The recent visit by Minister Richard Maru to the Papua New Guinea University of Technology UNITECH, where he donated a few hundred thousands of Kina in laboratory equipment, can give the impression that everything is fine. In fact, the opposite is true, and the University's financial trouble has only increased.
In Papua New Guinea, there have been 4 mayor student uprising in the 5 years from 2012 to 2017, the result of endless government meddling in University council affairs. As a result, for anyone interested in student protest, it has become the world’s #1 place to be. If you want to lead a peaceful family life on campus, however, it is possibly not the preferred location.
The complete politicization of the Universities and the racist and tribal conflicts fruits of a post-colonial hangover, make it a dangerous place to work. Moreover, the overtly anti-foreigners attitude of the Government, Chancellors and many University staff members, as demonstrated by the recent persecution of foreign Vice Chancellors and academics, is not conducive to a positive working environment.
The “traditional” model of PNG university governance a recipe for stasis at best, but most likely a slow decline into irrelevance. In 2010, the Namaliu / Garnaut report, Independent Review of the PNG University had rightly recommend streamlining the independent University governance structure (downsizing of Council), and improving academic quality of the programs. The two things are of course related.
After 2012, however, the current government followed none of these recommendations, and instead proceeded to steamroll a Higher Education Act through parliament abolishing university autonomy and giving the universities “tough medicine” for 10 years. This is how the first fascist legislation in Europe in the 1930s was passed, always as a temporary measure for exceptional circumstances.
The demonstration was violently suppressed with police shooting hundreds of life rounds at the peacefully demonstrating students and even following them into the dorms. There was no promised investigation. We don’t know who gave the orders. Nobody was charged. The message however was received loud and clear: anyone protesting risks being shot at.
On 8 June 2016 on the UNITECH campus in Lae we were able to convince the students not to attack the police and stay on campus. Although in later riots tragically one student was seriously wounded and one was murdered in inter-tribal fighting, we were able to re-open the campus on 30 August and finish the academic year, unlike UPNG which accumulated long delays and court action continued long after the protests had been crushed.
As UNITECH’s Vice Chancellor with the principal duty of upholding the provisions of the current PNG University of Technology Act, the way forward for me has been clear all along: the government should respect academic freedom and university autonomy, and stop trying to direct university affairs in Lae from Waigani. The University Council would restore the voice of the students by granting a modified version of the Student Representative Council constitution, subjecting class boycotts to a process assuring certain conditions and safeguards were met. The principle of dual and shared governance enshrined in the university Act were to be respected.
Instead the Government of PNG decided to appoint political cronies as Chancellors who did not follow this course, but rather took the road back to how it had been before. First the government though the Chancellor needed to get rid of all foreign Vice Chancellor first. They were unceremoniously expelled, insulted, disrespected, charged, and in my case even arrested. What’s more they were not given the legally established pay accumulating a back pay for over 3 years. In other words, the foreign academics were cheated out of their salaries. Then the Government decided to appoint political cronies, most are relatives of current Ministers, as Vice Chancellors.
As a result, of giving the sick patient even more medicine that made it sick in the first place, I predict the collapse of the PNG University system within 2 years. First, because of the financially unsustainable way it is financed, and secondly because it refused to restore the voice of the students.
The unsustainable university finance is not a secret in PNG, and as a result no private company will give credit to universities. Now that UNITECH is trying to run its messing facility, for example, without qualified managers or support from a professional catering company with deep pockets , in July or August it won't be able to pay its suppliers. Students expect 3 meals per day for 250 days per year. You can not just skip a few days or weeks, because you have not cash available. We will see what happens.
My greatest mistake during my tenure as Vice Chancellor is believing my management team of supposedly highly educated Papua New Guineans genuinely had bought into the vision of turning UNITECH into a rule based organization, a university producing employable graduates and engaging in meaningful research and knowledge transfer. Regrettably, they said one thing to my face, and did the opposite behind my back. They could not resist going to Waigani to flatter the government of the day, and thus feeling less insecure and more self-important. In this manner, they failed in providing the necessary university leadership, and they missed the last opportunity to put UNITECH on solid and sustainable footing. The cycle of violence and protests will continue to repeat endlessly, and they only have themselves to blame.
