Uni purchases property for Port Moresby campus

THE University of Goroka (UOG) will soon have a permanent establishment in Port Moresby to offer various post-graduate courses, particularly for business and humanities, with the purchase of a new property, Vice-Chancellor Prof Musawe Sinebare says.
Sinebare made the announcement in Port Moresby on Friday in the company of chancellor Joseph Sukwianomb, pro vice-chancellor (policy and planning) Donald Gumbis when receiving the certificate of purchase of a property valued at K1.8 million from National and Supreme Court Registrar Ian Augerea.
The property identified as allotment 4, section 39 comprising of 1,300 square metres was purchased by the university.
Sinebare said the purchase was in line with the university vision of “Gown to town” meaning making the university’s services and programmes accessible to more people hence bringing the gown down to where people were.
“With the purchase of this property, it now paves the way for UOG to have a permanent establishment in the capital city,” Sinebare said.
“We have seen that in Port Moresby, there are more working class people who want to further their studies and enhance their learning while working and having a branch of the UOG will provide that accessibility and flexibility for them.”
Sinebare said expanding to Port Moresby was part of the UOG’s mandate to provide opportunities to Papua New Guineans.
“We must live by our mandate and that is why we are looking at establishing a permanent campus for Southern out here in Port Moresby.”
Gumbis said the university was planning to construct a three-storey building with the first floor for classes, the second for administration and the third floor to be used for transit accommodation for university personnel.
“This is part of our extension programme, bringing professional training and post-graduate training to where the working class people are and at the same time, it’s part of our cost-cutting measures,” Gumbis said.
“Currently we are renting office space for our Southern campus in Port Moresby for K8,000 per month.
“Also, the transit accommodation will be used by our staff who come to Port Moresby for business, saving accommodation costs, instead of sleeping in hotels,” Gumbis said.