Exiled from the Country They Served: The Precarious Position of Expatriate Heads in Papua New Guinea's Institutions

Introduction

The recent story of my friend Carolyn Blacklock as reported by ABC, paints a chilling picture of the perils faced by expatriate leaders in Papua New Guinea's institutions. Carolyn has deep roots in the country and a distinguished international career in finance as a consultant, and with UN institutions as an international civil servant.

Carolyn Blacklock

Carolyn who headed PNG power, the national power company, and had resigned peacefully (like myself), found herself trapped in the country, her passport confiscated, and subjected to threats and detention despite being cleared of all corruption charges. Those who lost face during her term as CEO had no hesitations to pay the police to harass her in an ultimate act of vindictiveness. Her dramatic nine-day escape, involving travel by helicopter, car, boat, and on foot, highlights the precarious position of foreigners in positions of authority in PNG.

The Honeymoon Fades Quickly

At first, there is often a honeymoon period for expatriate leaders, with traditional welcomes, dancing, and promises of support. However, as soon as these foreign professionals insist on doing things by the book, stopping favouritism and wantokism, and strictly following the rules and laws, the fierce resistance begins. I remember, for example, that it took the staffing committee more than a year to decide not to renew the contract of an employee who had sexually assaulted 3 female employees. The facts were undisputed, but he was related to my deputy the current VC.

Diverse local parties normally at odds can quickly come together in a post-colonial, nationalist sentiment, united in the belief that it is all the fault of the meddling foreigner. The traditional warm welcome quickly gives way to accusations, trumped-up charges, and efforts to force these leaders out of the country. Another case in point is Jan Czuba, the Secretary of the Department of Higher Education, Research Science and Technology, who at his own expense for 2 years had to fight frivolous accusations in court. To be fair, this is how some local leaders who fall out of grace with the Prime Minister are treated as well.

The Abuse of Power

This is not an isolated incident. There is a disturbing pattern of PNG authorities abusing the migration and legal systems to target and remove expatriate leaders who challenge the status quo and work to establish good governance. The cases of former UNITECH Vice-Chancellor John Warren and myself are prime examples. We faced trumped-up charges, slanderous attacks, and ultimately were forced to leave the country, despite our efforts to root out corruption and mismanagement. Slander is a crime in PNG, but nobody is ever indicted when it regards foreigners.

Prof. Jan Czuba

Dr. John Warren

Dr. Albert Schram

A Failure to Protect

The PNG government has consistently and intentionally failed in its obligation to protect the safety and security of foreign workers, especially those in leadership roles. Local politics, inflated egos of elected politicians, and a disregard for the rule of law take precedence over the need for ethical, competent management of the country's institutions. Until this changes, the country will continue to struggle to progress, and expatriate professionals will remain wary of taking on critical roles in PNG.

Sources

Asia Pacific Report. Retrieved from https://asiapacificreport.nz/2018/05/16/former-unitech-vc-takes-legal-steps-in-scary-png-education-controversy

Asia Pacific Report. Retrieved from https://asiapacificreport.nz/2018/08/20/second-expat-vice-chancellor-flees-for-safety-as-png-universities-turn-nasty

Expatriate v-c flees Papua New Guinea fearing for his life. (2018, August 30). Retrieved from https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/expatriate-v-c-flees-papua-new-guinea-fearing-his-life

Howes, Stephen (May 2018) The outrageous & unfounded arrest of Dr Albert Schram. (2024, October 15). Retrieved from https://www.pngattitude.com/2018/05/the-outrageous-unfounded-arrest-of-dr-albert-schram.html

Howes, Stephen (August 2018) PNG media silent as another vice chancellor is lost. (2024, October 15). Retrieved from https://www.pngattitude.com/2018/08/png-media-silent-as-another-vice-chancellor-is-lost.html

Postcourieronline. (March 2023). Fr Czuba reinstated. Post Courier. Retrieved from https://www.postcourier.com.pg/fr-czuba-reinstated

Reflections on the Papua New Guinea University of Technology (UNITECH): Progress, Challenges, and the Path Forward

The Drive for Transparency and Good Governance

During my 6 years, or two terms as Vice-Chancellor at the PNG University of Technology (UNITECH), I had the privilege of serving its wonderful students, working with seven Ministers of Higher Education, and four Chancellors. This experience provided me with unique insights into the challenges and opportunities facing higher education in Papua New Guinea.

