2,800 students to register at Unitech

 By ELLEN TIAMU

MORE than 2,800 students are expected to register for studies at the University of Technology this year with orientation and registration to start on Monday.

This number includes more than 700 first year intakes, 38 re-admittances and more than 1,000 continuing students, who will take up undergraduate studies in the 13 academic departments – the schools of natural sciences, environment, humanities and engineering. 

In addition, more than 80 students, of which 30 are new intakes, will undertake various post graduate diploma and masters programmes.

In a bid to further raise the academic standards, the university council has approved a new system for room allocation based on academic merits. 

Under this system, first year and final year students under HECAS, as well as continuing students who attain a grade point weighted average of between 80% and 100% will be allocated rooms on the Taraka main campus.

Continuing students on HECAS who scored below that (80%), will be accommodated at the Okari Campus, while students not on HECAS will be registered as self-sponsored students and would have to find their own accommodation.

Meanwhile, the week-long orientation and registration programme for first year students will take place next Monday to Friday. 

The theme of the programme is: “Living a Christ-like life in Unitech to become great leaders of tomorrow”.

Orientation committee chairman Ken Polin said the objective was to begin the year with a message for the students to embrace change in their life on campus. 

Guests speaker at the event will be inspirational young leader Allan Bird, who was one of the leading members in the development of the PNG 2050 Vision Plan.

Other speakers during the course of the programme include National Court judge Justice George Manuhu, business executive and a former SRC president Justus Rapula, the head of mechanical engineering at Unitech Prof John Pumwa and prominent medical doctor, Dr John Beaso.