🎓Early Academic Pursuits 

Education and Training

Dr. Aneetha Sukhari, based in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa, is an accomplished academic in the field of accounting sciences with a strong foundation built through years of rigorous education and dedication. Her academic journey began with a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2002. She then advanced to earn a Bachelor of Accounting Sciences (Honours) at the University of South Africa in 2005, setting the groundwork for her journey toward becoming a chartered accountant. Dr. Sukhari’s academic commitment is evidenced by her successful completion of both Part 1 and Part 2 of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants’ (SAICA) Qualifying Examinations in 2009 and 2010, respectively. She later pursued her Master’s in Accounting Sciences at the University of Pretoria, completing a thesis titled “The influence of integrated reporting on business model and strategy disclosure.” This academic ascent culminated in a Ph.D. in Accounting and 4IR from the University of Johannesburg in 2024. Her doctoral research focused on the value relevance of business model disclosure and 4IR disclosures in integrated reports.

💼Professional Endeavors 

Academic Positions

Currently serving as a Senior Lecturer at the University of South Africa (UNISA) since 2014, Dr. Aneetha Sukhari is a respected educator within the College of Accounting Sciences, specifically the Department of Auditing. She is entrusted with responsibility for undergraduate auditing modules and has made immense contributions in areas including study material development, quality assurance, and student mentorship. Dr. Sukhari’s career journey includes her earlier roles as a Technical Specialist at the Auditor General of South Africa (2009–2014) and as a Trainee Accountant at PricewaterhouseCoopers (2005–2009). At PwC, she managed a portfolio of high-profile clients such as Eskom and the Nelson Mandela Foundation, gaining invaluable audit and consulting experience.

📚Contributions and Research Focus on Augmented reality

Dr. Sukhari is not only a passionate educator but also an active researcher. Her primary research interests span topics such as Africanisation and decolonisation of accounting curriculum, artificial intelligence in the public sector, natural language processing, and the role of UN Sustainable Development Goals in Africa. She has published impactful works, including: “The value relevance of digitalization disclosure in integrated reports” (IJDAR, 2023), “The influence of integrated reporting on business model and strategy disclosures” (Australian Accounting Review, 2018). Her research extends to AI applications in education and accounting, particularly through natural language processing techniques, demonstrating her forward-thinking approach.

🏆Accolades and Recognition 

Dr. Sukhari’s scholarly excellence has been recognized through several prestigious awards, including: The College of Accounting Science Research Award for completing her master’s degree in 2019, The same award for her first journal publication in 2020. She has also secured Academic Qualification Improvement Program (AQIP) research grants totaling R3.9 million between 2016 and 2022, supporting her academic advancement and impactful research.

🌍 Impact and Influence 

Community Impact

Dr. Sukhari has influenced the South African academic and audit landscape through her work on national committees such as: Africanisation, Decolonisation and Curriculum Transformation Committee, Audit Development Committee of the IRBA, AI-Infused Module Design Sub-Committee, And the Students with Disabilities Committee at UNISA. Her supervision of master’s students and contributions to editorial boards such as the Journal of Accounting & Organizational Change underscore her commitment to mentoring future leaders and shaping the discipline’s direction.

🔮Legacy and Future Contributions