DWU president awarded doctorate

National, Normal

PRESIDENT of Divine Word University (DWU) Fr Jan Czuba has been honoured for his contribution to higher education and the university.
The Australian Catholic University (ACU) recently awarded an honorary doctorate to Fr Czuba at the annual graduation of its Canberra campus at the great hall of the Australian federal parliament.
Fr Czuba joins many distinguished individuals in Australia and overseas that ACU has recognised with its highest honour over the years.
The award recognised Fr Czuba’s contribution to higher education and DWU from the time he took over the reigns at the then Divine Word Institute (DWI) in 1995.
Fr Czuba addressed the graduation in which he spoke about how the close ties between Australia and PNG could be better used to develop higher education and the human resource of PNG.
“Fr Czuba designed and oversaw the growth of academic programmes from the original undergraduate to the current postgraduate doctoral programs by research.
“He also established the tertiary distance education centre based in the Port Moresby campus and the faculty of flexible learning which provides access to education for the people in semi-urban and rural areas,” ACU said in a press statement.
“I believe that everyone has a calling or a passion.
“It is satisfying to know that I can use my skills and knowledge to support others in reaching their goals and to work professionally.
“I appreciate the recognition that ACU has given me and what we do in Papua New Guinea, for both the PNG people and the higher education sector more broadly,” Fr Czuba said.
The ACU also recognised Fr Czuba’s leadership roles in various aspects of higher education where he was appointed as chairperson of the Papua New Guinea higher education quality assurance and accreditation committee, which developed national standards for quality assurance in Papua New Guinea and the commission for higher education.
He is currently chairman of the PNG vice-chancellors committee and among the highlights of his tenure is the creation of the PNG academic and research network, a not-for-profit internet-based research and academic network.