The recent donation by Minister Richard Maru of some equipment is a case in point. He is not the Minister for Higher Education, but has been meddling from the outset. Moreover, the gift he bears are not his, but come from Australian or the European Union development funds. He has not taken anything from his own budget or his own pocket, and the University management has not done anything to receive this. It is purely supply driven, by the need for donors to spend aid funds.
Little does it matter than previous donations of this kind were never effectively used or used for teaching and research. Some laboratory apparatus donated by the EU in the past for the ERMC research centre, and the National Fisheries lab is still rotting in the boxes 15 and 3 years respectively, after it was donated.
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| The Matheson Library: named after the first Chancellor Prof. Matheson, first VC of Macquarie |
In Papua New Guinea, there have been 4 mayor student uprising in the 5 years from 2012 to 2017, the result of endless government meddling in University council affairs. As a result, for anyone interested in student protest, it has become the world’s #1 place to be. If you want to lead a peaceful family life on campus, however, it is possibly not the preferred location.
The complete politicization of the Universities and the racist and tribal conflicts fruits of a post-colonial hangover, make it a dangerous place to work. Moreover, the overtly anti-foreigners attitude of the Government, Chancellors and many University staff members, as demonstrated by the recent persecution of foreign Vice Chancellors and academics, is not conducive to a positive working environment.
Background
In 2012, when I accepted the Vice Chancellor’s position at UNITECH there was great hope that governance would be streamlined, and major investments in infrastructure would take place. I took several measures to keep the peace and build a positive culture and working environment, which since my departure have all been undone. At the time, one Minister even announced a K500 million investment plan for PNG universities in the international press. None of the policy changes were implemented, and none of the investment would take place however.The “traditional” model of PNG university governance a recipe for stasis at best, but most likely a slow decline into irrelevance. In 2010, the Namaliu / Garnaut report, Independent Review of the PNG University had rightly recommend streamlining the independent University governance structure (downsizing of Council), and improving academic quality of the programs. The two things are of course related.
After 2012, however, the current government followed none of these recommendations, and instead proceeded to steamroll a Higher Education Act through parliament abolishing university autonomy and giving the universities “tough medicine” for 10 years. This is how the first fascist legislation in Europe in the 1930s was passed, always as a temporary measure for exceptional circumstances.
Transformation: Making UNITECH Fly
Meanwhile, as a loyal Vice Chancellor, I figured the show must go on. During my two terms as Vice Chancellor, I focused on creating employable graduates and producing world-class academic programs. Industry supported the efforts to turn UNITECH into a real university with graduates who could be employed as professionals rather than as mere technicians. We called this program "Making UNITECH Fly!" and it focused on key higher education values, creating a rule-based organization, and a mission focused and student centred university.
As an administrator, first we had to put in the building blocks. You have to learn to walk before you can run. I established some financial controls, stopped the leakage and by 2017 managed to balance the budget. For 2017 the University received a clean audit from the Auditor General’s office for the first time in over 2 decades. This gave us the opportunity to engage with outside industry and academic partners, and in fact we were able to send 77 staff members abroad for training, almost half the academic staff.
I manage to stop most of the mismanagement and stealing, and as a result I saved the University over K2.2 million and the budget became balanced almost by itself. In addition, industry support for international accreditation of programs increased several times. In particular, Exxon Mobile has been supporting this effort from 2014, but of course with recent development this support can no longer be taken for granted.
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| 2017 clean bill of financial health |
We significantly improved the teaching environment by opening on 1 June 2015, as the first University in the world, the O3B installation and buy discounted laptops for all first years students. The operating environment for UNITECH, however, remained extremely challenging, due to government meddling and insufficient and irregular monthly funding. Student safety and welfare issues could not be addressed vigorously, due to lack of funding and political infighting.
Violent Suppression and Persecution of Students and Academics
The violent suppression of the students’ demonstration on 8 June 2016 on the UPNG campus was a mayor turning point. The last national students’ class boycott started in May 2016 due to a national issue. The students demanded PM Peter O’Neill do the right thing and submit himself to due judicial process after very serious and credible allegations of fraud and corruption had surfaced and were discussed in Parliament. Him not doing so, increased the suspicions of his guilt.The demonstration was violently suppressed with police shooting hundreds of life rounds at the peacefully demonstrating students and even following them into the dorms. There was no promised investigation. We don’t know who gave the orders. Nobody was charged. The message however was received loud and clear: anyone protesting risks being shot at.