From 2012 to 2015, UNITECH students led a commendable drive for transparency and good governance. Sir Nagora Bogan, the second Chancellor I worked with, was known for his pragmatism and kindness. He strategically built coalitions based on politicians' desire to maintain power, while allowing me to engineer the removal of the worst offenders from the previous administration.

Uni-city Master Plan

The Student Representative Council (SRC) was the principal driver of change. The principled stance of SRC Presidents like Eddy Nagual and Joe Kaowai made it clear that students desired a well-governed, rule-based institution where academic freedom and institutional independence were honored.

Whither UNITECH?

The recent passing of Sir Nagora gives us pause for reflection. My tenure primarily focused on ensuring UNITECH programs complied with international standards, university infrastructure was upgraded to provide essential conditions for a positive learning environment, and securing ongoing support from stakeholders inside the country and abroad. As part of this process, the university became the first one in the country to actively participate in the European Union's Erasmus programs, which opened opportunities for students, as well as recruitment of lecturers abroad. It also became the first university in the world to have independent high speed internet access through the O3B satellite systems.

Just before leaving, the university received a clean financial audit, and we were on track to achieve accreditation for one engineering program in 2019, but unfortunately, again political considerations took precedence over educational quality and student experience. Two significant challenges emerged after my return from exile in Australia in 2014:

1) Political interference led to increased tensions between regional groups, resulting in tragic incidents of violence.

2) Pressure to ignore institutional autonomy intensified, particularly in the lead-up to the APEC summit. As a result, two foreign Vice-Chancellor, who were seen as too independently minded, were pushed out.

These two issues impeded any progress from about 2016 until today.

The Need for Consistent Leadership

The ambivalence in leadership must stop if PNG is to progress. The only job of the chair of the board (Chancellor) is to assure the strategic direction is set, and support the CEO (Vice-Chancellor) in taking the necessary measures. His or her job is not to take over executive functions, believing they are the only ones mandated by the government to rule the university. 

Wantokism (tribalism) needs to make way for meritocracy, and successful, ethical leaders should be supported rather than becoming victims of slanderous attacks. It is crucial to build rule-based, well-governed, and inclusive organizations that meet the reasonable expectations of citizens and students.

While sceptics say things will never change in PNG, I believe transformation is possible when the logic of criminal gangs is replaced by the rule of law and meritocracy. Sir Nagora, despite moments of generosity and attempts at change, struggled to fully embrace this vision, as reflected in lack of support for Sir Nagora by his own the people of Butibam and Busamang. Ironically, the populations of these villages strongly urged the government to support me until the end of my mandate, to no avail.

Sir Nagora was by far the best of a bad lot. His successor Chancellor Kekedo, was an overall embarrassment, and her lack of university education was a real impediment for her effectiveness. She is mainly known for politicizing and torpedoing the university's campus development plan, which would have generated other sources of revenue. Oddly she had been pro-chancellor during the two years in which the university council developed this plan, but turned against it when she tried unsuccessfully to push for a leading role for her own people.

She was succeeded by Chancellor Koim, who as chair of UDC had failed to deal with the financial mismanagement. As head of anti-corruption task force sweep he failed to indict a member of the notoriously corrupt O'Neill government, and more recently he single-handedly caused looting in the capital when he failed to pay the police their allowances and then lied about it. He eagerly participated in the political with hunt against me, encouraging the spread of slanderous lies in my regard.

In the end, the only charge that was made was that I did not hold a doctorate, a claim that had already been refuted by the 2018 Sevua Investigation. Inevitably, all these silly allegations were thrown out by the courts. 

