UPNG MBA GRADUATES LAUNCH ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

TWO months ago (April 26), UPNG’s MBA graduates launched their alumni association.

The Prime Minister Peter O’Neill was invited but could not make it. In his place, Finance Minister and acting Higher Education Minister James Marape attended.

Mr Marape and his wife are current MBA students. There association has 133 members.    

Photo: Halia traditional dancers of Buka, Bougainville, leading the guests into the Dynasty Seafood Restaurant in Port Moresby for the launching.

Among the graduates giving testimonials at the event were Finance secretary Steven Gibson and Nasfund CEO Ian Tarutia.

The two local professors who had a hand in drawing up the programme were former Business School’s Dean and current UPNG Vice-Chancellor Professor Albert Mellam and Office of Higher Education’s Director-General Professor David Kavanamur.

They were ably assisted by Professor Subba Rao.   

Mr Marape, a UPNG graduate, praised the institution for grooming PNG leaders in all fields.

“The contribution the University of PNG has made in national development is second to none,” Marape said.

Of the MBA programme he said: “The MBA goes beyond enriching and developing the individual. It adds value to the betterment of the organization the individual is in.”

Mr Marape gave K1.5 million to the Vice-Chancellor to fix up the library, including the upgrading/installation of internet services.

He said the government had big plans for UPNG and was going to upgrade the facilities there as UPNG would also be the Games Village of the 2015 Pacific Games.