SIF staff member completes MSc at University of Kent |05 December 2016

In September, the Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF) welcomed back its science programme officer, Wilna Accouche, after she completed her MSc in Conservation Project Management at the University of Kent, UK.

Wilna studied at the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) at the University of Kent, which is well-known for its high quality of conservation programmes.

The courses offered by DICE are particularly suitable for conservation professionals like Wilna, as they are multi-disciplinary, offering perspectives into the scientific and social aspects of conservation.

For her MSc dissertation, Wilna researched the application of business excellence models for the conservation sector, notably for protected areas.

One particular business model, adapted for conservation and known as the ‘Conservation Excellence Model’ was used to assess the Aldabra Atoll protected area.

Wilna said of her research: “One of the reasons I chose this research subject was my interest in protected area management, as well as wanting to contribute further to research in Seychelles”.

The research also looked into existing assessment tools for protected areas and how the business excellence model can provide an alternative, suitable and comprehensive assessment tool for protected area assessments.

Other than having to acclimatise to the chillier UK weather, Wilna very much enjoyed studying in the UK. The opportunity to work with students from all over the world and lecturers who are undertaking exciting research in their respective fields was a unique opportunity that Wilna was very grateful for.

Wilna would like to thank all the SIF staff who took part in her research, the SIF management who provided support, her lecturers at DICE and her dissertation supervisor, Dr Simon Black.

Wilna is also grateful to the British high commission who awarded her the national Chevening Scholarship which provided financial support to undertake the Masters degree.