Looking Forward

It is somewhat encouraging to see that the current leadership team I worked to train has renewed itself and begun to find its voice, although they are largely continuing initiatives that I started. There is still no firm grasp of the idea that the only standards that matter are international standards, and that support from foreign stakeholders is essential to carry the university to the next level. They remain unresponsive and incapable of driving the necessary changes. As a result, there is still not a single engineering program that has received accreditation.

The path forward for UNITECH and higher education in PNG requires unwavering commitment to good governance, academic excellence, and institutional integrity. Almost a decade has been lost in political squabbling and infighting. As we reflect on the past and look to the future, let us remember that progress is possible, but it requires dedication, courage, and a steadfast commitment to ethical leadership and educational quality.

The Dangers of Short-Term, Muddled Thinking: How Bad Strategy Leads to Poor Leadership

“People are sheep. TV is the shepherd.” (Scott, Jess C. Literary Heroin (Gluttony): A Twilight Parody)

Bullet-Point Summary:

1. Bad strategy is characterized by a lack of clear diagnosis, absence of guiding policy, and failure to address critical obstacles. 📊

2. Bad leadership can range from disengaged and uncritical isolates to highly engaged but uncritical diehards. 👑

3. Effective leaders achieve desired organizational outcomes and goals through competence, strategic vision, and motivation. ✅📈

4. Efficient leaders accomplish tasks in a streamlined, cost-effective manner by optimizing processes and managing resources. ✅💰

5. Ethical leadership involves a strong moral compass, fairness, and a commitment to doing the right thing. ✅

6. Leader integrity requires alignment between words, actions, and values, building trust and credibility with followers. ✅🗣️

7. Regularly evaluate and reassess strategy and leadership to ensure effectiveness and alignment with organizational goals. 🔄🎯

8. Develop leaders who are capable of driving change and achieving desired outcomes through efficacy, efficiency, ethics, and integrity. 🚀👩‍💼

Hashtags:

#Leadership #Strategy #Ethics #Integrity #BadLeadership

Addressing Academic Misconduct in Medical Research: The Power of Cooperation and AI-Driven Solutions

Summary

1. 📈 Academic misconduct is on the rise, with increasing instances of plagiarism and retracted papers, particularly in medical sciences. #AcademicMisconduct #Plagiarism 

2. 🔍 The current peer review system is broken, and AI-powered tools can help fix it by detecting false data and ensuring the reliability of new scientific knowledge. #PeerReview #AI 

3. 💊 In medical sciences, academic misconduct can lead to ineffective treatments and patient deaths. #MedicalSciences #PatientSafety 

4. 🤖 However, the extensive use of large language models like ChatGPT in medical research carries the risk of incorporating hallucinations and other mistakes from the model into research findings. #ChatGPT #AIrisks 

5. 📜 The integrity of the body of knowledge that scientists build upon is being eroded by the large number of retracted articles that continue to be cited. #Retractions #ScientificIntegrity 

6. The use of AI-powered tools to check research findings makes the detection of fraud and misconduct much easier. #AItools #FraudDetection 

7.  Cooperation between humans and AI-powered tools can ensure the reliability and validity of new scientific knowledge in medical sciences. #HumanAIcooperation #Science 

8. 📝 Each stage of the peer review process should be bolstered by AI-powered tools and big data techniques, with a "human-in-the-loop" to make final decisions. #PeerReviewProcess #AItools 

9. 💰 The crisis may need to worsen before new companies and organizations are created to address the issue of academic misconduct in medical sciences. #Crisis #BusinessOpportunity

10. 👥 Higher education leaders should advocate for a radical transformation of peer review that combines human cooperation with AI-driven tools for all sciences. #HigherEducation #PeerReviewTransformation

11. This approach will contribute to the development of a more solid knowledge base for our societies, and ultimately leading to better education and health outcomes, and overall prosperity for society (McKinsey 2020).

#AcademicIntegrity #MedicalResearch #AIinScience #PeerReviewReform #ScientificCredibility

Source: Burgett 20204

Gender and Economics: Dr. Claudia Goldin's 2023 Nobel Prize in Economics

Here is the link to the video introduction on my channel.

Good day, I am Albert Schram and I hold a doctorate in Economic History from the European University Institute. 

