Flipping the Script: Graduation Architect Set to Claim Coveted Red Gown
For years, the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s (UKZN) Graduation ceremonies have been the Institution’s heartbeat, producing the soul-stirring moments that capture the nation’s imagination.
As Executive Director of Corporate Relations, Dr Normah Zondo has worked alongside the Registrar’s Office to curate every detail of these high-stakes events. The behind-the-scenes strategist has, however, flipped the script this Autumn, momentarily trading her role as a staff member for the spotlight she helps create, donning the coveted red gown as she graduates with a doctoral degree.
Her doctoral journey was sparked by a disconnect she noticed in her work: the gap between official institutional narratives of mobility and students’ lived experiences in international mobility programmes.
Moving beyond statistics, her thesis explored the full student mobility lifecycle, from departure to return, revealing that international mobility is a long-term developmental process rather than a once-off event.
“Before leaving, students rely on the University to navigate a ‘hidden curriculum’. Abroad, they undertake significant emotional and relational work to find a sense of belonging in unfamiliar spaces. Yet upon return, many lack the support needed to translate those global experiences into local academic and professional success,” she explains.
A key insight of Zondo’s investigation is that these journeys are not equal – students without established networks or prior exposure carry a much heavier burden, making their experience both transformative and exhausting.
By reframing mobility as a developmental journey rather than a simple transaction, her work provides a vital roadmap for equity and inclusion within the South African context.
“My research shifts the focus from just granting access to ensuring quality support throughout the entire process. Ultimately, it’s about helping students build confidence and agency on a global stage,” she said.
Her PhD journey was shaped by demanding professional responsibilities, often requiring her to balance intensive academic work with institutional commitments and external stakeholder engagement.
Much of the research and writing took place in the early hours of the morning, late evenings, and weekends, after long days of meetings, events, and strategic engagements with partners and colleagues across the Higher Education sector.
To balance her studies with her executive role at UKZN and responsibilities as President of the International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA), Zondo approached her PhD studies as a long-term leadership project. She kept her academic pursuits in the background to ensure that she prioritised her leadership responsibilities. By day, she led the University’s public-facing initiatives, and by night, focused on her scholarship.
“The process was complex and exacting. Balancing concurrent responsibilities required careful calibration and sustained attentiveness to competing demands. What made this dual leadership possible was not only personal commitment but the strength, reliability, and collective professionalism of the teams with whom I worked. Within the Corporate Relations Division (CRD), I am supported by a highly capable, collaborative and dedicated team whose leadership and operational excellence ensured continuity and strategic momentum,” she said.
For Zondo, the red gown is a symbol of the endurance and persistence required to integrate scholarship with high-level practice. As she ascended the graduation stage, she carried with her the narratives of students she interviewed, support of her supervisors, and the collective pride of the Corporate Relations team.
“Receiving unanimous approval from all three examiners was a deeply gratifying moment; it confirmed that these often-overlooked student narratives actually carry immense scholarly weight.
“The journey was a constant recalibration of energy. Managing high-level executive responsibilities meant doing the heavy lifting in the margins of time. I realised that persistence isn’t just about pushing through, it’s about strategic adjustment and maintaining a clear sense of purpose over a long period. To me, the red gown symbolises that endurance. It represents the transformation of my own thinking and a commitment to lifelong learning, even within a demanding leadership role. It’s a marker of purpose sustained,” she said.
“This PhD is not an endpoint; it is a continuation of a life dedicated to ensuring that the transformative power of Higher Education is not just accessible, but celebrated for all,” Zondo said.
Photographer: Sethu Dlamini