On 8 June 2016 on the UNITECH campus in Lae we were able to convince the students not to attack the police and stay on campus. Although in later riots tragically one student was seriously wounded and one was murdered in inter-tribal fighting, we were able to re-open the campus on 30 August and finish the academic year, unlike UPNG which accumulated long delays and court action continued long after the protests had been crushed.
As UNITECH’s Vice Chancellor with the principal duty of upholding the provisions of the current PNG University of Technology Act, the way forward for me has been clear all along: the government should respect academic freedom and university autonomy, and stop trying to direct university affairs in Lae from Waigani. The University Council would restore the voice of the students by granting a modified version of the Student Representative Council constitution, subjecting class boycotts to a process assuring certain conditions and safeguards were met. The principle of dual and shared governance enshrined in the university Act were to be respected.
Instead the Government of PNG decided to appoint political cronies as Chancellors who did not follow this course, but rather took the road back to how it had been before. First the government though the Chancellor needed to get rid of all foreign Vice Chancellor first. They were unceremoniously expelled, insulted, disrespected, charged, and in my case even arrested. What’s more they were not given the legally established pay accumulating a back pay for over 3 years. In other words, the foreign academics were cheated out of their salaries. Then the Government decided to appoint political cronies, most are relatives of current Ministers, as Vice Chancellors.
As a result, of giving the sick patient even more medicine that made it sick in the first place, I predict the collapse of the PNG University system within 2 years. First, because of the financially unsustainable way it is financed, and secondly because it refused to restore the voice of the students.
The unsustainable university finance is not a secret in PNG, and as a result no private company will give credit to universities. Now that UNITECH is trying to run its messing facility, for example, without qualified managers or support from a professional catering company with deep pockets , in July or August it won't be able to pay its suppliers. Students expect 3 meals per day for 250 days per year. You can not just skip a few days or weeks, because you have not cash available. We will see what happens.
My greatest mistake during my tenure as Vice Chancellor is believing my management team of supposedly highly educated Papua New Guineans genuinely had bought into the vision of turning UNITECH into a rule based organization, a university producing employable graduates and engaging in meaningful research and knowledge transfer. Regrettably, they said one thing to my face, and did the opposite behind my back. They could not resist going to Waigani to flatter the government of the day, and thus feeling less insecure and more self-important. In this manner, they failed in providing the necessary university leadership, and they missed the last opportunity to put UNITECH on solid and sustainable footing. The cycle of violence and protests will continue to repeat endlessly, and they only have themselves to blame.
Beware of Ministers Bearing Gifts
In general, there are two models for public universities: the politicized model and the shared governance, with institutional autonomy and academic freedom. The first model, dominating in highly corrupt environments, is based on complete political control of the governance and management. The university is never adequately funded, but small gifts are handed in return for demonstrations of allegiance, admiration and voter support. In fact, while initially the budget request is cut by 50%, only 60% of funding is actually transferred. We are talking of a shortfall in operational funding of over K40M. Small wonder things do not run so smoothly.The recent donation by Minister Richard Maru of some equipment is a case in point. He is not the Minister for Higher Education, but has been meddling from the outset. Moreover, the gift he bears are not his, but come from Australian or the European Union development funds. He has not taken anything from his own budget or his own pocket, and the University management has not done anything to receive this. It is purely supply driven, by the need for donors to spend aid funds.
Little does it matter than previous donations of this kind were never effectively used or used for teaching and research. Some laboratory apparatus donated by the EU in the past for the ERMC research centre, and the National Fisheries lab is still rotting in the boxes 15 and 3 years respectively, after it was donated.
Needless to say the UNITECH laboratories never managed to obtain or keep international accreditation. In fact, despite over K3M donated by the European Union not a single sample of fish for export to the EU has ever been analyzed. Small wonder when the equipment needed to do this is still sitting at UNITECH in boxes. The taxpayers in Europe, however, are not so easily fooled and their food safety is put at risk by this University management's negligence. The respective authorities in Brussels are aware and surely will be contacting the government of PNG shortly.