Today, we will be discussing this year's Nobel Prize in Economics winner, Dr. Claudia Goldin, and analyzing her groundbreaking contributions to the field of economic history. As a bit of background, I grew up in the Netherlands where my father worked as a physicist at Utrecht University. Through his connections, I was frequently exposed to Nobel laureates from a young age, many of whom did not encourage my interest in exploring economic history or the intersections between the economic sciences and humanities. One physicist in particular always liked to jokingly say “You know, there is even a Nobel prize in economics”. Leaving the issue of whether economics is a science aside, let’s dive into Goldin’s revolutionary research, and what it reveals about the ongoing development of economics as an intellectual pursuit.

Dr. Claudia Goldin of Harvard University was awarded the 2022 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for her work advancing our understanding of women's labor market outcomes over the past century. She becomes only the third female economist to win the prize, following Elinor Ostrom in 2009 and Esther Duflo in 2019. Lesser known predecessors who conducted pioneering studies on related topics in the 1990s include Carla Eugenia Nuñez for Spain, and Vera Zamagni for Italy. Goldin’s prize is especially impactful given the field of economics remains particularly male-dominated, with less than 25% of tenured professors globally identifying as women compared to over 40% across academia overall. Even textbook examples have historically strongly favored featuring men's names and scenarios over women's.

Goldin’s body of research spans decades and analyzes women's changing employment patterns from multifaceted angles, and connects this analysis with insights from labor and education economics. A consistent theme throughout her work has been scrutinizing the complex causes behind persistent wage gaps between male and female workers. In the 20th century, as women rapidly outpaced men in educational attainment levels, earnings disparities stubbornly remained. By examining employment trends through different economic eras defined by agricultural, industrial, and service sector shifts, Goldin discovered women's participation followed a recurring U-shaped pattern influenced heavily by prevailing technological innovations and societal norms.

The details and implications of Goldin’s famous U-shape graph are truly fascinating. During America's agrarian past, high fertility rates and family farm labor needs meant married women's economic participation stayed relatively high. However, as factories dominated the late 1800s, rigid ideologies of separate gender roles took hold, and wives were incentivized to withdraw from the paid labor force once married or after bearing children. This low point extended into the early 1900s as well. Things began changing rapidly starting in the 1970s, which Goldin identified as a revolutionary period. Women started postponing marriage, prioritizing higher education, and leveraging new opportunities made possible by the widespread availability of reliable birth control like the Pill. Their workforce participation responded positively as a result.

By unpacking these dynamic, long-term cultural shifts, Goldin demonstrated how the structure and composition of modern families have substantively redefined women's relationship with the labor market. However, she also acknowledged progress towards equality has been uneven and nonlinear. Today, American and European women still only earn 60-80 cents for every dollar earned by men in similar roles. Much of the residual gap stems from steep “motherhood penalties” faced after a woman's first child is born. Goldin’s work laid the foundation for new policies aiming to support female labor participation at all career stages while also advocating innovative workplace arrangements flexible enough to accommodate child-rearing responsibilities. Her research illustrates the magnitude of societal transformation still needed. She is hopeful about the future of work, pointing out that online working has introduced some flexibility into labour markets that can favour women.

[Dr. Goldin’s colleagues praise her trailblazing efforts to establish economic history as a respected field of quantitative study. By incorporating insights from demography, sociology, and other social science lenses, she helped enrich mainstream economic modeling beyond its initial limitations and assumptions of a gender-neutral labor force. Goldin has also been a hugely influential role model and mentor for younger female scholars pursuing related topics. Although some have critiqued her work for potentially overlooking the risks of certain “gender equity” policies, her preeminent career achievements and enduring contributions to shaping public debates around these complex issues are undeniable. Goldin continues academically producing at a high level well into her 70s, inspiring new generations to think creatively and rigorously about optimizing economic opportunities for all.]

In sum, this year's Nobel Prize affirms that data-driven economic history maintains vital relevance for addressing real-world problems today. The field has recognized its initial models fell short by excluding societal, psychological, and institutional factors disproportionately affecting specific demographic groups. As a response, leading researchers like Dr. Goldin broadened analysis to incorporate multi-disciplinary lenses examining everything from norms and stigma to the power of unanticipated innovations in shaping market forces. 

