The Law Faculty is very pleased to welcome on board our new Faculty Manager, Ms Nondwe de Caires, Resonsible for the academic administration for Law degree programmes from undergraduate through to PhD, UCT's Faculty Managers have no small task.

Nondwe comes to Law from UCT's Commerce Faculty, having started as a Programme Manager at the Graduate School of Business - and served a stint as Acting Faculty Manager in the Commerce Faculty for 7 months before joining Law. 

With a UCT BSocSci, focused on Public Affairs and Administration, Nondwe also completed a PGDip in Management Practice at UCT's GSB. 

We asked Nondwe a few questions about herself, to form a picture of the energy and commitment she brings to Law - a way of getting to know our new Faculty Manager, especially while we are working remotely.

 

What do you love most about academic administration?

The part of my work that I enjoy the most is the chance to work with students from various backgrounds. If we provide excellent support to students, they will be able to develop and get the most out of their tertiary education. 

What are you most excited about in coming to the Faculty of Law?

Coming to the Law Faculty, and taking up the post of Faculty Manager, holds a range of pexciting ossibilities. The environment is new and presents a fresh challenge, and I am looking forward to contine with the work I really enjoy. You've probably heard the phrase "do what you love, and you'll never work a day in your life"? This could easily be describing my life in the academic environment.

I also really enjoy the interaction with academics, and Law will be an introduction to a whole new part of the UCT community - both in terms of people and in terms of Faculty focus. I enjoy assisting academics in providing the best possible service to students (and saving academics time by relieving them, where possible, of administrative responsibilities) so that we can focus as a Faculty on developing young leaders.

Do you have a "key wisdom" that you bring to academic admin? 

I firmly believe that each activity one undertakes as a UCT lecturer or administrator has a long-term effect on the lives of our students. Each student should be treated fairly and with the utmost respect. 

Do you have any activities you love outside of work? 

I am a runner, and am out running 5 - 10km four to five times a week. I enjoy hiking for both exercise and reflection - and we live in the perfect environment for this, so I really try to make the most of our beautiful surrounds. I adore cheese and good wine - and sunsets are my obsession. I'm a Catholic, and an Eastern Cape village girl - and that's where I revitalise my spirit when the going gets tough.

What are you reading at the moment? 

I'm obsessed with biographies, and I love African stories. African Samurai (Thomas Lockey) is on my nightstand, but I have yet to begin reading it due to my work schedule. This year, I intend to also read A long way gone (Ishmael Beah).