The University of Papua New Guinea is in support of the School of Natural & Physical Sciences research project on biodiversity and conservation management.
Vice Chancellor, Professor Frank Griffin says that research is not only important to the university but it is also imperative to existence.
He said this while receiving a K100,000 grant from the Secretariat for Science & Technology recently. Prof. Griffin said the main purpose of the research is to inform action, give evidence of theories and contribute to developing knowledge into the field of study.
He said the university needed to be in the forefront of knowledge generation at the frontier of research.
“Without research the knowledge that forms the basis of our study programs, lectures and practical experiments would be old and out of date,” Prof. Griffin said.
Research is one of three core functions of the university and with other universities and institutes like National Research Institute is are placed to explore complex problems that our collective future depends on.
“The broad perspective of this research is to carry out a wider socio-economic study in all conservation areas including the non-functioning areas in Papua New Guinea. The research will seek to establish a better understanding of the socio-economic developments that benefit the bio-diversity or resource owners.”
He stated that people are the agents of change in development and the government as the service provider, needs to provide and create the avenues in which the biodiversity owners have to participate to see changes in their lives.
“The current concept of conservation is mainly focusing on the importance of bio-diversity and the management of flora and fauna, but the affairs of the people or the owners of the bio-diversity are equally important. They need to benefit from such studies and consequently change their lives for the better.”