The ACIAR Postgraduate Scholarship Scheme for PNG University of Technology (Unitech) commenced in 2005. This document provides a report of Stage 3 of the ACIAR scholarship program after the completion of Stages 1 & 2. The objectives of the Stage 3 ACIAR Scholarship program are:to provide stipend, fees and research consumables for 6 ACIAR scholars for post Graduate Diploma (PGD) training in2009, 3 ACIAR scholars for M.Sc training in 2010 (upgraded from PGD) and 3 scholars for PGD training in 2010, to secure experts for the provision of advice and support supervising staff and students in the development, execution, analysis and presentation of relevant research projects in respect of respective training programs indicated in (1), to produce a crop of students for graduation at UNITECH: 6 ACIAR scholars with PG Diplomas in March, 20010, 3 ACIAR scholars with MSC in 2011 and 3 ACIAR with PG Diplomas in Agriculture in March, 2012, to conduct a workshop in early 2010 to review, based on past experiences of staff and students involved with the ACIAR Scholarship scheme, with a view to improve the focus and efficacy of the ACIAR training not just at the PGD level but at the MSc level. The latter will help to extend the program to a PhD level, to strengthen staff and resources capacities to handle case and build the capabilities available within UNITECH for higher degree studies and to help AICAR to continue its focus on providing cost effective training scholarship scheme at UNITECH rather than sending PNG applicants for agricultural training overseas and the mutual staff exchange visits to meet project leaders of Australia, University of South (USP) Pacific and Unitech.
This is the first year of the implementation of Stage 3 of ACIAR scholarship program. For the Semester One, all 5 students completed their course work and presented a seminar on their research proposal. All students did well and pass all their assessments. Furthermore all students' research projects have been linked with active ACIAR projects in PNG. They are now on field collecting and analysing data in preparation for write up. Given the current performances of the students, it is looks promising that we will be graduating the students in March 2010 with the possibility of upgrading 3 of the 5 PGD students programs to MSc. Due to tightness of our academic programs, the mutual staff exchange visits to meet project leaders of Australia, University of South Pacific and Unitech is slow in taking shape and it is mostly to occur during the Christmas Vacation.

Unitech has graduated 28 students since the inception of the PSSU in 2005. This constitutes 6 PGDs in 2006 of which 3 have been upgraded to MPhil, 6 PGDs and 3 MPhils in 2007, 6 PGDs in 2008 and 6 PGDs in 2009. This year, 2010, graduated 3 PGDs bring to a total of 25 PGDs and 3 MPhils. The current scholars (7), 5 PGDs and 2 MPhils will graduate March 2011. Staff trainings to upgrade research management and postgraduate supervision are being planned and will be done in 2010 and 2011.
The postgraduate training for the 7 PGD for 2010 have started on time. The first semester has ended in June and for that semester the agriculture students have successfully completed their studies. The students are now using their 3 week semester break to catch up on their research component of the PGD program.
The study program for 2 of the previous 6 PGDs have been up graded to MPhil status and the MPhil program will be completed by a research thesis. This will involve continuation of their current research problems with some depth in their analysis.