Although UNITECH’s Act is clearly based on the commonwealth tradition and universal higher education values as academic freedom and institutional autonomy, the ruling classes in PNG never liked this second model. They much preferred a system where universities are like government departments. The members of the Vice Chancellors office and Council members who can obtain tickets to POM the university’s expense, spend their the time to spend being reverential to government Ministers without ever reporting back. In this manner they can keep hold on power. Under my predecessor for 19 years, for instance, this was the model that was followed by UNITECH, which in essence stopped being a true university, but became part of the mechanism of political patronage and diversion of public funds. My predecessors indictment for which there was ample prima facie evidence was stopped by complicit University staff.
While the politicians stayed out of my hair, we were able to achieve quick progress, despite the management team's lack of commitment to a true transformation and constant disobedience from staff. It is so sad that my work is now being undone.
After my departure in December 2017, however, progress went into reverse remarkably quickly. Many good people with work opportunities elsewhere left, in key areas like security, distance learning, human resources, etc. Those foreign academics who were able to do so, also left. After this debacle, no foreign fully qualified academic with work experience at a world class university will ever join UNITECH gain.
Final Remarks
It has been an uncommon honour and pleasure as Vice Chancellor for 2 terms to serve the student of the Papua New Guinea University of Technology. These students proved on the whole to be able and talented learners, willing to overcome unimaginable obstacles to obtain a true university education. Many sacrificed their chance to obtain an education, fighting for transparency and accountability in the University's administration.While the politicians stayed out of my hair, we were able to achieve quick progress, despite the management team's lack of commitment to a true transformation and constant disobedience from staff. It is so sad that my work is now being undone.
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| My triumphant return after 14 months exile after being cleared by Sevua Investigation team of all false allegations |
After my departure in December 2017, however, progress went into reverse remarkably quickly. Many good people with work opportunities elsewhere left, in key areas like security, distance learning, human resources, etc. Those foreign academics who were able to do so, also left. After this debacle, no foreign fully qualified academic with work experience at a world class university will ever join UNITECH gain.
The Universities in PNG are now no longer independent but rather aligned to the Chinese model. UNITECH is no longer centred on producing highly employable graduates, but becomes mainly a source of income for a small, entitled group of eternal staff members and academics. The students' voice has been silenced, and the staff and Faculty members are too afraid to speak up. Not coincidentally, at UNITECH senior staff continues to pay themselves an illegal travel allowance of 15% of their base pay, amounting to tens of thousands of Kina per year for professors.
Although all charges against me were dismissed in February 2019, the police judge in Waigani found it necessary to threaten me with arrest if I would return on the basis of unspecified charges. It makes us very sad that we won't be able to return to PNG anytime soon to see our many friends, some of whom have become like family.
Although all charges against me were dismissed in February 2019, the police judge in Waigani found it necessary to threaten me with arrest if I would return on the basis of unspecified charges. It makes us very sad that we won't be able to return to PNG anytime soon to see our many friends, some of whom have become like family.
At UNITECH, meanwhile, everything seems peaceful and everybody seems happy with the Papua New Guinea University of Technology now almost exclusively existing as a source of income for its staff, and the management blaming the students themselves for not studying hard enough or finding a good job after graduation. How long will it last this time?
References:
8 June 2016 UPNG students shooting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bdn4VlqbmC0
8 June 2016 UNITECH students riot prevented: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRXEBRdS1jU
8 June 2016 UNITECH students riot prevented: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRXEBRdS1jU
ABC Radio Interview http://www.abc.net.au/radio-australia/programs/pacificbeat/png-schram/10282662
Asia Pacific Report (2019, March 18). Dr. Albert Schram: My wrongful dismissal and malicious prosecution – a warning. Retrieved from https://asiapacificreport.nz/2018/05/29/albert-schram-my-wrongful-dismissal-and-malicious-prosecution-a-warning
Satnews Publishers: Daily Satellite News. (2019, March 18). Retrieved from http://www.satnews.com/story.php?number=342426871
Asia Pacific Report (2019, March 18). Dr. Albert Schram: My wrongful dismissal and malicious prosecution – a warning. Retrieved from https://asiapacificreport.nz/2018/05/29/albert-schram-my-wrongful-dismissal-and-malicious-prosecution-a-warning
Satnews Publishers: Daily Satellite News. (2019, March 18). Retrieved from http://www.satnews.com/story.php?number=342426871
Not suprised that Richard Maru was kicked out of government for actively conspiring to overthrow the Marape government. His arrogance and delusion is limitless.
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