Team

Agnieszka joined UWC International in April 2023 and is based in London. As an Educational Support Coordinator and Safeguarding Officer she coordinates all student programmes including safeguarding, mental health, Anti-Racism, Diversity and Inclusion (ARDEI), special education needs and English learning support.

Agnieszka brings over 20 years of professional experience from a variety of sectors including senior executive search, investment banking & private equity, executive coaching and consulting. She also volunteered with the Polish UWC National Committee and is currently a trustee of UWC Great Britain. She loves to work with organisations and individuals who want to be at their best and reach their full potential.

A Polish UWC-USA alumna (1986-1988), she holds a BA in economics from Yale University, USA, and an MBA from IESE, Spain. In her spare time, Agnieszka enjoys spending time with her family and loves to row on the river Thames.

Email: agnieszka.ziemba@uwcio.uwc.org

Faima Ramírez Hirschauer serves as the Coordinator for the United World College Short Course Development Initiative, where she endorses, supports, and advances over 30 UWC Short Course teams globally. Born in Munich and raised on the Canary Islands, Faima’s background has profoundly shaped her understanding of the complexities and opportunities within societies on the margins. As a UWC Costa Rica graduate (2008), she pursued a BA in Political Science and Journalism with a minor in Social Entrepreneurship from UNC-Chapel Hill.

Since 2014, Faima has found her true calling in UWC Short Courses, where she has designed and delivered curricula focused on Social Entrepreneurship, Leadership, and Peacebuilding to over 1,500 young people aged 14-17 across Europe and Latin America. In her role, she has also recruited and trained diverse teams, fostering an inclusive and impactful learning environment. Faima’s commitment to youth development is further evidenced by her diploma in Social Integration and additional training in Positive Psychology, Safeguarding, and Outdoor Adventure Learning.

In her free time you can find her rock climbing, mountain biking or pole dancing, always in company of her Jack Russel, Tequila. 

Email: faima.ramirez@shortcourse.uwc.org

Radha brings over three decades of experience to the role, working most recently as the Head of Learning and Teaching for a network of fourteen schools in Africa, nine of which are IB schools.Formerly Head of a multicampus school and Associate Director at the National Department of Education in South Africa, Radha describes herself as a teacher at heart, especially passionate about the teaching of English Literature. She was awarded Teacher of the Year by the Peel Board of Education, Canada in 1994.

After South Africa abolished its Apartheid laws, Radha was the elected Independent Education Board’s technical expert who led the writing of the outcomes for English for South African students K-12. Radha has also taught English Language & Literature and Theory of Knowledge at Waterford Kamhlaba UWC of Southern Africa, and she was the elected teacher representative on the WKUWCSA Board of Governors. In addition, Radha is a published author of two Macmillan textbooks about the teaching of English, an accredited coaching facilitator and executive coach. She has been examiner and sub examiner for various boards of education, including IB.

As Director of Education, Radha works very 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 has oversight of the end-to-end process of student selections and short courses, supports the development of curriculum innovations across the UWC movement, and coordinates leadership development initiatives for educational and senior leadership staff across UWC. Radha is based in the London office. 

Email: radha.pillay@uwcio.uwc.org

Sylvi joined UWC International in July 2023 and is based in the London office, where she coordinates educational initiatives across the UWC schools and colleges, as well as short courses.

Sylvi is an alumna of Waterford Kamhlaba UWCSA (2005) and holds a BA (Hons.) in Politics and Development Studies from SOAS, University of London. Following her first degree, she pursued postgraduate studies in the Justice and Transformation programme at the University of Cape Town, where she also began teaching undergraduate seminars in Political Science and worked as an academic literacy specialist in the university’s writing centre. Her time in Cape Town was followed by eight years at UWC Atlantic, where she taught Global Politics and History, and took on the leadership of the Changemaker Curriculum Team in her final two years.

After an artistic sabbatical in London, during which she also completed a Professional Diploma in Digital Learning Design, she is ready to take on the new role of Academic Coordinator and is particularly passionate about all aspects of curriculum design and innovation.

In her spare time, Sylvi is an avid knitter and enjoys wild swimming and sketching.

Email: sylvia.wirtjes@uwcio.uwc.org