On Friday May 20^th, 2011 the Acting Prime Minister Sam T. Abal officiated the ground-breaking ceremony for the initiating stage of the multimillion Kina building project at Martin Luther Seminary.  This project will include classrooms, dormitories, and an office complex.  The Theology program at Martin Luther Seminary will be a major beneficiary of this development opportunity. The Acting Prime Minister announced that the national government has committed six million Kina to support the costs of this infrastructure development.

Mr. Abal acknowledged the hard work and achievements of the Establishment Committee under the Chairmanship of Mr. Pato and said they work should continue to move forward so as to take the first enrollment in 2013.

Head Bishop Rev. Giegere Wenge of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea and Head Bishop Rev. David Piso of Gutnius Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea lead the liturgy and planted a tree near the current renovated offices to symbolize this the future potential of the Lutheran University Project.

Governor Wenge said the Morobe Provincial government has been financially supporting the initiating costs for Lutheran University since its inception in November 2006.  He said the provincial government will continue to support the University in its journey toward it status as a recognized University in Papua New Guinea.

Invited guests that witnessed this event included; the Minister for Higher Education Hon. Paru Ahi, the Minister for Defense, Hon. Bob Dade, the Minister for Forestry, Hon. Timothy Bonga, The Governor of Morobe Province, Hon. Luther Wenge, the Morobe Provincial Administrator, Mr. Kemus Tomal, North Waghi Member of Parliament, Bengimin Mul and the PNG Law Society President Mr. Kerenga Kua.

The Lutheran University Chairman Mr. Rimbink Pato thanked the Acting Prime Minister and the National Government for its commitment to include the Lutheran University in the National Budget.  Mr. Pato also thanked the Morobe Provincial Government and Governor Wenge for the continued funding support.

Based on May 17, 2001 Post Courier Report by Frank Rai

The Masters degree Program concentrated on building the capacity of lecturers particularly in the area of primary education with an emphasis on early childhood education. The courses were provided by Charles Sturt University and the Lecturers, were fully sponsored by the Lutheran University of Papua New Guinea at a total cost of nearly 1.2 Million Kina.  It was a demanding program that was delivered by visiting professors and completed with online work.

This graduation marked a new era for the Lutheran University in its capacity building program designed to secure professional academic staff for its initial Theology and Education Faculties.  Each lecturer in the Masters Program signed a contractual agreement to work for the Lutheran University of Papua New Guinea for three years before considering other options once courses begin to be offered at the Lutheran University.

“Congratulations to the Lutheran University or Papua New Guinea on your commitment to upgrade the qualifications of your (future) staff and we acknowledge that investment which is the cornerstone on which you (LUPNG) will build your new University,” Professor Toni Downes said.  Professor Toni Downes, who is the Dean of the Faculty of Education at the Charles Sturt University, was on-hand to officiate the ceremony and said Charles Sturt University had a proud history of partnership in Papua New Guinea.

“Over the last 10 years, we have worked with the Education Ministry and graduated a large cohort of Masters students from across the institutions.  We are delighted with the outcome of this most recent partnership and we look forward to furthering our partnership in the future,” she said.

 The Lutheran Univerisity's Acting Project Director, Dr. Brent Kilback said the Lutheran University of Papua New Guinea and Charles Sturt University have put people first by building the capacity of the Nations Academics. “It is not by accident that you are here today. This is the largest group of graduates who are graduating with an advanced degree from one institution in PNG at the same time and it is a notable achievement,” he said.

Dr. Lee Shluckebier, Project Director, sent his Greetings from Seward Nebraska and sent a message where he states: “Seventy five percent of the students who entered the Master’s Degree program completed that program either with a master's degree or a certificate of education. Based on my experience as a former Dean of Graduate Education, this was a major accomplishment for 75 % of the students to receive a graduate degree. …What a gift has been given to the church and Papua New Guinea.”

He also passed the following message to the graduates:

“This accomplishment places you in the forefront of education in Papua New Guinea."

Isaiah wrote the following words in chapter 54:2:

“Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes."

