Our VC hits the nail on the head…

‘Unitech needs better IT’

Post Courier Newspaper (22/9/06)

THE University of Technology in Lae is desperate
for an upgrading of its information and communication technology infrastructure
to ensure it meets the government’s development efforts. Vice Chancellor Misty
Baloiloi said Unitech, with financial assistance from the European Union, begun
a major program of rehabilitation and upgrading of the physical facilities. He
said this related to the near completion of four new buildings at the Taraka
campus however “this project has, so far, not addressed the urgent replacement
of the university’s ICT infrastructure”. He said the ICT services was the
necessary computer hardware and software to develop and implement the
institutional capacity to attain the Government of PNG approved corporate
strategic goals of scholarship character development, externalisation of courses
and entrepreneurship character development. At the moment, the vice chancellor
said, the university needed more computers for students use to improve
competitiveness. He said the ratio today was one computer to seven students but
for a well-equipped university and for the sake of students learning it was
desirable to have a computer shared by four students. Mr Baloiloi said most of
the software currently in use was unlicensed and hence being used illegally
adding that versions in use were often redundant. “Beyond these systems , no
management information is being generated which has resulted in adverse effects
on management decision-making.” He said, “Adequate management information
systems are the key to improve corporate planning, organisation, coordination
and control of all university operations.” Based on an analysis of the current
situation and an outline design of the future information systems and IT
hardware components, Mr Baloiloi said, a proposal had been written suggesting an
extension of the rehabilitation effort to include the funding for a new ICT
infrastructure, which would enable the development of a web-centric higher
education concept. He said this would support not only the government’s efforts
to improve education facilities throughout the country, but it would also
enhance distance and flexible mode of education which was needed for a more
equitable distribution of education opportunities for the PNG population.