic, and environmental value to regional ecosystems.

Some projects that focus on this include:

• Her research in Vanuatu focuses on circularity, sustainable strategies, and regenerative agritourism. 
• Value-added production and innovation strategies through seaweed to support local communities and enhance market opportunities (AQUADEPT Seaweed project funded by the International Development Research Centre, Canadian Government (IDRC) in Fiji, Samoa, and Kiribati). 
• Other projects, such as the ACIAR-funded project in Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, and the Solomon Islands, focus on improving local agricultural value chains by mapping, developing, and advancing entrepreneurial and networking skills, as well as reducing food loss and waste. 

Her passion is empowering people and fostering inclusivity to help others reach their potential. She mentors at the university level for programs such as the Higher Education Academy accreditation program and the Unleash Your Potential mentoring program. Additionally, she guides young entrepreneurs through local incubators, such as Generation Innovation and the Study Sunshine Coast/Mayor Telstra Innovation program, as well as mentoring businesses nationally in the Innovate2Grow program with CSIRO. She is a member of the School of Science, Technology, and Engineering Cygnet Ethena Swan Working Group. She contributes as an Adjunct Associate Professor at North-West University, South Africa, and an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the University of New South Wales (Canberra). She actively contributes her expertise as a board member for Management Decision and co-editor for Humanities and Social Sciences.

Ass/Prof de Klerk teaches entrepreneurship, managing across cultures, international business, venture growth, and innovation at UniSC at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. She believes in reflection, empowerment, and creating authentic learning environments.