These are words of encouragement to each of us. Take your newly earned master’s degree to enlarge your teaching ability; take your newly earned master’s degree educating your students with your research and teaching techniques.

This master’s degree prepares you to lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes by continuing your personal study. As professionals and educators we are always expanding our knowledge base. Congratulations on the accomplishment of a job well done!”

Based on May 17, 2001 Post Courier Report by Frank Rai

Two executives from the Office of Higher Education [OHE] visited the Lutheran University Project site on October 13^th and 14^th.  The OHE’s staff’s objective for the meeting was to inform the Project Office of the procedures to develop an Institution of Higher Education and assess the development progress of the Lutheran University- Project.

Following this meeting an Audit Team was assigned by the Office of Higher Education to evaluate the progress of the project.  The team was on site 2^nd to the 4^th of November. The Audit Team visited the Balob Teachers College and Martin Luther Seminary as well as reviewed the development documents and the extensive planning as presented by the Project Office. 

The Audit Team concluded with and oral exit report as summarized below. A final written report will follow.

• Begin with two academic programs, theology and primary education as soon as possible.
• Keep the student population small as the university begins offering courses.
• Place and emphasis on early learning in the primary education program.
• Develop a strategic and operational plan for 2013 – 2018.
• Renovate existing academic facilities on the Martin Luther Seminary campus. Develop institutional policies relative to governance and administration.
• Establish administrative and academic structures
• Speed up infrastructure development meeting requirements for introduction of new faculties and activities in 2013.
• The next audit will be scheduled after the education and theology programs have graduated their first students.

Six representatives of the Private Higher and Technical Education Providers (PHTEP) have confirmed their attendance to observe the opening of the annual National Selections on the 12th of December 2011 at the Holiday Inn in Port Moresby. The confirmed are:

• Mr. Siva Sivaruban, Director of Studies from International Training Institute (ITI);
• Dr. Brent Kilback, EO, Establishment Committee from LUPNG Project;
• Mrs. Margaret Obi, Registrar from IEA College of TAFE (Ela Beach);
• Mr. Alex Gebia ;
• Mr. Powih Popeniu, and;
• Mr. NIcko Alipi from Works Institute of Technology.
  

This comes after the acting Director General of the Office of Higher Education (OHE) sent out an invitation to the providers to attend and observe the selection process. This is the first step in a bid by OHE to put a proposal forward for the establishment of association for the providers; which will operate independently from the Commission of Higher Education (CHE) but will be linked to OHE through the Institutional Development branch.

In June 2010, the Lutheran University of Papua New Guinea in Lae Morobe Province inquired about the purchase of a "Teamboard".  A Teamboard is and interactive whiteboard that responds to the touch and movements of your hand. The Establishment

Committee approved the purchase of the Teamboard on July 31^st.  From there an exciting journey was launched as the thoughts and dreams of maximizing the use of the Teamboard for training, research and enhanced communication opportunities was launched.  At the same time the Lutheran University was renovating an old meeting room that depended on a blackboard and an old bulletin board built in the early 70’s.  The idea was to convert part of the room into a new conference room that could be shared with Lutheran Communications and the Lutheran University of Papua New Guinea.

The Project Directors of the Lutheran University envisioned a state-of-the-art conference room with videoconferencing capabilities.  The Chairman of the Committee concurred and encouraged the forthwith development of the project.  The use of video-conferencing could also reduce operating cost and increase efficiency as it would reduce domestic transportation costs and allow for meetings that would otherwise be difficult to organize.

On October 30^th the Establishment Committee approved the installations. From there the highly skilled technical team made the dream into a reality and we now sit in a state-of- the-art conference room unique to the Morobe Province and rare in the South Pacific. The installations make up the most advance and modern videoconferencing system in Morobe and only the second of its type in PNG.  This system is designed to be easy to use by the average user.  A significant saving of users’ time and travel costs will result from such an installation.  The Lutheran University plans to recover costs by renting the facility to government agencies and corporations that need such technologies to communicate with overseas partners, clients, and head offices.

Video conferencing and the internet broadband link will be and is a powerful tool now available to the Lutheran University and its clients for communications, research and training. The options for use are only limited by the human ability to dream and implement!