CAMPUSES & CENTRES

UNISWA FOUNDATION - continuedUNISWA. This has improved the speed of web browsing,downloading and e-mail communication and made iteasier and faster for students and staff to conduct researchon the internet through various e-journal portals anddatabases. It is envisaged that the net effect of fast andreliable access to the aforementioned web-based knowledgerepositories will have a positive trickle-down effect on thequality of education, and assist UNISWA to live its vision of“Leadership through Excellence in Education”.Launch of SGL Digital GatewayOn Wednesday 10 November, 2011 during an auspiciousevent, the SGL Digital Gateway@UNISWA was officiallylaunched at the Institute of Distance Education (IDE). Indemonstration of business acumen, Mr. George Henwood,UNISWA alumnus and CEO of SGL Technologiescollaborated with Woodmaster Furniture to create theSGL Digital Gateway@UNISWA. The high-tech computerlaboratory which costs E700 Thousand to create, boastsof the latest computer equipment, furniture, brandingand network infrastructure. During the event Mr. VickIrwing the Managing Director of Woodmaster requestedrelevant stakeholders to consider concentrating more efforttowards the development of vocational skills particularlyin the carpentry business. He lamented the continuingimportation of furniture from neighbouring South Africawhile the country is resource-rich with a large expanse oftimber plantations. The facility comes as a relief to IDEstudents who previously had to compete with full-timestudents for the limited space in the available computerlaboratories.Unveiling of NETCOMM Hub of CreativityNETCOMM, one of UNISWA’s leading suppliers andservice providers has donated state-of-the-art computerequipment for the establishment of the NETCOMM Hubof Creativity @ UNISWA.During the event, the Managing Director of NETCOMM,Mr. Jose Da Costa, pledged to double his donation toUNISWA in the coming financial year mainly due to thebusiness support that NETCOMM has received fromUNISWA over the last few years. The new signature ofexcellence brought by NETCOMM elevates the level ofsophistication to UNISWA’s information communicationstechnology infrastructure.Royal Swaziland Sugar Corporation (RSSC)Donation PresentationThe Managing Director of RSSC, Mr. Nick Jackson,presented a donation of E60 Thousand Emalangeni at theSimunye Sugar Estate Club in January, 2012. Mr. Jacksonemphasized the importance that RSSC affords to sharingprofits with the less privileged and in a suitable positionto contribute towards sustainable economic growth. Hefurther highlighted the renewed focus of RSSC towardstriple-bottom-line reporting which includes reportingon economic, social and environmental aspects of thebusiness. The donated funds will be channelled towards theinstitutional fund for academic advancement.Swaziland Royal Insurance Corporation (SRICO)Donation PresentationDuring the year under review, SRIC continued to availits annual contribution of E60 Thousand Emalangenito the Foundation. The funding is allocated towards theInstitutional Fund for Academic Advancement, a keystrategic initiative of the Foundation. What is remarkableabout the public-private partnership between SRIC andUNISWA is that ever since the Foundation became fullyoperational in 2006 SRIC has made a contribution on anannual basis. The level of commitment by the entity isan positive model for the importance of harnessing theretention of donors.The high-end facility is located within the UNISWA MainCampus Library. It was unveiled on Monday 5 December,2011. The Hub valued at E180 Thousand is equippedwith ten of the latest Apple iMac computers, a new tabletop, colour printer and scanner, overhead projector andelectronic projector screen. The donation includes trainingon the revolutionary iLifeprogramme for 20 UNISWAtechnicians and staff administered by Apple South Africa.iLife is a suite of software applications developed by Applefor organizing, editing, and publishing photos, movies,and music. The suite comprises five applications: iPhoto,iMovie, iDVD, Garage Ban, and iWeb, all run on the MacOS X operating system.SGL Digital Gateway launch at IDEREPORT OF THE VICE-CHANCELLOR 88