PNG UNRE News

Unitech Spartans after the presentation ceremony. UNIVERSITY of Technology is the winner of the 2017 Vice Chancellor’s Cup Challenge held at the PNG University of Natural Resources 7 Environment last week. Unitech Spartans defeated University of Goroka 30-4 in the play off for first and second placing on Friday, to win the cup. Divine Word University came third in the competition after defeating UNRE 2 14-0. President of PNG Universities Sports Association Harry Chapau described the competition as tough. He said the VC Cup Challenge had revealed that there were some very good players and urged selectors of National Rugby League to attend such competitions to recruit potential players with raw talent. Mr Chapau commended the host University (UNRE) for a well organised event and the other three universities: Unitech, UOG, and Divine Word for their participation. He said despite a lack of financial support from sponsors, UNRE Administration had contributed a ...

Prof. Warren (fourth from left) and Mr Silul (third from left) with staff from the University and Nimamar LLG officers after the signing. PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Nimamar Local Level Government of Lihir to implement farmer training at the cost of K2.7 million. The signing took place this afternoon at Kokopo Village Resort in Kokopo by University Vice Chancellor Professor John Warren and Ambrose Silul, President of Nimamar LLG and Deputy Governor of New Ireland.   The MOU is specifically for the University’s farmer training centre, Kairak Vudal Resource Training Centre (KVRTC), to implement its Integrated Agricultural Training Program (IATP). The first MOU was signed in 2006 for five years, but only lasted for three years. This second MOU is for the next five years, until 2022. Vice Chancellor Professor Warren acknowledged the hard work done by the LLG and the KVRTC team led by Manager...

Water PNG Limited is hosting an intervarsity debate on Water and Sanitation to commemorate its 30th Anniversary in Papua New Guinea. The event will be held at the University of Technology from October 9-13, 2017. It will be televised live. In a letter to UNRE Vice Chancellor Professor John Warren, Water PNG Limited Managing Director Raka Taviri (Jnr) said the objective of the debate is to get tertiary students involved in gathering information on water and sanitation; and to advocate on their importance. “It will provide an opportunity for individual students to practice their research and public speaking skills… to create awareness and knowledge on the importance of Water and Sanitation and its important role in our society and development,” Mr Taviri said. Each of the country’s six universities is required to stage a series of pre-debates in order to select the final four (4) debaters who will represent their institution at the national event in Lae. Mr Taviri sai...

Kenneth Yang (centre) with Headteacher of  St  Joseph Primary School (right) and  a fellow student. Staff and students of PNG UNRE must be good ambassadors and examples when they portray the University they represent. Agriculture Representative to the 2017 Student Representative Council, Kenneth Yang, raised this when speaking on the occasion of this year’s World Environment Day. Observed annually on June 5, World Environment Day (WED) is the United Nation's principal vehicle for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the protection of our environment. It was first held in 1973, and since then has been a leading campaign for raising awareness on emerging environmental issues from marine pollution, human overpopulation, and global warming, to sustainable consumption and wildlife crime. WED has grown to become a global platform for public outreach, with participation from over 143 countries annually. Each year, WED has a new theme that major cor...

Simbu Province is the first province in the Highlands region to grow cocoa and a UNRE graduate is one of the key people assisting farmers to grow and produce cocoa at an altitude of more than 1,500metres above sea level. UNRE graduate John Komba. John Komba, who graduated in 2014 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Tropical Agriculture is a Rural Development Officer at the Division of Primary Industry in Simbu province.  He is using the knowledge he gained at the University to break new grounds in cocoa farming in Simbu. Mr Komba led a group of cocoa farmers from Karamui district in Simbu to display their cocoa at the 2017 Inaugural Air Niugini Cocoa Warwagira that was held last week. Cocoa pods from Karamui district in Simbu Province. The cocoa pods displayed at the Simbu booth attracted many farmers and visitors because the pods were much bigger than what other provinces are producing. Mr Komba said he believed that due to the large sizes, the pods are fre...

Vice Chancellor Professor John Warren speaks to students at the Orientation Welcome. The Vice Chancellor of PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment has called on students and staff to work together as one body to produce the best graduates and to make PNG UNRE the best university it can be. Vice Chancellor Professor John Warren made the remarks at the 2017 Students Orientation Welcome at the University this morning. Welcoming the 268 first year students, Professor Warren said to achieve the best result, both staff and students need to work together. Giving an example, he said when students completed their course work, the feedback academics gave them would help them (students) to learn and to grow. “(Also) At the end of every module or end of the year students will be asked to give feedback or to tell us what mistakes we’ve made and to help us not make those mistakes next year,” he said.   He said students’ contribution to the development and pro...

Workshop participants with IATP Facilitators Ben Hulo (standing left) and Conrad Baroro at the end of training in Minj. PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment (PNG UNRE) in partnership with Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research has delivered an important training to assist farmers of Jiwaka Province. The 23 farmers that attended the five day training workshop that was conducted at the beginning of this month, will be the agents of change who will pass on this training to other local farmers. PNG UNRE through its Integrated Agriculture Training Program (IATP) conducted the training in collaboration with the Voice For Change Organisation, for women and men in Minj district of Jiwaka Province. Funding for the workshop came from the Women in Business Acumen Project by the University of Canberra through the Australia Centre for International Agriculture Research Programs (ACIAR). IATP conducted the Sustainable Livelihoods and Decision Making; and...