It has been a long time since the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) has been one of the institutions that always hold graduation ceremonies, which is a sign of respect and appreciation for their good work in education in different fields.
One of those who are always at the forefront and make sure that everything goes according to plan at those events is Dr. Normah Zondo, the General Director of the Business Relations Unit at UKZN who works with the university governor’s office to do that.
However, he did something different this time, as students and academics in different fields were awarded and he was also invited to the academics who graduated as doctors, which he said was encouraged by the gap he saw between university staff and students.
Dr. Zondo said that his research was looking at the entry and exit of students in universities, from the time they arrive to do their first year until the end of their educational journey according to their fields.
“Before they leave, the students depend on the university to take care of their studies. However, when they are no longer in the university, they face the problem of the pressure of looking for a job. The challenge is that they have a problem of not getting support when they try to use the experience they have learned outside to build success through education,” he said.
He said that his research shows that the journey of students is uneven and that those students who do not know anyone where they are are facing the problem and pressure of not being able to do the work and what is expected of them.
“In my research, I reveal strategies that must be done to support those students in their journeys like this so that they can be confident and not burdened when they work in other countries or places they don’t know and are not familiar with,” he said.
He said he used to do most of his research early in the morning before going to work, late at night before going to bed, after meetings at work and after various UKZN events.
And what helped him to complete his studies, which he was also considering the job of UKZN and becoming the President of the International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA), Dr. Zondo was not in a hurry but used them as if they were part of his journey to become a leader.