A Childhood Dream: Experiences of a Vice-Chancellor in Papua New Guinea (1)

Introduction & Background

It has been an extraordinary privilege for me to serve two terms, a total of more than 6 years as Vice Chancellor of the Papua New Guinea University of Technology (PNGUoT also sometimes UNITECH), and this is my story.

The title of this blog post is somewhat ironic because nobody can ever imagine becoming a Vice-Chancellor or University President in Papua New Guinea as a child. It can not be anybody’s childhood dream, although it could have been mine.

While still very young, I noticed how Universities, such as those where my parents worked, were so badly managed. Therefore, in 2003 I made it my mission in life to improve this sad state of affairs, by providing transformational leadership and effective management.

Visiting home in the Italian snowy mountains, before taking off to PNG.

UNITECH: Beware of Ministers Bearing (Small) Gifts

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.

The Matheson Library: named after the first Chancellor Prof. Matheson, first VC of Macquarie

29 January 2019 Case Dismissed: Reflections on My Time at the PNG University of Technology

29 January 2019 Case Dismissed: Reflections on My Time at the PNG University of Technology

Today I learned that the "false pretence" case against me was dismissed in September for lack of evidence. I have mixed feelings about the news.

I'm glad the public now knows what my family and I knew all along. But I'm still left in a difficult position. After being falsely accused, undergone various attempts to dismiss me wrongfully, arrested and detained, I've had no real chance to clear my name in a full hearing.

The case was dismissed because no evidence was ever presented. I believe this shows the accusations were politically motivated. They were meant to harm me, and financially they did.

My story and my PNG traditional storyboard

My story board


This beautiful traditional storyboard was made by Henry, a Papua New Guinean artist from Sepik, after I returned from my first exile in Australia on 3 April 2014. It has been hanging in my office in Papua New Guinea, now in my office in Italy.

The storyboard depicts my imaginary visit to the Sepik village, where Henry the artist hails from.The text on the storyboard reads:

"Dr. A. Schram, it is good you care. Most wellcome to PNG heritage". "Thank you tru for choosim Papua New Guinea. Your stay in PNG will be a historical one & commendable to the citizens. Mi hamamas tru long u".

(In English: Thank you for choosing PNG. ... I am very happy for you")

Indeed I believe my 6 years in the country have brought some good, though many colleagues in the university management and council were utterly resistant to implementing any positive change, preferring instead to serve themselves exclusively, and to play the corrupt politics, of greed and inflated ego's in Waigani .

For many of the students coming from villages just like these, however, we are sure we have brought some truth, light and hope.

What is touching is how most people in the country have been so kind and welcoming. Although Papua New Guinea is not the only story in my life, having worked as a professor in other wonderful countries like Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Guatemala, my PNG story is the most memorable and interesting. 

Hooray! Regression Back to How it Was Before for UNITECH

(Updated in May 2020. The "Hooray!" in the title is cynically used, and refers back to an earlier Hooray! article when #UNITECH was still moving forward.

Meanwhile, in January 2019 the case against me was dismissed by the courts due to lack of any evidence. Other charges were never laid in my regard.

In sum, it was all nonsense and madness, and my detractors in 6 years have never been able to show I did anything against the law. AS)

No More Internet

When I was Vice-Chancellor from 2012 to 2018, we worked hard to bring the Papua New Guinea University of Technology (PNGUoT) into the 21st century as to its basic IT-enhanced learning environment through Google Classroom, providing all students with 50% subsidized lapstops, as well as through the development of a modern, competence-based curriculum delivered in a student-centred manner. In order to improve teaching, we created the Post-Graduate Certificate on Student-Centred Teaching for all lecturers, now discontinued.

On 1 June 2015, the PNGUoT became the first university in the world to have campus-wide broadband internet through the O3B satellite system. Because of mismanagement, now it is the only university in the world where you can see the internet, but nobody can use it.

UNITECH: the only university in the world where you can SEE the internet, but can not USE it.

The current management and Council, however, decided to rent out the O3B installation to DataCo without having a backup plan. DataCo themselves have stated that they are not readily distributing the bandwidth from the new under-sea cable until September or October. Any deal with them should therefore have started in January 2021 at the earliest.

The University management seems to be making a real effort to bring the university back half a century, into the 1970s of the 20th century, intentionally or through sheer ignorance, incompetence or callousness. Of course, there are strong suspicion that greed and venality are behind all this, but we will never know, will we? Here is a sad tale of regression, which has forced me today to speak out in an effort to reverse this trend.

A Trojan Horse as a Birthday Gift for PNG's 43rd Independence Day

Happy 43rd Independence Day

Let me wish all the good people of Papua New Guinea a happy 43rd independence day celebration with their families.

Not wishing to put too much of a damper on the celebrations, let me use this occasion to share some present and serious concerns about this government's management of the national economy.

As an economic historian concerned with long term economic growth and development, and an avid reader of the reputable national and international press, as well as specialized economic analyses regarding the country's economy, I feel I must make my voice heard. When things go south in PNG this year or the next, nobody can say I kept quiet.

A Sad Ending: wrongful dismissal, malicious prosecution and unlawful detention

My Arrest

Now that I have safely left Papua New Guinea, I finally feel free to write about what happened after my arrest at Jacksons Airport on 1 June coming into the country, and all those things that were not reported in the national media. 

Relief: safe arrival in Singapore in transit to Europe

We are still shaken by the experience of my brief arrest by the cops-for-rent in Waigani, but wish to thank before all Prof. Stephen Howes, Director of the Development Policy Institute at the Australian Natioanal University for clearly calling out the injustice, madness and absurdity of it all.

We also wish to thank Prof. Jan Czuba, the secretary of the Dept. of Higher Education, who authenticated my doctorate. It boggles the mind how a letter from the highest authority in the land is completely disregarded.

Legalization of my doctorate in PNG

Furthermore, the honorary consul of the Netherlands Stan Joyce and the British High Commission for protection, and their good offices with the Waigani police. Our lawyer Emmanuel Issaac who did what he could. Finally, our friend Mr. Sanjay Vaijdja who offered us logistical and moral support, and all our other PNG friends and friends in the press for their kind gestures and expressions of support.