Save our Seas Foundation donates equipment to UniSey |15 December 2017

Students and lecturers at the University of Seychelles (UniSey) can now engage in cutting-edge research following a donation of equipment from the Save our Seas Foundation (SOSF).

Worth R450,000, the equipment were handed over yesterday by a representative of SOSF, Jock Henwood, to the dean of the faculty for business and sustainable development at UniSey Dr Justin Valentin.

Present during the handover ceremony were the lecturers and students of the BSc Environmental Science, other members of UniSey and SOSF.

The scientific laboratory technician Terrence Vel led a short presentation on the Keystone Grant from SOSF which allows the course to have a strong component in experimental research and environment-related analyses.

The new field equipment donated including Vernier sensors, GPS, drone, Laboratory glassware, high tech compound microscopes, books on Devil rays, and SOSF magazines for this purpose.

The equipment will also be used in activities held with students under the Lekol de Zil programme.

Dr Valentin said SOSF is a very faithful partner to UniSey as their interests now extend beyond the ocean and also into the environment.

“SOSF now has a culture of donation and now what we are witnessing is that they are moving not only for the seas but the environment in general,” he said.

He expressed his gratitude for this donation on behalf of the students who will benefit from the equipment.

“I will urge the students and lecturers to try to use these equipment to the best of their ability and at the same time try to think of activities where we can bring in also more primary and secondary students to the university so that ultimately they are inspired and attracted to our course,” he said.

He said this is part of their goal to have more students enrolling in the environmental science programme.

Dr Valentin added that the lab is getting too small for these equipment so their next mission is to try to relocate the UniSey centre for environment and education laboratory.

SOSF protects life in oceans, especially sharks and rays and they support passionate and innovative researchers, conservationists and educators across the globe.

This is done through funding their projects and helping them to tell important scientific and environmental stories.

They currently have centres based in Florida, Seychelles and South Africa which are dedicated to learning about sharks and rays and sharing that knowledge.

Mr Henwood said the SOSF has supported and promoted marine education projects in Seychelles since 2011, first in primary and secondary schools and then the higher education system at UniSey.

“It is a pleasure to be here today and be able to help build an academic infrastructure that allows students to learn to use necessary technical equipment both in the lab and in the field,” he said.

He said that SOSF looks forward to continuing its collaboration with the UniSey, adding that it has contributed over R1 million towards the university over the last two years.