Uni to up female intakes

By KEVIN PAMBA
DIVINE Word University (DWU) will enrol more female students for its full-time undergraduate programmes at the main campus in Madang next year.
DWU vice-president, academic, Br Andrew Simpson announced last week that out of the 1,315 students expected to be enrolled, 728 would be females while their male counterparts would account for 587 places.
The increased number of study places offered to female students is in line with the university’s vision “to be open to all” and the priority it gives to help address gender inequality that persists in a traditionally male-dominated country.
The university is also giving more women staff the opportunity to perform leadership roles in academia and administration.
Among some of the senior leadership positions currently held by women at DWU include vice-president Port Moresby campus Dr Cecilia Nembou, director of academic quality assurance Dr Ludmilla Salonda, dean of education faculty Dr Catherine Nongkas and Registrar Cecilia N’Drower.
Simpson said overall student numbers would largely remain the same except for a modest increase of about 45.
He said this small increase was due to the former three-year physiotherapy diploma programme adding another year to make it a four-year degree and the pioneer bachelor in mathematics and computing science moving into third year and taking its third first year class.
Simpson also announced that fees next year would remain the same as this year.
Fulltime students in Year 1 and Year 2 will pay K5,915 and Year 3 and Year students will pay K7,590.
Simpson said the supply of laptop computers to Year 2 and 3 students would be continued next year.
Developments planned for next year would include the renewal of affiliations of Lutheran School of Nursing Madang and Don Bosco Technical Institute in Boroko and upgrading of programmes and links with OLSH Teachers College Kabaleo and St Mary’s School of Nursing, Vunapope.