The recent essay by Dario Amadei “The Machines of Loving Grade” proposes rosy projections about using AI to rapidly boost economic growth and development in the poorest parts of the world fail to grapple with the stark realities in those societies. The author paints a picture of AI-powered epidemiology and economic planning sweeping away entrenched barriers to progress, but the track record of technological leapfrogging in the developing world tells a very different story.
As I reflect on my time as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Papua New Guinea, I'm filled with a mix of emotions - pride, frustration, and a deep sense of responsibility for the challenges we faced. It was a journey marked by both remarkable achievements and gut-wrenching setbacks, all in the pursuit of transforming this institution into a beacon of integrity and excellence in the South Pacific region.
When I first accepted this role, I knew I would be confronting a daunting set of issues – structural underfunding, corruption, maladministration, and a severe lack of accountability that had permeated every aspect of the university's operations. Students were disillusioned, their studies often interrupted, and the professional community had all but lost faith in the institution's ability to fulfill its mission.
In 2012, I embarked on an incredible journey as the Vice-Chancellor of the Papua New Guinea University of Technology. It was a childhood dream come true—an opportunity to make a real difference in a country close to my heart. Over the next six years, I poured my energy into transforming the university to better serve its students and the nation.
One of my proudest achievements was making the university the first in the world to provide campus-wide broadband internet via the innovative O3B satellite system. This was a game-changer, opening up a world of knowledge and collaboration for our students and faculty. We also became the first university in PNG to adopt open-source Ubuntu software on all student laptops, empowering them with valuable IT skills.
