Australia-Pacific Youth Engagement: understanding the Australia-Pacific partnership

This unit will introduce you to the Pacific region, the Australia-Pacific partnership, and the important policies and strategies underpinning Australia’s broader regional engagement. Based around the strategic policies underpinning relations across the region, you will become familiar with the principles and priorities set by Pacific Island nations and see the complexity of some of the most pressing challenges first-hand. You will travel to one of three Pacific Island nations to undertake a deep-dive research project into one of the principles and underpinning priorities of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and the Framework for Pacific Regionalism, including sustainable development, economic growth, strengthened governance systems and security for all.

On arrival to your host country, you will undertake a combination of seminars, workshops and field trips to see first-hand the nature of responses to climate change and disaster resilience, establishing food and water security, strengthening criminal justice institutions and systems, and increasing access to renewable energy.

The unit consists of three core assessment pieces, including a reflective journal, participation and presentation in the model Track I leadership dialogue and submission of a policy paper developed in collaboration with the student cohort.

By undertaking this unit, you will be eligible to apply for the Australia-Pacific Youth Leadership program to be held biennially in different Pacific host countries.