Divine Word University has a distinct philosophy – designed and implemented with a care and love for our country of Papua New Guinea. Its vision is to be a Christian University open to all, serving society through its teaching and research in a Christian environment. It offers its educational services to those interested in improving themselves intellectually and spiritually so they can become responsible citizens and positively affect the development of society.
As a resident of Madang, I have an especial pride in having seen this university grow from an Institute nine years ago, to have become in many ways a model of excellence and service. This growth is seen in the new houses, the new and refurbished classrooms, the lecture theatre, and today, the library.
Divine Word University, reaching out beyond Madang, has used 21st Century communications technology to unite colleges around the country into a university, and to bring higher education into the workplace.
This is an extraordinary achievement.
Divine Word University equips its graduates with Christian values and professional skills.
The Christian model is seen on campus in the friendship and care between students, the respect of each sex for the other, and in the oversight and wider responsibility that the University takes for students. There is a full extra-curricular life which allows students to grow culturally, socially and spiritually.
The professional curricula too are well designed. They are written after consulting professionals, employers and graduates on the competencies required. The outcomes are checked with students and professionals through an exhaustive and complete quality monitoring and promotion process. Students learn to apply these competencies through practical work experience – which is a requirement of each program.
Conversations with employers give constant answers as to why Divine Word University graduates find work easily. Divine Word University graduates are competent, they are intellectuals who keep growing, they are professionals committed to their work as part of a wider service to the community. They are trustworthy.
The quality of graduates is a practical outcome of institutional love and wish to serve the nation. Americans use the Latin phrase to describe their universities, ‘alma mater’ or soul mother. Divine Word University is a soul mother.
Fifteen years ago, higher education in Papua New Guinea was fragmented. There were two universities – each with a limited set of students and disciplines. There were 55 small single purpose colleges – without the educational strengths and resources of universities. These Colleges were largely under the management of Government Departments whose primary expertise was service delivery rather than higher education.
Divine Word University has united and upgraded these isolated strengths. Teachers’ Colleges, Paramedical and Nursing Colleges, and seminaries are working with Divine Word University in seven provinces and the National Capital District. These Colleges are united with the University staff through innovative use of new communications technology into ‘virtual’ faculties.
Inside Madang, the Lutheran School of Nursing is affiliated to Divine Word University, and the Madang College of Allied Health Sciences has amalgamated with Divine Word University. There is a broadened perspective among academics and students. There is a sharing of administrative strengths. There is an upgrading of academic programs and facilities.
Papua New Guinea is heading towards a crisis in supply of nurses and community health workers. We already have the lowest supply of health workers to population of any Pacific Island Nation. Closure of some Nursing Colleges and lack of expansion of others has led to a situation in which we are likely to half the new nurses to replace those retiring by 2010.
Among all the Schools of Nursing, only Divine Word University’s affiliated institution, the Madang School of Nursing is expanding to meet the need.
Divine Word University is committed to meeting the needs of the nation.
AusAID have recognized this in choosing to locate the Health Management course at Divine Word University.
The Police have recognized this in sending their station managers to Divine Word.
The University’s external diplomas in management and administration have been crafted to meet employers; and workers’ need and resources. They are built on the flexibility and cost-effectiveness of workplace-based education, where every computer terminal on internet is a virtual university. They have competed with other distance education providers – by care for the customers, by assignments marked on time, and students questions answered.
The Diploma course in Tourism and Hospitality has been especially welcomed by the Tourism Industry. Divine Word University has responded to the demand in Madang – and elsewhere in Papua New Guinea – by designed to tailor-made course. It has used the tourism and hospitality industry in Madang as a rich resource for work experience and course design.
Papua New Guinea, with its incredible diversity of cultures, seascapes and landscapes has an open-ended appeal for tourists – and an opportunity for employment for our young people.
Divine Word University is making a great contribution to Papua New Guinea.
I would like its contribution to be recognized – and supported by the Government.
Where its courses are relevant to national needs, and are the high quality and low cost- alternative, the courses should receive institutional funding and the students should be eligible for national scholarships.
Where it has taken over State-funded courses such as those in nurse education at Madang Lutheran School of Nursing, in Health Extension and Environmental Health at the Madang College of Allied Health Sciences, and Teacher Education at St Benedict’s Teachers’ College in Wewak, they should be adequately funded.
In short, the Government of Papua New Guinea through the Commission for Higher Education should increasingly look at the overall supply of higher education in Papua New Guinea. They should invest our kina carefully – to where it will give the best value for each kina. Often the choice will be Divine Word University.