ANU-UPNG partnership update: commencement of 3-year training program and other highlights

Dr Manoj Pandey, visiting lecturer in Economics at the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) under the ANU-UPNG partnership, has completed the first two sessions of a program of weekly training that will run for the next five semesters to improve qualitative and quantitative skills and report writing for a core group of 17 UPNG faculty. The introductory sessions provided a background on how best to present data, and covered both classic and more modern visual representations of data. Subsequent workshops will include training in basic statistical methods, with the training culminating in 2018 with staff members working on their own research papers.

Manoj Pandey and SBPP staff, April 2016

Dr Manoj Pandey and staff from SBPP after his second workshop on data presentation methods

Another highlight of the week was the visit to UPNG by Department of Foreign Affairs Deputy Secretary Rick Wells. He spent time with Vice-Chancellor Albert Mellam and Dean of the School of Business and Public Policy (SBPP) Professor Lekshmi Pillai as well as the ANU team and other colleagues. The Deputy Secretary and the team at UPNG were able to discuss the successes of the partnership to date as well as the challenges and opportunities heading to the future.

ANU-UPNG and AHC staff

Deputy Secretary Wells and Vice-Chancellor Mellam, with senior members of UPNG management, ANU faculty, and Australian High Commission and Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct partners

Michelle Rooney, a researcher based at Crawford School of Public Policy as part of the ANU-UPNG partnership, gave a two-hour seminar to 45 third and fourth year students enrolled in urban studies, environmental science, and journalism. The seminar focused on Michelle’s research findings on urban land and livelihoods issues in Papua New Guinea, and Port Moresby in particular. These themes will be pursued further at the 2016 PNG Update, to be held on June 16-17 in Port Moresby, the program for which is about to be released.

Michelle Rooney lecturing at UPNG, April 2016

Michelle Rooney speaks to ESG students

The Crawford ANU – SBPP UPNG partnership is funded by the Australian aid program under the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct. Rohan Fox is the Partnership Coordinator.

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Rohan Fox

Rohan Fox was a Research Officer at the Development Policy Centre. He lectured in the economics program at the University of Papua New Guinea in 2015, 2016 and 2020.

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