The Yegiora Files

In examining how China’s HEEPs influence relations between PNG and China, I designed my PhD study to reflect the diversity of educational exchange pathways. Among the seven survey groups, the Public Sector Training Program (PSTP) cohort stands out as a critical focus—not just for their participation in short- and medium-term training in China, but also because of their role in implementing national policies back home. This group includes officers and professionals from the Special Economic Zones Authority (SEZA) , National Department of Health (NDoH) , and the Department of Defence and PNG Defence Force (DoD/DF) . A March 2023 news article from the Post-Courier highlighting China’s training of PNG officials in the Special Economic Zones (SEZ) concept—an example of Public Sector Training Programs (PSTPs) shaping technical cooperation between the two countries. These individuals are strategically important because they occupy positions within government systems where the knowledge, val...

In conducting a nationwide and internationally scoped PhD project, one of the most practical challenges is reaching participants who are geographically scattered, institutionally diverse, and sometimes unknown to the researcher at the outset. This was the case for my study on the influence of China’s HEEPs on PNG–China relations. While I had conceptualized seven survey groups—including CGSP students, alumni, and participants in Chinese Language and Public Sector Training Programs—I needed a reliable and ethical way to identify and engage them. This is where LinkedIn became a vital tool in my research process. To build trust and visibility, I updated my LinkedIn profile to clearly identify myself as a PhD candidate at Divine Word University. I also added a concise summary of my research focus, uploaded a graduation photo from Jilin University , and used an AI-generated banner image symbolizing PNG–China educational cooperation. This visual storytelling helped signal my credibility an...

The growing influence of China’s Higher Education Exchange Programs (HEEPs) in PNG is no longer confined to theory or abstract policy discussion. It is unfolding in real time through the partnerships, programs, and student engagement facilitated by institutions like the University of Goroka (UoG) and the University of Technology (UoT). These two universities have become important actors in PNG’s education diplomacy, working with Chinese institutions and government partners to enhance language education, expand international linkages, and improve the quality of higher education. It is precisely this real-world engagement that my PhD research seeks to study, understand, and support. My research is not merely about assessing impact from afar. It is designed to provide evidence-based insights into how PNG’s participation in Chinese education programs is shaping bilateral relations, especially in the areas of diplomacy, cultural exchange, and development cooperation. UoG and UoT—through t...

On April 2, 2025, I launched the main survey for my PhD research exploring how China’s HEEPs influence the relationship between PNG and China. Since then, I’ve been working steadily to reach participants from seven distinct groups across PNG and abroad. While participation from some groups has been encouraging, others have proven more difficult to reach. In light of these challenges—and to ensure all voices are fairly represented—I have extended the survey closing date from July 9 to August 2, 2025 . The purpose of this survey is to gather diverse perspectives from Papua New Guineans who have participated in CGSPs, CLPs, PSTPs, as well as those who were self-funded, sponsored by the PNG government through STEM or district-level scholarships, or participated in private training programs. These respondents are grouped into seven survey categories to enable clean data collection and analysis. To date, the strongest response rates have come from students currently studying in China and al...

As part of my PhD research on how China’s Higher Education Exchange Programs (HEEPs) influence PNG’s bilateral relations with China, I’ve spent the last few months collecting survey data from students, alumni, and public servants who participated in various HEEPs. These include the Chinese Government Scholarship Program (CGSP), Chinese Language Programs (CLPs), Public Sector Training Programs (PSTPs), PNG’s STEM scholarships, district-sponsored students, and privately funded learners. Now, with survey responses coming in from across the country and abroad, the focus shifts to analyzing the data. There are several statistical tools available for analyzing survey data, but not every technique is suited to every research project. Because my study uses an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design , the quantitative phase is not an end in itself—it informs the qualitative phase that follows. My goal is to choose analytical techniques that allow me to describe trends, compare experiences ...

