UWC International hires a new Director of Education

Radha Pillay has been appointed into the United World Colleges (UWC) International Office as the Director of Education, and has already made a strong start in-post working across the UWC movement.

UWC is a global movement that makes education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future. Comprising of 18 globally recognised schools and colleges, and with National Committees across 150 countries, the impact of UWC and the movement’s mission is felt around the world.

Society was tasked to assist UWC by conducting an extensive global search to look for talented education leaders to provide strategic leadership to the movement. After a rigorous search and selection process, Radha Pillay was appointed from South Africa to support UWC from their International Offices in central London.

Radha brings over three decades of experience in global education to UWC. Her previous role was Head of Learning and Teaching for a network of IB schools in Africa. She has also formerly led a multicampus school as Head, and been an Associate Director at the National Department of Education in South Africa. Radha describes herself as a teacher at heart and was awarded Teacher of the Year in 1994 by the Peel Board of Education, Canada where she taught English and Mathematical Literacy.

As Director of Education, Radha will work closely with Heads of UWC schools and colleges, as well as the UWC International Board’s Education and Schools & Colleges committees to drive strategic alignment on high quality educational outcomes across the UWC movement. She will have oversight of the end-to-end process of student selections to International Baccalaureate programmes at UWC schools and colleges, support the development of curriculum innovations across the UWC movement, and coordinate leadership development initiatives for educational and senior leadership staff across UWC.

“I am honoured to have been appointed Director of Education at the UWC International Office for the same reasons as I have carefully chosen other positions in my career,” Radha explains. “As a teacher at UWC Waterford Kamhlaba, I immersed myself in the transformational mission of UWC. I was born into a system that discriminated on the basis of skin colour. I have, since, always been an education activist. I am also that educator who entered the world of teaching and learning to make a meaningful difference to every student I come across - and their teachers. It is with profound delight, therefore, that I take up this position, to lead, support and be a part of a team whose focus is the best interests of the students and the future of the planet.”

“We are immensely thrilled to be welcoming Radha as Director of Education at such a pivotal moment for the UWC movement”, says UWC International's Executive Director Faith Abiodun. “Radha’s depth of experience in various settings, knowledge of the UWC learning environment, leadership ethos and commitment to collaborative development make her a perfect fit for this role. She will be a tremendous support to the UWC Heads and a valuable member of the senior leadership team at UWC International.”

We at Society wish Radha every success in her exciting new role with UWC. We also wish UWC International every success in furthering the movement’s mission as the organisation continues to go from strength to strength.