Divine Word University opens new student & staff facilities
More than 1600 students of Divine Word University’s Madang campus are set to benefit from the construction of two fully-furnished undergraduate student dormitories, one for males and one for females, each consisting of 36 rooms and 72 beds.
The new K7million infrastructure was officially opened over the weekend.
In addition to student dormitories, seven fully-furnished, five-bedroom staff houses, housing senior faculty members and their families have been constructed.
These facilities will enable the recruitment of specialised lecturers to provide quality education and increase the number of teaching staff.
In an excellent demonstration of local business participation, the majority of the furniture for the dormitories and staff houses were built by the university’s own construction business – Diwai Enterprises.
Diwai Enterprises’ workforce is comprised of a majority of highly skilled women, employed in areas of carpentry and construction.
The new infrastructure was funded by the Papua New Guinea-Australia Partnership through the Incentive Fund.
Australian High Commissioner, Bruce Davis, at the opening of the new buildings, said, Australia is proud to contribute to this important new education infrastructure.
Australia’s partnership with Madang Divine Word University recognises its contribution to quality education in PNG, producing high caliber graduates who are equipped to become emerging leaders of PNG’.
Divine Word University has demonstrated its successful record in achieving gender equality, in education and employment access.
The university’s current enrolment ratio is 55 percent women, and more than half of the university’s staff are women.
Modern, safe and gender-inclusive facilities for female students and staff contribute to DWU’s commitment to providing education and employment opportunities.
This third Incentive Fund grant to Divine Word University brings the total funding in support of the institution to more than K28 million since 2002.
It is just one example of the PNG-Australia Partnership’s commitment to improving education access and outcomes for the students of PNG, supported by the delivery of high-quality infrastructure.
For further information, including access to related materials, please contact the Australian High Commission media team: +675 7090 0100.
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