Govt, James Cook uni form partnership

THE James Cook University (JCU) and Papua New Guinea Government will formalise a research partnership with the signing of a memorandum of agreement at JCU, Cairns,  yesterday.
The memorandum outlines the way in which JCU (represented by the Cairns Institute) and the PNG Government (represented by the Department for Community Development) plan to work together on 18 research projects worth A$5.5million (K11.98 million).
“This is an exciting agreement, and the culmination of two year’s collaboration and discussion between Cairns and PNG,” Deputy Vice-Chancellor Dr Stephen Weller said.
“It is based on our mutual interest in enhancing life in the tropics and it will see the Cairns Institute applying its expertise, research and scholarship to issues of great importance to our nearest neighbour.”
Director of the Cairns Institute, Prof Hurriyet Babacan said the memorandum outlined the underlying principles of the research partnership, which included mutual respect, joint decision-making and two-way learning.
PNG’s secretary of the Department for Community Development, Anna Solomon, will sign the agreement.
She will be accompanied on her visit to Cairns by the department’s deputy secretaries Molly Willie and Leo Kulumbu, first assistant secretary Jack Simbau, and three other senior officers.