THE Bulolo University College will offer a new Bachelor of Forest Management degree program starting this year. The new program, Bachelor of Forest Management will be a full-time four-year program at the university college. PNG University of Technology’s Head of Forestry department, Dr. Cossey Yosi revealed this while commissioning new staff houses at the Bulolo campus last December. The then Bulolo Forestry Training College, established in 1962

had offered certificate and diploma programs until 2016 when they were phased out and a standalone Diploma Program with direct entry was introduced.

“The new degree program rolling out this year (2023) at the Bulolo campus has come at a time when the government is intensifying its debate and discussion on downstream processing of forest products and reducing log exports to 50 per cent by 2025, and establishing 800,000

hectares of forest plantations by 2050,” Dr. Yosi said

“Indeed, the rolling out of the Bachelor of Forest Management degree Program will certainly train and equip the next generation of foresters to meet the challenges of the 21st century,” he added.

“Foresters trained under the new program will certainly be implementers of the new policies that will be introduced by the Government.”

Acting Vice Chancellor Dr Gary Sali

said the new degree program was granted approval and announced during the last academic board meeting early December last year. A proud BUC Principal Mr Eko Maiguo remarked that the university college has the resources to offer both theoretical and practical training for the new program. “We have been ready since 2017 with the write up of the curriculum, planning and preparation for this new program,” he said.