Dr Josephine Llale

Dr Josephine Llale is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Construction Economics and Management, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), South Africa. She is currently a visiting fellow at the University of Oxford through a joint fellowship by the Africa Oxford Initiative (AfOx) Visiting Fellowship programme and the Female Academic Leaders Fellowship (FALF) programme.

Dr Llale is a Professional Quantity Surveyor whose academic and professional work lies at the intersection of infrastructure, development, and education. Her research focuses on automation and robotics in construction (ARC), with a particular interest in enhancing health and safety in labour-intensive construction projects through technological innovation. She is committed to developing research-led solutions that support sustainable infrastructure and inclusive urban development.

A strong advocate for trans-sectoral collaboration, Dr Llale’s work promotes an ecosystem approach where public, private, and social sectors partner to deliver resilient infrastructure that creates long-term value. Her broader research vision is to cultivate future scholars in the built environment who will help address developmental challenges in Africa.

Beyond academia, she is the founder of Obakeng Quantity Surveyors and Coach Masters, a leadership coaching initiative. Through her Oxford fellowship, Dr Llale aims to deepen international research networks and contribute to knowledge that supports safer, smarter, and more inclusive cities.