High Commissioner Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri meets UNPG Acting VC
Canberra: Pakistani High Commissioner to Australia Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri this week met Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Papua New Guinea, Prof Betty Lovai.
High Commissioner Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri, who is Concurrently accredited to Fiji, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, wrote on X: “Had an excellent meeting with the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Papua New Guinea, Prof Betty Lovai. Agreed to develop partnership between UNPG and a partner university in Pakistan.”
The UPNG is a university located in Port Moresby, capital of Papua New Guinea. It was established by ordinance of the Australian administration in 1965. This followed the Currie Commission which had enquired into higher education in Papua New Guinea. The University of Papua New Guinea Act No. 18, 1983 bill repealing the old Ordinance was passed by the National Parliament in August 1983.
The university has moved from a departmental to a school structure to foster interdisciplinary and inter-school relationships. The university’s library is known as the Michael Somare Library, named after the country’s first Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare. Multiple sources have included it among the best universities in Papua New Guinea.
The first students at UPNG were enrolled in 1966, with 58 enrolees in a preliminary course. John Gunther was the university’s inaugural vice-chancellor. Degree courses commenced in 1967 with 83 students across three faculties of arts, law, and science.[5] The university’s first undergraduate degrees were awarded in August 1970 and included future prime minister Rabbie Namaliu.
