THE former head of an Aberystwyth University department has said he was forced to flee Papua New Guinea after his new role as head of one of the South Pacific country’s universities turned sour.

Prof John Warren, 56, left his job as the director of learning and teaching at Aberystwyth University’s Institute of Biological Environmental and Rural Sciences) two years ago to take up the role as the new vice-chancellor of the University of Natural Resources and Environment in Papua New Guinea.

But the “dream role” became a nightmare, Prof Warren said, after attempts to rid the institution of cheating culminated in threats ­of lengthy court cases and instructions to “get out of there”, forcing him to resign, go into hiding, and flee to Australia.

A leading British botanist originally from south Yorkshire, Prof Warren said he had tried to crack down on cheating, improve academic standards and appoint staff based on merit - but that fellow university staff opposed the changes.

The university denies the claims.

Prof Warren said he tried to introduce simple procedures, like using spreadsheets to calculate marks. But he said university staff told him to “just concentrate on getting money in and we’ll run the university”.

He alleged the university’s chancellor Kenneth Sumbuk did not agree with his appointing a candidate to a new pro vice-chancellor role. “He came to the university two weeks before a council meeting and threatened me, and was very intimidating,” Prof Warren told The Australian newspaper.

A council meeting held soon after, Prof Warren said, saw chancellor Mr Sumbuk overturn nearly every administrative decision he had made.

“My position became untenable and I handed in my notice,’ he said.

“Shortly after that I got wind of a court order being served on me.”

Advice from the British High Commission to “just get out of there” saw Prof Warren resign his post and spend 48 hours hiding in a friend’s house before flying to Australia.

Prof Sumbuk has denied the threats, instead accusing Prof Warren of illegitimately removing three university employees, one of whom then ­decided to take legal action.