Leaders hone their skills at Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct
Papua New Guinea’s leading public servants are studying the role of government in public policy making at a course offered with the support of the Australian Government.
Twenty senior bureaucrats from key government agencies embarked on the 12 month Graduate Certificate in Governance and Public Policy, offered through the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct, last week.
The course will expose students to the latest thinking on policy development and service delivery, and is underpinned by the PNG public sector’s Ethics and Values Based Leadership Framework.
Participants include officers from the Department of Prime Minister and National Executive Council, the Department of Justice and Attorney-General, the Department of Health and the Department of Education.
Department of Personnel Management Deputy Secretary Agnes Friday said they had been selected by their home agencies as “people who can make a lasting and positive change to Papua New Guinea”.
They would be required to implement an executive leadership plan when they return to work, so they would be challenged to apply their newfound knowledge in their own workplaces, Ms Friday said.
They will contribute to the ongoing reform of the nation’s bureaucracy.
“When you come back think about how you can use this knowledge to improve service delivery,” Ms Friday said.
Australian High Commission Minister Counsellor Rod Hilton said the PNG Government had engaged with Australia on its plans to improve the capability of the public service.
He said Australia was pleased to support the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct, which aligned Australia’s governance support to PNG’s own development priorities.
“It’s a partnership with PNG, it’s a partnership with the departments where you work, and it’s a partnership with people like you, who are going to be the leaders of the future,” Mr Hilton said.
“It’s about helping to equip you with the tools you will need - whether it’s technical advice or discussions about management, or about ethics and values.”
Students will undertake four weeks intensive coursework in PNG and six weeks in Brisbane over the next 12 months. It will include group work, mentoring sessions and individual assessment.
The course is being delivered by the University of Queensland and is tailored to the PNG context to ensure its relevance.
“This isn't an Australian course, this is a course that has been adapted to the PNG and the Melanesian context, building on the strengths of PNG and Pacific leadership” Mr Hilton said.
The Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct is a joint initiative of the PNG and Australian Governments to prepare the next generation of ethical and accountable leaders from across the region.
Its executive courses bring together talented and motivated individuals from the public and private sector, giving them the practical and ethical framework to take on senior roles in key national agencies.
The Precinct also supports the training delivered through its partner institutions, the University of Papua New Guinea and the PNG Institute of Public Administration.