Overview
The Information & Communications Technology Department is responsible for planning, development, implementation and maintenance of all university IT services. It had assisted in the planning and implementation of new student management system for the university in June 2016. In addition, the department was also responsible for the planning and implementation of some of the major ICT projects which included:
- Upgrading of core network;
- Voice over IP internal phone system;
- Staff and students’ email systems;
- Kukum Campus fibre reticulations;
- Fibre links between three campus;
- Fibre link between SINU and Telecom Solomon gateway
- Radio links for inaccessible locations within Campuses; and
- Students’ computer labs
University has recently approved to host students’ email on Cloud using Gsuite at no cost. This will be a new and exciting development for staff and students. Plans are well underway for the system to golive by Semester 2/20. Students can access their emails 24/7 from anywhere where there is an internet service.
The Department has also implemented Active Directory (AD) for students in 2020. The AD will allow a student to access any students’ IT services e.g. computer labs, Moodle, email, library etc. by using his/her student’s credentials.
One of the long term goals is to increase the internet speed to an acceptable speed to minimize serious congestion issues. The bandwidth increase would also allow increase in number of Wi-Fi access points for staff and students in three campuses of the University. The staff and students can go anywhere in three campuses and can still use their credentials to access the services.
The increase in bandwidth would also allow uninterrupted video conference services to be conducted from any of the campuses.
Core Functions
The core functions of ICT Department include:
- ICT Support for staff, students and visitors of the university;
- Support and maintenance of local area network, internet, radio and internal telephone services;
- Hosting of IT applications, databases and other IT services for the University;
- Maintenance and administration of University's Student Management System, Library Systems, staff and students’ email systems and students’ Moodle system;
- Support and maintenance of SINU website; and
- Technical advice to the university in all areas of ICT matters.
Director ICT
Mr Dean Foy
Mr Dean Foy assumed the position of the Director of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) on 23rd January 2023. Before joining SINU, Mr Foy was the ICT Manager at the University of South Pacific (USP), Solomon Islands Campus, from November 2019 to January 2023. He was also a Senior IT Infrastructure Systems/Data Centre Engineer at Daltron Papua New Guinea from 2017 to 2019. Mr Foy was a Team Leader – Group IT Business Analyst for Toyota Tsusho South Pacific Holding Pty Ltd. Papua New Guinea from 2012 to 2016. He was also the Head of the ICT Department for the National Department of Education, Papua New Guinea, from 2009 to 2012. Mr Foy was also a secondary school teacher teaching IT and Mathematics in various high schools in PNG from 2004 to 2008.
Director Dean Foy holds a Master of Science (MSc) in Service Oriented Architecture and Cloud Computing from Auckland University of Technology, NZ. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Education, Mathematics and Information Technology from the University of Goroka, PNG. Mr Foy also holds a Trade Certification, Aircraft Avionics Maintenance Technology/Technician from Sydney Airport Qantas Jetbase Aircraft Engineering Apprenticeship Centre, Australia.