The university community was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Professor Bernice Kotey, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management in the UNE Business School.
Head of the UNE Business School, Professor Sujana Adapa, provided the following:
It is with deep sadness I share that Professor Bernice Kotey, UNE Business School, recently passed away due to illness on 21 September 2023 in Sydney St. Georges Hospital on her way back from Ghana. We have been informed of this tragic news by Bernice’s family members.
Bernice had a significant career with UNE, and contributed particularly to the discipline of Accounting and Finance. She had a distinguished profile in teaching and learning, research, post-graduate supervision, and administration.
Bernice’s achievements are many and quite remarkable. Bernice completed her PhD with UNE and became a Professor of Entrepreneurship in the Business School at UNE. She is also a Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA) and completed a Management Development Program (MDP) with Harvard in 2010.
Bernice’s teaching was recognised by the Australian Awards for University Teaching (AAUT) in 2018 ‘For approaches to teaching the real world of Small Business and Entrepreneurship in the classroom that influence, motivate and inspire students to learn’. She made outstanding contributions to student learning over several years by embedding research informed teaching practice.
Bernice’s research predominantly was in the areas of small business management, entrepreneurship and regional development. She published in high ranked journals and focused upon research that informed practitioners and policy formulations. She was also successful in attracting research funds from the industry and grants to support teaching and learning activities.
Bernice supervised several PhD and MPhil students to completion. She also made significant contributions to the Small Enterprise Association of Australia and New Zealand (SEAANZ) Board by serving as the Conference Chair for three years in a row (2013-2015) and also served as a Deputy Editor for Small Enterprise Research journal (2015-2017). Within UNE, Bernice served on multiple high level committees and provided targeted advice when needed.
As a respected academic and research leader in the area of entrepreneurship who made a longstanding contribution to UNE Business School and to her disciplinary area, Bernice’s loss is irreplaceable and my heartfelt condolences are with her family members.
Further information related to Professor Kotey can be accessed from her staff profile page.
If you need professional support, please refer to UNE’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provider Benestar.
I had the pleasure of working with Professor Kotey over a number of years, and I can attest to her dedication and commitment. She was genuinely concerned to do the right thing and to make a contribution. She will be sadly missed.
Bernice was a significant member of the African community in Australia, which recognized her contribution at an event in Sydney in 2012. She vigorously participated in the activities of the African Association in New England, mentored many African students, and collaborated with lots of researchers in Ghana. Indeed, she became unwell while returning from a trip to Ghana. While there she gave talks at several universities. She will be sorely missed.
I was very sorry to hear the news that Bernice is no longer with us.
I studied in one of her units many years ago, and found her to be very pleasant, professional and knowledgeable. It was a pleasure to be taught by her.
When I was an ESO in the Business School I always found Bernice courteous, willing to accept my help and respectful. I am sad to hear of her passing. She will be sorely missed indeed.
Sad news. Bernice was rigorous and incivise in her work, and warm and friendly as a person. Gone too soon.
I first met Bernice when she became one of the early academic staff to join the Sunshine Coast University College (now University of the Sunshine Coast). She helped establish the culture of the business faculty there – professional, student-centred, respectful of others and happy to share of her knowledge. It was a pleasure to be a colleague both there and at UNE. She will be missed.
Over many years, Bernice and I received several research grants dealing with agricultural development issues and their impacts on regional economies – leading to various journal articles. We worked well together and travelled widely around northern inland regions collecting data and information – especially focussing on cotton growing regions. I will greatly miss her.
In my quest to pursue a PhD. program, I came across the name Prof. Bernice Kotey on the MyUNE portal while searching for a potential supervisor. I sent her email expressing my interest to advance my studies. Bernice responded in a couple of days and requested a copy of my research proposal. After submitting a copy of my drafted proposal, Bernice accepted to work with me, thus helping bring my PhD. aspirations into reality. Bernice guided me through it all; she was critical, constructive and always provided valuable timely feedback. It is on this basis that I personally feel so much doleful about the untimely demise of such a kind-hearted professor. I got so much closer to Bernice in her last days on earth as I prepared to present my CoC report. Bernice told me: “I am supposed to go on leave, but I am waiting for you to complete your CoC seminar before I travel to Ghana”. In fact, little did I know that Bernice had been destined to end her supervisory role with my PhD. journey after my CoC seminar. Tears continue to flow down my cheek as I reflect on the last interactions we had. Among such interactions was her response to my message thanking her for her continued support to my research work: “… your perseverance is my strength, Joseph….,” as the renowned professor told me after my CoC seminar presentation.
I am deeply devastated by her death. However, I take consolation from the song: “there’s a place for people like you”, (Gramps Morgan).
Very sad! Rest in Peace my sister Prof Bernice Kotey.
Bernice was a wonderful colleague since I joined Sunshine Coast University College (now University of the Sunshine Coast) in 1998. We continued our friendship even after she moved to University of New England sometime in 2001 or 2002. We attended few Management conferences together and worked with her in few papers. She was very professional, responsive and a very good communicator. I am deeply saddened by her passing.
so sad to hear of the passing of Bernice. She was an excellent scholar and a lovely person. She served as a co-editor of the International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research for several years with great distincition. RIP.
Very sad to hear this news. Bernice Kotey was a respected scholar in the Australia New Zealand region and will be missed.