Visionary Priest Transforms Papua New Guinea Institute into University

Father Jan Czuba's leadership at Divine Word Institute in the mid-1990s marked the beginning of a significant transformation in Papua New Guinea's higher education landscape. Recognizing the limitations of the institute's existing structure, Czuba embarked on a strategic plan to elevate it to university status.

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I looked at the Act of Parliament because the institute had been established by an Act of Parliament. I realised that the Act did not provide enough space for the institute to grow and offer master’s degrees and PhDs.

His ambitious strategy, approved by the board, involved closing the associated high school and establishing a university capable of offering master's and PhD degrees. This vision extended beyond the institute itself, aiming to address the broader need for expanded higher education opportunities in Papua New Guinea, where university places were scarce.

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So I made the decision to advise the board to give me three months to write a strategy. I wrote a strategy to close the high school, establish a university, and eventually close the institute as well.

Czuba actively engaged with government figures, including Professor John Waiko, the then Minister for Higher Education. He proposed a collaborative expansion of the university sector, suggesting the conversion of institutions like Pacific Adventist College, Goroka Teachers College, and the Vudal campus into universities, alongside Divine Word Institute. This initiative aimed to significantly increase the number of universities available to Papua New Guineans.

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Then I spoke to Professor John Waiko, who was the Minister responsible for higher education. Higher education at the time was very small. We had only two universities, UPNG and Unitech.

The transformation Czuba initiated led to Divine Word Institute becoming Divine Word University. Similarly, Goroka Teachers College evolved into the University of Goroka, the Vudal campus became the University of Vudal (later renamed the Papua New Guinea University of Natural Resources and Environment), and Pacific Adventist College became Pacific Adventist University. These developments collectively represent a substantial expansion and restructuring of Papua New Guinea's higher education system, rooted in Czuba's foresight.

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I proposed to him that we speak to Pacific Adventist College, the Teachers College in Goroka, and the Vudal campus, which was then a campus of Unitech, and convert them into universities together with Divine Word Institute. There was a need for more universities in Papua New Guinea.