One of the most important aspects of data collection in a PhD research project is knowing when to pause, reflect, and adapt. For the past few months, I’ve been collecting responses for my survey exploring the influence of China’s Higher Education Exchange Programs (HEEPs) on Papua New Guinea–China relations. The survey has been a key part of the quantitative phase of my explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, and I initially planned to close it on July 2, 2025 . However, after reviewing current response rates, I have decided to extend the closing date to July 9, 2025 . Screenshot of the change. This additional week will allow me to concentrate efforts on reaching three groups that are yet to meet the minimum response target of 80 participants per group . These are: PNG students currently studying in China , and students enrolled in the Chinese Language Programs (CLPs) at the University of Technology (UoT) and the University of Goroka (UoG) . While other participant groups—such as ...

As part of my PhD research at Divine Word University, I’m examining how China’s Higher Education Exchange Programs (HEEPs) are influencing PNG’s bilateral relationship with China. These programs include scholarships, language courses, and public sector training opportunities. To capture the breadth of experiences, I designed my survey to target seven distinct participant groups. This structure ensures I collect nuanced data that reflects the different pathways through which Papua New Guineans engage with China’s educational diplomacy. The first group consists of PNG students currently studying in China . This includes those on Chinese Government Scholarships (CGSP), those sponsored by PNG’s STEM program, those funded by their district or provincial governments, and privately sponsored students. Many of these students have been reached through WeChat groups, LinkedIn, and university contacts. Their experiences are key to understanding China’s appeal and influence on future PNG professio...

A well-developed literature review is the foundation of any research project. In my study, which investigates how China’s Higher Education Exchange Programs (HEEPs) influence Sino-PNG relations, the literature serves a dual purpose. First, it provides the theoretical grounding—mainly soft power and education diplomacy—to frame the research. Second, it identifies empirical and policy gaps that justify the study. The literature not only supports my main research question but also helps address each of the three supporting questions. This review draws on academic literature and regional case studies spanning diplomatic theory, international education, and PNG’s foreign policy. Photo courtesy of Lake Media, showing me concluding my PhD confirmation seminar and taking notes of audience questions and comments, alongside Professor Maretta Kula-Semos, Professor of Humanities and Director of Higher Degrees.   The first category of literature addresses soft power and educational dipl...

As part of my PhD research exploring the influence of China’s Higher Education Exchange Programs (HEEPs) on PNG–China relations, I have refined the way I categorize participants. Rather than lumping all student pathways into a single group, I now group them into three categories based on their funding source and facilitation method: Chinese government–sponsored, PNG government–sponsored, and privately sponsored programs. This typology offers a more accurate reflection of the student experience and supports a more nuanced analysis of education diplomacy. The first category is Chinese government–sponsored programs , which includes the Chinese Government Scholarship Program (CGSP), Chinese Language Programs (CLPs), and Public Sector Training Programs (PSTPs). These programs are typically administered through the Chinese Embassy and Confucius Institutes, and target university students, public servants, and professionals. The goal is to build long-term people-to-people ties and enhance Chi...

When I designed the pilot survey for my PhD project in late 2024, one of the most important questions was also one of the simplest: Which Chinese Higher Education Exchange Program have you participated in or are you currently participating in? This was listed as Question 10 in the pilot and served a critical function—it allowed me to identify which program each participant had joined: the Chinese Government Scholarship Program (CGSP), Chinese Language Program (CLP), Public Sector Training Program (PSTP), or “Other.” At the time, it was a broad but essential tool to classify responses because all 30 invited participants received the same link. No group-specific links were used. Question 10 from the pilot survey used broad program categories. Feedback from participants suggested the need for more specific distinctions to reflect the growing diversity of PNG-China education pathways.   While the structure seemed sufficient at first, feedback from the 20 participants who completed th...

