Papua New Guinea
Higher education institutions in Papua New Guinea (PNG) are better able to successfully apply for grants after attending a targeted training workshop in March hosted by Australia Awards PNG (AAPNG).
Writing successful grants requires a diverse range of skills, including project and budget management, planning, and monitoring and evaluation. The five-day workshop built these critical skills for 36 people from the University of PNG, Pacific Adventist University, Divine Word University, University of Goroka, Western Pacific University, PNG University of Technology, Innovative University of Enga and PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment.
“The skills acquired through this workshop will enable participants to submit competitive applications, not only for grants managed by AAPNG, but also for the many other grant opportunities available within the sector,” said Artila Devi, Senior Manager for Higher Education Partnerships, Australia Awards PNG.
One such grant program is the AAPNG Partner Tertiary Institution Grants scheme, which empowers PNG’s higher education sector to improve quality and capacity. Grants of up to AUD50,000 are available for selected institutions, for initiatives that enhance learning, teaching, research and innovation, improve student welfare, or strengthen leadership.
“This grant program is very important for tertiary institutions because there’s a need for infrastructure, staff development and improving quality of education for students. Having these opportunities for grants will go a long way to helping us achieve some of our development targets,” said Charlie Opu, a representative from Sacred Heart Teachers College.
The Partner Tertiary Institution Grants scheme is delivered through the Higher Education Partnerships, which is enhancing the capacity of the higher education sector in PNG to produce quality graduates to meet market demand. The PNG Australia Partnership initiative includes supporting PNG and Australia institutional partnerships and inclusive collaborations, and strengthening policy and management systems at select accredited training institutions in PNG and the Department of Higher Education, Research, Science, and Technology.