As part of the Government’s emphasis on research and innovation provided in the recently launched Medium Term Development Plan IV, the National Research Institute (NRI) is the agency responsible for dealing with research on PNG outside of the country. That’s according to a statement by Chair of the National Research institute, Wilson Thompson who said the NRI, by virtue of its early establishment as New Guinea Research Unit of the Australian National University in 1963 and its enabling legislation in 1975, is the agency responsible for dealing with research on PNG outside of the country, training of researchers for the country and also responsible for monitoring and supervision of research in PNG. He added that the NRI has established the guidelines for applying for Research Visa and the application for conducting research in PNG dealing with affiliation, locality of research, taking samples and materials and other information on obtaining ethics approval and depositing the results of the research. “The Guidelines were developed and approved by the National Research Council that was housed at the NRI in response to concerns in the 1980s and 1990s by UPNG and Unitech on researchers coming without notification as well as from the provinces who complained about concerns on impact on the people including taking of materials, artefacts and photographs and filming.” “The NRI Council will be informed of delicate concerns on the interstellar objects extraction in Manus and also the hostage situation in Hela and possibly to review the guidelines including penalty clauses including amendment to National Research Institute Act and other laws.” He said NRI has a Condition and Guidelines and general information for conducting Research in Papua New Guinea. “Any Foreigners wishing to carry out research in PNG must obtain a Special Exemption: Researcher/ Academic Visa.” “The current practice of the PNG Government is, in many instances, to issue research visas for an initial period of two months.” “Researchers who wish to carry out research and fieldwork for a longer period and are granted only an initial two months must apply for an extension of their research visa after they arrive in PNG.” In line with government objectives, the NRI is working on re-establishing the National Research Council to direct, supervise and monitor all research in PNG and to establish a Research and Innovations Grants Scheme and Trust Fund to encourage research and innovative ideas from any Papua New Guineans outside of the established research institutions to support industries and society.