New staff to contribute to University's development

Tourism Course Coordinator

Hannah Woolcott

The University’s newest department, Department of Tourism & Business Studies, is expanding gradually.

Joining Head of Department George Korowi, is Course Coordinator and lecturer, Hannah Woolcott, who brings with her a wealth of tourism experience.

Mr Korowi and Ms Woolcott are now working to develop the curriculum of the department’s Sustainable International Tourism course.

Mr Korowi graduated from the University with a Masters in Management. Over the last ten years, he has served the University as Bursar, accountant and lecturer. He has also lectured at other tertiary institutions.

Ms Woolcott joins UNRE from Kabaira Beach Hideaway where she was employed as manager for the last four years.

She holds a Masters of Professional Accounting and a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Aquaculture from James Cook University in Australia.

Ms Woolcott who is part Australia and East New Britain said she is happy to be contributing to education in her home province.

“The Tourism Course Coordinator position offered an opportunity to apply my background in tourism and previous university experience while contributing to improve education of my home province,” she said.

She said tourism is an exciting industry with a lot of potential in PNG.

“It is a sustainable resource that draws our natural environment and people. By helping to produce graduates in this field, I hope we will raise the reputation of this University.”

She hopes to develop a tourism degree that focuses on sustainable development of the industry in PNG; and to produce graduates to help support the country’s tourism industry.

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Internal Auditor

Alice Hosea

THE University has a new Internal Auditor.

Her name is Alice Hosea and she brings to UNRE her experience in accounting and auditing.

Ms Hosea's aim is to see this University grow to attract investors and donors who will assist in students’ learning.

“My priority is to complete the audits so that UNRE will have an updated financial status which will enable investors and donors to assist us in enhancing students learning as the students are our priority,” she said.

Ms Hosea has worked with the ENB Development Corporation (ENBDC) as an Accountant for the last nine years and in that role, she was involved in:

• Supervision of Accounts Team and submitting Financial Reports monthly
• Preparation of Tax Lodgement and Audit schedules
• Spearheaded Audits for ENBDC for year 2000-2013
• Involved in drawing up Standard Operating Procedures

With the Bachelor degree in Accounting which she holds from Divine Word University and the experience she has gained over the years at ENBDC she has no doubt she will achieve her goals while in the position.

Her aim is to prepare and maintain a Fixed and Biological Assets Register for the University, prepare and complete the Audit for Years 2015-2017; and observe and draw up Standard Operating Procedures for UNRE Internal Central and Processes.

Ms Hosea who comes from Gazelle in East New Britain is married with one child. She decided to join UNRE to contribute to its growth and development.

The role of an internal auditor is to provide independent assurance that an organisation's risk management, governance and internal control processes are operating effectively. Internal auditors must be independent from the operations they evaluate and report to the highest level.

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SAR (Human Resources)

Lauraka Roleas

Human Resource Management plays a very important role in any organisation.

The section is sometimes known as the organisation’s engine room because it drives workplace culture and manages the entity’s most important assets, its human resources.

Recognising the importance of this section, the University recently recruited a very experienced person to the head its Human Resources team.

Lauraka Roleas joined the University in July as Senior Assistant Registrar (HR). Her vast experience in the field of human resources makes her overqualified for the position but she is keen to help UNRE develop its human resources before she retires.

“I wanted to share my work experience at the University through recruiting right academics with right qualification to deliver to our students coming in to study,” said Mrs Roleas. 

Mrs Roleas holds a Masters Degree in Business Management (majoring in Human Resource and Management); a Bachelors Degree in Education (Administration); a Diploma in Secondary Teaching; and a Certificate IV TAE - Australian Qualification TVET Project Management.

Over the last 26 years she held responsibilities serving in organisations such as Department of Finance, University of Papua New Guinea, Divine Word University, PNG Institute of Public Administration (Admin College) and other training institutions. Before joining UNRE she was with the PNG Civil & Identity Registry for close to four years as Human Resource Manager.

The responsibilities in her previous employment included: advertising, screening, selection, recruitment and other HR related duties. Her network and undoubtedly these skills will help her achieve the two goals that she has set for herself while in this position. They are:

1. To recruit qualified academics to deliver to the students and help develop new academic courses to prepare the students for jobs in the industry.
2. To recruit qualified non-academic staff to support the Academic Departments.

Mrs Roleas is from Gulf Province. She is a widow with two children.

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Policy & Quality Assurance Officer

Josephine Finnola Lowe

Josephine Finnola Lowe is the University’s Policy and Quality Assurance Officer.

The 33 year old from East New Britain and Malaita, Solomon Islands, has been in the position since May this year but she has served the University for eight years.

Ms Lowe joined the University in August 2010 as a trainee in the HR section. Over the years she worked her way up to Assistant Registrar (HR) and finally to head the section as Senior Assistant Registrar (HR).

Earlier this year, however, she was redeployed to the newly established office, Policy & Quality Assurance, and is presently working closely with Australian academic, Pauline Thambu, to review practices, procedures, policies and related documentation in all administrative sections of the University.

The establishment of the office was necessary after an external academic audit conducted by a group of academics from Australia and Papua New Guinea in 2013, identified a number of important areas that the University needed to improve.

Ms Lowe, who holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Quality Assurance from the University of Melbourne, was the obvious candidate to take on responsibilities in the Policy & QA office.

She hopes to establish a functioning office through the development of systems, practices, processes and policies which will ensure that there is quality and continuous improvement in all aspects of UNRE’s operations and performance.

Ms Lowe said this will foster academic quality and integrity and result in quality graduates.

Prior to Ms Lowe’s employment at the University she was a General Legal Assistant at Warner Shand Lawyers. Her main tasks were to carry out research on case laws and provide case briefs to responsible lawyers on the applicable and most relevant case law for court submissions.

“I’m using the analytical skills I gained there in my new role here to develop policies, conduct research and communicate,” she said.

“Knowing your policy guidelines gives you confidence to implement and communicate to stakeholders.”

She said she had chosen to join UNRE because she believes universities play a key role in developing and supporting the country’s human resource.

In spite of the many challenges she has come through over the last eight years, she has remained at the UNRE because of this.

“That is the passion I have to work in a university environment. To contribute to producing quality graduates required by our country.”

Ms Lowe also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Public Policy from the University of Papua New Guinea and a TAE Certificate IV in Workplace Training & Assessment from the National Training Council and Australian Public Service Commission.