University of Papua New GUinea eyes satellite campuses with China, US, Australia partners

THE University of Papua New Guinea is looking to team up with top universities in China, the United States and Australia to set up satellite and sister campuses at its Waigani grounds, opening the door for students to access overseas qualifications without leaving the country.

The proposal sits inside UPNG's 20 to 50-year master plan, a long-term blueprint the university is putting together to widen access to internationally recognised higher education for Papua New Guinean students.

University of Papua New GUinea eyes satellite campuses with China, US, Australia partners

Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Findlay said the goal was to bring overseas degree programmes within reach of local students who might otherwise never get the chance to study them.

"We're hoping to build up those collaborations to create university centres that will allow our Papua New Guinean students to go to China, go to America and go to Australia to further their education," Professor Findlay said.

He said the arrangement could work both ways, with overseas institutions setting up a footprint at UPNG itself.

"These partnerships can result in online campuses. Those campuses can be Chinese universities, American universities and Australian universities having a presence actually at UPNG," he said.

"They can have sister campuses or mini campuses, satellite campuses, at PNG to allow PNG students to study."

Professor Findlay, who took over as UPNG's 13th Vice-Chancellor last year, said the campus partnerships form one strand of a much bigger planning exercise now under way at the university.

"We are currently undergoing a master plan of what we want UPNG to look like in the next 20 to 50 years. That will be part of our master plan, to develop those partnerships with other universities and have the possibility of having satellite campuses either abroad or in PNG," he said.

He said the push was ultimately about deepening UPNG's international ties and putting world-class education within reach of Papua New Guinean students, while backing the university's broader long-term development goals.

The proposed campus partnerships come as UPNG rolls out a wider shake-up under Professor Findlay, who has also flagged plans to boost the university's digital infrastructure and introduce new degree programmes in fields such as artificial intelligence and cyber security as part of its Reconstruction and Modernisation Strategy.