Annual Review 2023

Dear Friends of the College

It has certainly been an exciting and rewarding journey, not only over the past few years but since our inception in 1996. I am now delighted to present the College’s 2023 Annual Review which highlights some of our achievements and the work conducted during the year under review.

As a SADC-recognised centre of specialisation in conservation education, training and skills development, we proudly collaborate with a number of role players both locally, regionally and internationally to help propel our mission forward. This ensures that we are aligned with the needs of the conservation sector, whilst also developing and nurturing partnerships across a diverse range of stakeholders including the public and private sector, communities, education institutions, the donor community and other NGO’s .

Our approach to applied holistic skills development for conservation requires us to be dynamic and responsive to changing needs whilst imparting the necessary skills.  In 2023 we trained over 1 400 students in various disciplines offered across our training departments whilst striving to enable best-practice.

We also celebrated a number of highlights underpinned by our strategic partnerships.  A number of new agreements have also been signed with conservation and academic institutions. In addition, the need for a Conservation Industry Advisory Committee was identified, and I am excited to say that this is now in process. This collaborative approach will I believe drive the institution forward whilst also enabling significant strides and impact.

I remain both honoured and humbled to steer the SAWC ship. Once again, I would like to thank my entire team for their support, dedication and commitment. We collectively extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who continues to make our work possible.

As we work on our 2025 – 2030 business strategy, we recognise that current challenges in conservation are multi-faceted and interconnected, reflecting the complexity of both ecological systems and human societies. We invite you to be part of this journey which requires a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach as well as education, training and skills development to address these challenges and ensure the sustainable future of our landscapes and ecosystems.