From November 22 to December 22, 2024, I conducted a pilot survey as part of my PhD research on how China’s Higher Education Exchange Programs (HEEPs) influence Sino–PNG relations. The pilot involved 20 participants and was designed to test the structure, clarity, and effectiveness of my survey instrument. It aimed to uncover how programs like the Chinese Government Scholarship Program (CGSP), Chinese Language Programs (CLPs), and Public Sector Training Programs (PSTPs) shape educational diplomacy and soft power in PNG. This preparatory step helped identify ways to refine the methodology before launching the main survey. Participants were recruited through purposive sampling using my personal and professional networks, including contacts on LinkedIn. I invited 30 individuals to participate and 20 responded. Of those, 55% were male and 45% were female . The average completion time was 22.35 minutes. Despite the limited number, their feedback was critical in exposing gaps and ambiguitie...

In recent years, PNG has expanded its educational engagement with China through a growing number of scholarship and training opportunities. These include not only the Chinese Government Scholarship Programs (CGSPs), Chinese Language Programs (CLPs), and Public Sector Training Programs (PSTPs), but also students who are privately sponsored, supported by their district development funds, or recipients of the PNG Government’s STEM scholarship program. As a PhD candidate at Divine Word University, my research seeks to understand how all these diverse forms of higher education exchanges collectively influence the nature of Sino–PNG relations. Presenting my research proposal during my PhD confirmation seminar. Photo courtesy of Lake Media. The title of my study is: “The Influence of China’s Higher Education Exchange Programs on Sino–Papua New Guinea Relations: A Soft Power Analysis.” I am using soft power as a theoretical lens to examine how education functions not just as a tool for human...

In a recent interview covered by Bastille Post , Papua New Guinea’s Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko praised the Butuka China–PNG Friendship School as a “school of excellence” and a cornerstone of PNG–China bilateral ties. He emphasized that the school’s modern infrastructure and bilingual education programs represent a model for what educational diplomacy can achieve. His remarks suggest a desire to scale up such partnerships across the country, prompting the question: should Madang be the next location for a China–PNG Friendship School? Tkatchenko pointed to Butuka Academy’s success in promoting people-to-people links, including producing students fluent in Chinese. These achievements, he argued, go beyond pedagogy and into the realm of diplomacy, where education becomes a tool for strengthening bilateral relations. For a province like Madang—strategically important, economically vibrant, yet educationally underserved—this vision offers both symbolic and practical potential. Mad...

China’s growing footprint in Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) higher education sector is most visibly expressed through a diverse range of exchange programs that now form a key pillar of Sino-PNG relations. These programs—ranging from full scholarships and language courses to vocational training and institutional partnerships—reflect a deliberate strategy by Beijing to cultivate goodwill, shape public opinion, and build long-term partnerships with the next generation of PNG leaders. This soft power approach complements China’s broader foreign policy goals in the Pacific, offering both opportunities and challenges for PNG’s development and diplomatic autonomy. Diagram showing the inventory of Chinese Higher Education Exchange Programs in PNG, including scholarships, language and cultural initiatives, institutional partnerships, and professional training pathways that contribute to China's soft power strategy in the Pacific. The most prominent among these programs is the Chinese Government S...

The recent Chinese Bridge–Chinese Proficiency Competitions held at Butuka Academy and the PNG University of Technology provide more than just a stage for language learning; they symbolize the expanding influence of China’s educational diplomacy in PNG. As a researcher examining China’s Higher Education Exchange Programs (HEEPs) and their impact on PNG–China relations, these events offer a timely case to explore how soft power strategies are playing out among PNG’s youth. Students perform a Tai Chi routine during the opening of the Chinese Bridge–Chinese Proficiency Competition at Butuka Academy in Port Moresby, showcasing the fusion of cultural diplomacy and educational exchange at the heart of PNG–China relations. The presence of senior Chinese diplomats, such as Ambassador Yang Xiaoguang and Counsellor Chen Jiliang, at both secondary and tertiary competitions indicates the high-level political and symbolic value China places on such platforms. These engagements go beyond the promotio...