Queensland University Teams Up With PNG Government on Digital Push

A new partnership between Papua New Guinea and an Australian university is set to shape how the country builds its digital government systems in the years ahead, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Queensland University of Technology.

The MoU, finalised under the Marape-Rosso administration, establishes the groundwork for cooperation between QUT and PNG on matters ranging from research and innovation to training the workforce behind the nation's digital transformation drive.

 Queensland University Teams Up With PNG Government on Digital Push

Acting Minister for Information and Communication Technology Peter Tsiamalili signed the document on the State's behalf, with Prime Minister James Marape and Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology Minister Kinoko Feo on hand to witness the occasion.

The partnership will see the university support public sector innovation, help build the capability of officers tasked with driving digital reform, and contribute research toward the SevisPass Digital Identity Ecosystem and other priority technology programmes.

Speaking after the signing, Acting Minister Tsiamalili said the document marked only the opening stage of a longer strategic relationship, one designed to move the country from written policy into real implementation without compromising its national interests.

He stressed that the MoU on its own does not clear the way for any project to proceed, noting that separate commercial agreements, funding arrangements and formal approvals from government will still be required for each initiative, consistent with advice received from the State Solicitor.

Details around procurement, intellectual property, ownership of software, cybersecurity, licensing, ongoing maintenance and knowledge transfer, he added, would all be locked down through those later agreements to safeguard the country's interests.

The Acting Minister placed particular weight on data sovereignty, insisting that any digital system introduced through the partnership must leave PNG in full ownership and control of government data, consistent with the country's cybersecurity and public administration legislation.

He extended thanks to QUT, the Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, the Department of Prime Minister and National Executive Council, the Office of the State Solicitor and other agencies involved in reaching the agreement.

"Today's Memorandum of Understanding is not the end of the journey, it is the beginning of a strategic partnership that will enable PNG to move confidently from policy to implementation while protecting our national interests," he said.