Prof Gibbs appointed president of university

PROFESSOR Father Philip Gibbs has been appointed the new president of the Divine Word University from Jan 1, 2021.
He is currently the university’s deputy president.
University council chairperson Archbishop Dr Douglas Young announced the decision in a letter dated Sept 16.
Prof Gibbs from New Zealand who came to PNG in 1973 is a social researcher and academic.
He is also a Catholic missionary holding a doctorate in theology from the Gregorian University in Rome and a master of business administration from DWU, plus other postgraduate and undergraduate qualifications.
The university council made him a Professor Social Research in 2017.
The PNG Government recognised Prof Gibbs for his services to PNG where he was awarded The Order of the British Empire (OBE) from Queen Elizabeth in 2018.
Prof Gibbs will take over from Professor Cecilia Nembou, the first layperson and woman academic to have held the position since the establishment of the university and its predecessor the Divine Word Institute.
Prof Nembou attained her bachelor of science degree (mathematics) from the University of PNG a few months before PNG gained independence on Sept 16 1975. She went on to attain postgraduate qualifications overseas: master of science (operations research), postgraduate diploma (statistics) and PhD (operations research).
Her term expires on Dec 31.