President's Message
Message from the Vice President Academic Affairs

Western Pacific University President’s Message

Welcome to the Western Pacific University (WPU). At the University, we are inventing our future, as we are building this beautiful Digital University Campus (physically and virtually) for the future generations of Papua New Guinea and the world. WPU is located in the rural, peaceful, cool and refreshing natural environment of the Ialibu ‘valley of rainbows. It is situated in Divine beauty surrounded by Mt. Giluwe and Mt. Ialibu.  


Staff and students have come from different ethnic groups and nationalities, far and wide to enact the vision for a national fully digitalized University in the Upper Highlands Region of PNG and within the Western Pacific Region. It is a humbling and indeed a lifetime experience to be part of a newly established 21 st Century University in Papua New Guinea. The Western Pacific University embraces its motto – Pro Deo et Patria which means for GOD and Country in Latin. In a world of so much changes, complexities, ideals and chaotic it may seem to be at times- our contribution to human development globally starts in our local context. We embrace our contextual realities which must be tuned to GOD and Country. We are also called to be responsive citizens in GOD’s kingdom living with the divine philosophy- in what we are said to be doing as individuals and members of the WPU Academic Community. This is complemented with civic responsibilities, humbleness and egoless character- building traits, positive attitudes and values that are for greater good and value to humanity.  


We aspire to embrace and nurture our social interactions within and externally with our valued stakeholders and those who support our vision and mission. From the different levels of our social interactions – personally as individual citizens, in our University (Institutionally) as an Academic Community, in the society that we are located (Ialibu) in - living and interacting with the local indigenous people in the district, in PNG, the Western Pacific Region and the digitalized World- we making our University to be what it stands for. We remain stewards of this University- as a perpetual institution (engine room) for knowledge accumulation, creation and dissemination -all for the common good of humanity and values that matter to us all. Our attitudes and actions must be reflective of being good servant leaders, purposed for the glory of GOD.  


As we serve – in our roles as students, academics and non-academics in WPU we must not forget that we are gifts to each other hence we need each other. This realization diminishes the gratification for power and authority over servanthood through faith, great humbleness and the pursuit for quality and excellence towards the ultimate impact in the core business of our university. Our core business is to foster quality in what matters most;

  1. Quality Teaching and Learning academic programmes, strategies and models
  2. Quality Operational and Administrative functions of the University
  3. Quality Research for the creation of new knowledge and innovation for common good and greater value for all and
  4. Greater Partnership towards collaborative engagement with industries, Universities, Private Corporations, Communities of Practices - locally and internationally.
WPU crafts its roadmap to groom our students to be change agents now and in the future. It builds this in the spirituality of personal human integrity in connection to God and to what the PNG of the future is to be, based on the underlying principles of our PNG Constitution.   It is my plea to encourage students and staff to live and cultivate your lives’ traits based on attributes that will make you better Papua New Guinean citizens in future and indeed global digital citizens. We must embrace the WPU Graduate attributes and core values which start from day one (1) of your time here on Campus. These attributes and values are lifelong gems that one must be treasured. and WPU Graduate Attributes include; Knowledge creation, Digital literacy competencies, Communication skills and etiquettes, Adaptability, Social Responsibility, global citizenship, leadership, innovation and critical thinking. Such attributes are linked to our institutional values of; being respectful, honest, integrity, being accountable, courageous, wisdom (prudent), positive mindfulness and being Courteous.


Western Pacific University aims to be the University of Choice for the future, a University that aspires to advance knowledge through:

  • research,
  • provide quality technical education,
  • be the leader in technology,
  • innovate industries thus
  • serving society by graduating conscientious and productive global and digital citizens.
We envision a quality focused University of digital competence where members are leading digital Change Agents. We are a unique University of the 21 st century tuned to engagement of professional good and ethical, values-based practices with student learning experiences, international partnership and researched inspired learning.  


The University is here today and it will be tomorrow but individuals like us, come and go during our time to leave behind our contributions (legacies) for those who will come after us. So, let us continue to contribute to service our University- for GOD & COUNTRY. God’s Blessings always!

 

Dr. Janet. B. Rangou, PhD

President

Message from the Vice President Academic Affairs

Western Pacific University (WPU) is the newest University in PNG. Located in scenic and peaceful Ialibu in the Southern Highlands, it is an institution being built from the ground up. Being new presents us with an exciting opportunity: the opportunity to innovate and chart an exciting new university growth path as a 21st Century university. Our academic aspiration is NOT to be a new version of the old model of university; our vision is to be a fully digitised university utilising new technologies to deliver inclusive higher education whose learners span the length and breadth of PNG and beyond. So how does this aspirational model translate in academic practice? First, WPU's focus is to be a university where the bulk of our students are either studying fully online or in the flexible or blended mode. A cohort of students may choose to study in the flexible mode, that is, partly residential and partly non-residential. Another cohort may opt to study fulltime on site as residential students. However, even when studying as onsite students, they will learn in a mix or online and face- to- face, both synchronously and/or asynchronously. Second, our programs aim to have transformative impact in the social, economic indicators in the country. Thus, the programmes are aligned with the national strategic direction captured in the 2050 vision, and aim do deliver tangible outcomes around national development goals, and industry and civil sector organisations strategic outputs and outcomes. We are excited to grow by one hundred percent our current suite of four programmes, which include:
  1. Certificate in Higher Education Studies (CHEFS)
  2. BA in International Business Management (BA IBM)
  3. BSc in Computer Networking (BSc CMN)
  4. BSc in Computer Programming (BSc CMP)
In 2024 we will add BSc in Cybersecurity (BSc CBS) and BSc in Big Data Analytics (BSc BDA) in the IT space and BA in International Financial Management (Bs IFM) in the Business Management space.  


Dr L. Salonda

Vice President Academic Affairs