A Mathematics and Computer Science graduate at the Divine Word University (DWU) received the Ok Tedi Award for being the best performing student in 2025. Brendan Mark was presented the Academic Excellence Award by Ok Tedi Mining Limited (Ok Tedi) during the university’s student awards ceremony on Friday 6th March.
This is the second consecutive year Ok Tedi has supported the Academic Excellence Award for the School of Mathematics and Computer Science, reflecting the company’s continued commitment to education, human resource development, and capacity building in Papua New Guinea.
Ok Tedi’s sponsorship forms part of its long-standing investment in developing Papua New Guinea’s human capital, particularly in specialised fields essential to the nation’s growth.
Ok Tedi’s support aligns with its Growth 2050 Strategy, which places strong emphasis on developing people, strengthening national talent, and enabling sustainable economic participation through education.
Mr Mark will be joining Ok Tedi later this year as part of Ok Tedi’s Graduate Development Scheme.
“As a 100% PNG owned company, Ok Tedi is honoured to support the education of our future leaders and recognising high-performing students through sponsored academic awards demonstrates our ongoing contribution to national development,” said Ok Tedi Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Kedi Ilimbit.
“Our investment of K1.072 million from 1981 to 2025 in university sponsorships reflects our dedication, not only in developing Ok Tedi’s human resources but also in supporting the broader advancement of PNG’s future professionals and leaders,” Mr Ilimbit said. This investment spans scholarships across institutions including UPNG, Papua New Guinea University of Technology, and Divine Word University.
Mr Ilimbit took the time to congratulate the graduands and wish them success as they embark on their next journey.
DWU President, Fr Phil Gibbs thanked Ok Tedi among other corporate organisations who assisted with sponsoring various academic excellence awards and said such behaviour showed the private and corporate sector’s support to the tertiary institutions that will produce more workforce-ready graduates pass through DWU and contribute meaningfully to the nation’s development.
Fr Gibbs said during his keynote address at the graduation ceremony, “I believe, that the university through its thousands of graduates and alumni plays an important role in nation-building in PNG. I would also like to thank the many corporate organisations here today who have sponsored awards to our graduates. The awards speak a lot about corporate sector’s commitment to supporting tertiary education institutions to ensure workforce-ready graduates are churned out every year to join the PNG Workforce.”
By recognising top performing students and supporting academic excellence across PNG’s higher education institutions, Ok Tedi continues to help shape the next generation of scientists, innovators, technical leaders and other professional disciplines that the country will rely on in the decades ahead.
Ok Tedi remains steadfast in its commitment to fostering sustainable livelihoods through ongoing investment in education, skills development, and capacity building for Papua New Guinea.