DICT Calls on University Students to Build Solutions for PNG

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has called on university students to take their technology projects beyond the classroom and build solutions that respond to the needs of Papua New Guineans.

The call came from DICT Acting Manager for Innovation and Stakeholder Engagement Glenn Bireo, who represented Secretary Steven Matainaho at Western Pacific University’s (WPU) Final Year IT Symposium on Wednesday.

The symposium was held under the theme, “Ideas Into Innovation: From student projects to real-world solutions.”

The theme points to the need for students to connect what they learn at university with problems faced by communities, businesses and the country.

WPU students have already put their skills to the test at national level.

At this year’s National Digital ID Hackathon, WPU team CyberPro Netz, made up of Rialisa, Jonathan, Gillion and Vincent, took first place in the Higher Education Institution Track.

Another WPU team, Stax, comprising Avaneesh, Hazel and Shaquille, was the highest-scoring technical team.

Their performance shows the level of technical skills being developed by students and how university projects can grow into working digital products.

DICT has also signed partnerships with universities around Papua New Guinea, including WPU, to give students a closer link to the technology sector and the work being carried out in the digital space.

One initiative being planned is a National Digital Public Infrastructure Centre of Excellence, which would involve universities in developing and testing digital solutions.

The proposed centre would draw on projects from the National Digital ID Hackathons and give selected graduates an opportunity to continue working on their ideas after completing university.

This could include training, technical support and resources to help students turn prototypes into minimum viable products and eventually take them to the market.

Bireo also spoke about the need for trust when developing digital systems.