[1] Research at the university addresses some of the problems faced by the agricultural, fisheries, forestry and tourism industries of Papua New Guinea.

The college offered a two-year certificate and three-year diploma training in Tropical Agriculture, and made significant contributions to agricultural education and rural development in Papua New Guinea and neighbouring South Pacific countries.

Five years later, the college became University of Vudal, an autonomous higher education institution through an Act of Parliament that was passed in January 1997.

In 1999, under inaugural Vice Chancellor Professor Walter Wong, a four-year Bachelor of Tropical Agriculture degree programme was introduced and the certificate program was phased out.

However, he resigned from UNRE and moved to UPNG as VC in 2019 but his appointment was blocked following a staff protest.