By Wasita Royal
The Papua New Guinea University of Natural Resources and Environment is strengthening its commitment to enhance academic programs by building a culture of quality assurance.
As part of this strategic effort, the university, co-sponsored by USAID in PNG, recently held a four-day workshop on curriculum design for 60 academic staff.
The workshop was expertly facilitated by Dr. Aishat Balugun from Indiana University, whose extensive expertise in curriculum innovation, assessment, and faculty training provided key guidance which was specifically designed for the teaching personnels’. This initiative had aligned to UNRE’s curriculum practices with both institutional goals and national standards which directly supported the Vice Chancellor’s vision for continuous improvement.
Daniel Waldi from the Forestry Department emphasized on how it will enable benchmarking against international standards which is crucial for areas like “Red Plus and Carbon marketing.” He noted that this has provided clear insights for developing more relevant industry-aligned courses.
Leaders framed this training as a foundation for the university’s future. Pro Vice Chancellor Academic and Research, Mr. Peter Navus, stressed that this is the beginning of a new chapter where student-focused excellence is paramount. Pro Vice Chancellor Planning and Development, Dr. Livingstone Tavul, challenged staff to apply their new skills with passion and critical thinking, linking the curriculum development directly to the practical need for creating programs for new schools and ensuring they address national frameworks like PNG’s Medium Term Development Plan 4 and Vision 2050.
Concluding the event, Dr. Tavul, on behalf of University Management and Council, formally thanked Dr. Balugun for her dedication, saying the workshop was more than a training event, but a strategic investment in equipping academic staff with the tools to craft curricula that ensure educational excellence, meet industry demands, and advance national development goals.
