Rate My Professor Herb de Vries

Huibert (Herb) de Vries is an Associate Professor in the Department of Management, Marketing and Entrepreneurship at the University of Canterbury's UC Business School. An internationally recognised expert in management and entrepreneurship, his research specialisations encompass entrepreneurship, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), ethnic minority entrepreneurs, and management education. His work on Google Scholar has accumulated over 1,350 citations, underscoring his influence in these areas. De Vries transitioned to academia as a second career after years as a successful small business owner, joining the University of Canterbury where he has advanced to his current position. He maintains active international collaborations, including partnerships with Zuel University in China and Vienna University of Economics and Business in Austria.

De Vries is distinguished for his exceptional teaching, receiving the University of Canterbury Teaching Medal in 2015 and the Ako Aotearoa National Tertiary Teaching Excellence Award for Sustained Excellence in the same year. His student-centred approach emphasises inspiring high expectations, supporting individual student needs, and employing diverse methods informed by his personal experience overcoming dyslexia. These include using music in classes, Café Sessions for engagement, illustrative props like a wig to demonstrate change theory, and integrating local businesses into the classroom for practical learning. As a dedicated team player, he contributes to curriculum development, mentors colleagues, and engages large classes while addressing individual requirements. Key publications include 'Accelerators as Authentic Learning Experiences for Nascent Entrepreneurs' and contributions to studies on adaptive resilience and evolutionary perspectives in entrepreneurship. He authored the open textbook 'The Global Entrepreneur' in 2021. De Vries teaches courses such as MGMT100, incorporating real-world business projects to foster authentic entrepreneurial experiences.