IBSUniversity, together with the Centre of Excellence for Financial Inclusion (CEFI), ran a successful training program to help students and staff understand how to manage their money better, in the first week of April 2025. The sessions covered everyday financial decisions—like budgeting, saving, and spending wisely.

In regards to the Agreement between CEFI and IBSUniversity, CEFI will facilitate a series of training sessions on financial inclusion and financial literacy. The initial session was conducted on Wednesday 02^nd April, 2025 and was organized by Mr. Sagara Wijeratne, Coordinator of CEFI partnership with IBSUniversity and Principal of IBS College of TVET.

The event took place at the IBSUniversity library with support from the School of Business and Management (SOBM) under the Student Entrepreneurship Program (STEP). The session was made possible by the collective efforts of Mr. Sagara Wijeratne, Dr. Durga Prasad, Acting Head of SOBM, and Ms. Palakurthi Harika, STEP Coordinator, along with the continuous support of IBSUniversity’s leadership, including Vice Chancellor Professor Ramachandran Arunachalam and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academics) Mr. Jobin Scaria.

This program brought together key lessons on financial literacy and inclusion, guiding students and staff through the essentials of handling personal money matters. It introduced clear, usable methods for managing income, budgeting, and planning ahead.

Presented at the event were CEFI’s NFIS Coordination and Stakeholder Engagement Manager, Mr. Danny Koka, he presented the Overview of Financial Inclusion in PNG and also Ms. Jill Pijui– Manager Financial Inclusion and Capacity Development, who made a presentation about Financial Literacy & Education Initiatives in PNG.

The event also brought in three key financial institutions—Bank of Papua New Guinea (BPNG), Nasfund, and MiBank. These organizations introduced their range of financial services and offered valuable points to the IBSUniversity community. Representatives from two of the institutions, MiBank and Bank of Papua New Guinea, along with CEFI, set up information booths where they spoke directly with students and staff, answering questions and explaining the financial options available to them.

Mr. Sagara Wijeratne, Coordinator of the partnership, shared his thoughts on the significance of the program: “CEFI plays a major role in helping people in Papua New Guinea understand money and how to use it wisely. This event, held alongside the Student Entrepreneurship Program (STEP), gave students helpful advice and encouragement on how to manage their money and be part of the financial system. It was a great chance for students to learn directly from these financial institutions.”

At IBSUniversity, one of our core values is working together to support and uplift our students and staff. One example of this is our partnership with CEFI, where we provide a space for our community to gain the knowledge and skills needed to manage their finances effectively. Through this connection with CEFI and other financial institutions, we continue to offer opportunities for financial education that will make an ongoing significance on our students and staff.

IBSU Marketing Department