Wannes Heirman

Wannes Heirman is a Professor at AP University College Antwerp and a Guest Professor at the University of Antwerp. He holds a Ph.D. (2014) and has over 40 publications in international peer-reviewed journals. His research focuses on the societal impact of digital media, digital transformation in SMEs, online privacy, cyberbullying, and immersive technologies like VR/AR. He combines academic work with practical education in Research Skills, Data-Driven Marketing, and Consumer Psychology.

• Roles: Guest Professor (University of Antwerp), Lecturer/Researcher (AP University College)
• PhD in 2014

Research interests include digital value creation (DIVA project), impact of digitalization on SMEs (DDMS project), and news consumption patterns among youth (News4You(th)). He employs both quantitative (surveys, experiments) and qualitative methods (interviews, focus groups).

Recent projects include:

• DigitOF (2019–2023): Examines digitalization's impact on office managers.
• Merging Realities (2020–2024): Explores VR/AR for public awareness campaigns.
• DIVA (2023–2025): Evaluates ROI of digital investments in Flemish SMEs.
• LAP! (2019–2023): Develops learning analytics dashboards.

Grants/Consultancy: Involved in contract research for organizations like the Flemish Sports Federation and Procurios. Advises on digital transformation strategies and market research.

Labs/Teams: Active in the Knowledge Center Business and Law at AP University College, focusing on applied research in digital innovation and marketing.