Her work exemplifies economics' evolution away from rigid assumptions of purely rational actors towards appreciating humanity's complex, evolving nature. Perhaps most importantly, Goldin leaves a legacy of empowering more diverse voices that will undoubtedly strengthen economics as an academic pursuit dedicated to creating inclusive prosperity for all.

Thank you for your time and thoughtful consideration of this overview. I hope it provided valuable insights into both the groundbreaking scholarship of Dr. Claudia Goldin and larger developments currently reshaping economics as a discipline. Please feel free to contact me if you have any other questions!

Work cited:

1. Núñez, Clara Eugenia. (1992) in: Boyd, C. P. La fuente de la riqueza: Educatión y desarrollo económico en la España contemporánea. Madrid: Alianza Universidad. 1992. Pp. 355. Am. Hist. Rev., 98(5), 1621–1621. doi: 10.1086/ahr/98.5.1621
2. Dolar, Veronica (10 October 2023). Claudia Goldin’s Nobel Prize win is a victory for women in economics − and the field as a whole. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/claudia-goldins-nobel-prize-win-is-a-victory-for-women-in-economics-and-the-field-as-a-whole-215330
3. The Economist (9 October 2023). Claudia Goldin wins the Nobel prize in economics. Economist. Retrieved from https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/10/09/claudia-goldin-wins-the-nobel-prize-in-economics
4. Goldin, Claudia (2023) The Nobel Lecture Prize  2023 prize lecture in economic sciences | Claudia Goldin. Youtube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBkLI5i-OC8
5. The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2023. (2023, December 31). Retrieved from https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/economic-sciences/2023/press-release
6. Zamagni, V. (2017). An Economic History of Europe Since 1700. Retrieved from https://www.amazon.it/Economic
   -History-Europe-Since-1700/dp/19111163989

(Prepared for a short video, 1,000 characters per slide)

Beyond Elitism: My Contributions to Establishing True Universities in Papua New Guinea

“Nations fail because their extractive economic institutions do not create the incentives needed for people to save, invest, and innovate. Extractive political (and educational AS) institutions support these economic institutions by cementing the power of those who benefit from the extraction.”

― Daron Acemoğlu, quote from Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty.”

Introduction

In February 2012, I,  took on the role of Vice Chancellor at Papua New Guinea University of Technology (PNGUOT), with the goal of transforming it into a true university that serves its students and produces competent and employable graduates. In this role, I was also Council member of the University of Papua New Guinea, and I became Vice-Chair of the National Rectors' conference in 2016. 

Although I had already worked 12 years in Central America, when these societies were recovering from decades of civil war, and I had read up in anthropology about Papua New Guinea, the reality of operating in such a violent environment ridden with crime and corruption was entirely new to me. Professionally, the challenges were less since I had already worked 5 years as Academic Director and Director of Development at leading universities in the Netherlands. However, nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to face.

With bonnet, and Maastricht University tie

My 6 years as Vice Chancellor, spread over two tenures, can be divided into three key phases: taking over the "worst university in the world" from 2012-2013, a period of exile and preparation from 2013-2014, and implementing reforms from 2014-2018.

How the University of Pennsylvania's Culture Failed Katalin Karikó and mRNA Research

Background

Katalin Karikó is a Hungarian-born biochemist who is widely recognized as one of the pioneers of messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, which has revolutionized the field of vaccine development and led to the creation of the highly effective COVID-19 vaccines by BioNTech/Pfizer and Moderna. ¹²³ This year she received the Nobel Prize for medical physiology for her work.

However, before she achieved this remarkable feat, she faced decades of rejection, frustration, and demotion at the University of Pennsylvania, where she worked as a researcher from 1989 to 2013. ⁴⁵

In this blog post, I will explore how the university culture at Penn failed to appreciate and nurture Karikó's talent and vision, and how this reflects on the challenges and limitations of academic research in general.