Papua New Guinea University of Technology ( PNGUoT ) Strategic Plan 2025 – 2029
Statement by Chancellor – Mr. Sam Koim, OBE
Distinguished guests, fellow Council Members, Vice Chancellor and the Executive Management Team, faculty and staff, students, valued industry partners, and friends of Papua New Guinea University of Technology (PNGUoT).
Tonight marks a defining moment in the history of the Papua New Guinea University of Technology. It is with immense pride and deep conviction that I present to you the Strategic Plan 2025–2029—a bold yet pragmatic roadmap for transformation. This strategy is more than a document. It is a declaration of intent. It is our shared promise to prepare a future-ready university—one that rises to the demands of our time, and leads our nation into the next frontier.
Rooted in our national aspirations—Vision 2050, the Medium-Term Development Plan, and the National Higher and Technical Education Plan—this plan charts a clear path forward for PNGUoT.
It reaffirms our mission to be a world-class university delivering positive and transformative societal impact, and to be a cornerstone in shaping the future of Papua New Guinea.
Our strategy rests on four interconnected pillars:
- Academic Excellence
- Research, Innovation, and Development
- Strategic Partnering
- Operational Excellence
These are not abstract ideals—they are practical priorities. They are the foundation from which we will reshape teaching and learning, produce research that matters, build strategic alliances that empower, and ensure that our operations are agile, ethical, and efficient.
But beyond the pillars lies a deeper call—to transform PNGUoT into a university that is interdisciplinary by design, inclusive by nature, and impactful by outcome.
We must think beyond the silos of STEM or the confines of traditional curricula. The future belongs to those who connect the dots: who combine engineering with environmental science, agriculture with technology, business with social reform, and leadership with ethics.
Let me share with you just a few real stories.
At the tax office where I currently serve, we are building a Tax Intelligence Division—a cutting-edge unit that requires data scientists. But when I looked around, I found no university in PNG offering such a program. Yet, right here at PNGUoT, we already have all the ingredients—mathematics, statistics, computer science. With some ingenuity, we can merge these disciplines to create a Data Science program that meets the demands of the digital economy.
When we suffered a cyber security breach recently, we couldn’t find enough local experts. And yet, PNGUoT already offers advanced computer science courses. With the right partnerships and curriculum reform, we can become a hub for cybersecurity innovation.
Papua New Guineans are going to Australia as fruit pickers—while right here, we have agricultural science, mechanical engineering, and business studies. What’s stopping us from merging them to create mechanised farming and agri-business programs that can turn PNG into the food bowl of the Asia Pacific?
Let us remember—universities have always been nation – shapers.
Think of Stanford University, whose research park gave birth to Silicon Valley—now the engine room of the global digital economy.
Think of the National University of Singapore, where interdisciplinary programs in engineering, public policy, and business fueled Singapore’s rise from a small island to a global powerhouse.
Think of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs)—which have not only produced Nobel laureates and tech entrepreneurs but transformed India into a global IT hub.
Closer to home, imagine what PNGUoT can become—not just a place of learning, but a driver of innovation, a generator of jobs, a platform for reform, and a beacon of excellence across the Pacific. With the world class accreditation of our engineering courses and this strategic direction, I believe we can achieve it.
As PNG approaches its 50th year of independence, we are called to ask: What will define our next 50 years? The answer must include transformative education—education that is relevant, future-focused, and proudly rooted in our identity.
We must embrace emerging frontiers: artificial intelligence, digital agriculture, renewable energy, ethical leadership, and financial innovation. We must build research capacity that speaks to our soil, our seas, and our people.
We must be honest about the disruption before us. Today’s students have access to tools—like generative AI—that we never dreamed of. If we do not adapt, we will become irrelevant. This Strategic Plan is our answer to that challenge: a commitment to agility, relevance, and excellence.
Importantly, this plan is actionable and accountable. It includes a robust monitoring and evaluation framework, with annualized action plans that will hold us to our word. Since my appointment as Chancellor, driving this strategy forward has been one of my highest priorities—and a key performance indicator for our leadership team.
To our academic and administrative staff: you are the architects of this transformation. Your dedication will shape not just degrees, but destinies.
To our students: you are not just learners. You are reformers, inventors, and leaders-in-the-making. You are the heartbeat of a new PNG.
To our partners and supporters: your collaboration is invaluable. We cannot do this without you.
Let us walk boldly together into the future—guided by the wisdom of the world’s best institutions, but determined to carve a path that is uniquely ours.
Let PNGUoT be the launchpad of national progress. Let it be the place where innovation meets purpose, where knowledge fuels action, and where the dreams of our young people ignite the transformation of a nation.
Together, let us build not just a university—but a legacy that endures, empowers, and inspires.
Thank you!
May God bless you all and may God bless the Papua New Guinea University of Technology!