Remarks by PNG NRI Acting Director, Dr. Osborne Sanida, during the Opening of
the PNG NRI Social Science Research Methods (SSRM) Course, Session 2/2021
Date: Thursday, 5 August 2021
Venue: NRI Conference Centre, Waigani, NCD
Good morning everyone. I am pleased to offer some remarks and officially open the second offering of the Social Science Research Methods (SSRM) Course in 2021. On behalf of the NRI Council Acting Chairman Mr. Wilson Thompson and Council members, my senior management team (Deputy Directors Ezebilo and Lavu), Research Program Heads and Section Managers, and the whole NRI staff, I welcome you all to the opening of the SSRM Course.
The first offering of the Course was done from 13-21 May 2021 where 31 students completed the course. We received very positive feedback, which also contributed to us deciding to run the course again in 2021, for which you are now gathered here to commence the Course.
For this session of the SSRM, I am informed by the Course Coordinator, Associate Professor Ezebilo that there are 18 confirmed participants. There is a mixture of representation from both the public and private sector.
There are also more females than males, which is good for advancing equal opportunity for all. Most of you have bachelor’s degree while a few also have master’s degrees.
I am also informed that some of you (5 participants) have to come in from outside Port Moresby, from places such as Madang, Wewak and Kokopo. We congratulate you for making the decision to travel for knowledge and learning in these challenging times. Also for the participants in Port Moresby, congratulations for taking the time out from work to attend this important course.
Your decision to apply and be considered for this Course is evidence of your quest to learn more about research and the important role it plays in generating information for good decision-making. In particular, during this challenging COVID-19 times.
As the mandated public policy research institute in PNG, the PNG NRI is pleased to welcome you all to its campus and in particular for this course.
In this course, you will learn the key aspects of Research Methods ranging from research ethics, research design, sampling techniques, data collection, data processing and analysis, and report writing.
I hope that you finish with a much broader appreciation and knowledge of Research Methods and that the concepts you learn will help you do good research for whatever area you may be engaged in, be it as a post-graduate student or a researcher or an advisor or teacher, etc.
We thank the Pandemic Controller, Commissioner David Manning for his approval for us to host more than 10 participants. In this regard, I urge us all to adhere to the Niupela Pasin, be it here at this Course or our work places or daily life, in general.
It is now my pleasure to officially open the SSRM Course and wish all participants success and enjoyable learning.
