European Union partners with PNG University

EU partners with PNG Unitech. Photo credit: EU PNG

Vice Chancellor of the University of Technology Dr. Albert Schram and Mr Chris Alu, Director of the UNITECH Port Moresby Office, met recently with EU Ambassador Martin Dihm to review past and current co-operation and explore future collaboration opportunities.
Between 2008 and 2010, UNITECH benefited from European Union (EU) funding for the construction of 4 new buildings, namely one laboratory for post graduate environmental research, one teaching facility building with computer rooms and lecture theatre as well as two dormitories with washing facilities for post-graduate students.
The objective of this grant was to increase the enrollment of students and help address the difficulties UNITECH is facing to accommodate its ever growing number of students.
Furthermore, a number of UNITECH students have been granted scholarships to complete masters and post-graduate degrees in European Universities.
These activities have been sponsored under the "Erasmus Mundus Programme", the European Union's co-operation and mobility programme in the field of higher education. The programme is open to students in many countries in the world and also in Papua New Guinea.
Ambassador Dihm said: "Higher education is immensely important for long term, sustainable development. UNITECH has made excellent use of the EU programmes for the benefit of PNG students and we look forward to further strengthening our cooperation in future."
Dr. Schram said: "We are eager to explore new areas of cooperation between the European Union and UNITECH. It is hoped that also undergraduate students will be able soon to benefit from an EU scheme, the newly created Erasmus+. We may also look into the area of agricultural research where UNITECH has developed special expertise and which could be useful for the rural development programmes sponsored by the Union in Papua New Guinea."
Both side agreed to meet again in the near future to discuss further.