Preparing Students to Translate PNG’s Foreign Policy Vision into Practical Implementation

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 By Bernard Yegiora

The second PG428 Foreign Policy in PNG Zoom meeting for the week focused on preparing students for Assessment Task 3: Case Study. The session brought together Communication Arts students and PNG Studies students in a fully online learning environment, as provided for in the Program Specification Document.

Mr. Lahui Ako and I worked with the students to form seven case study groups based on key implementation priorities drawn from the Papua New Guinea Foreign Policy White Paper 2025. The purpose of the exercise was to help students move beyond simply reading policy documents and begin thinking about how foreign policy can be translated into practical action through PNG’s public service machinery.

The central message of the session was clear: foreign policy is not only about statements, speeches, diplomatic visits, and international agreements. The real test is implementation. For PNG, this means asking how government departments, statutory agencies, diplomatic missions, inter-agency committees, provincial authorities, development partners, the private sector, civil society, churches, and academic institutions can work together to implement national foreign policy priorities.

The seven case studies selected for the assessment were:

  1. Strategic Bilateral Partnership Prioritisation
  2. PNG’s Multilateral Engagement and ASEAN Aspiration
  3. Border, Maritime, and Cybersecurity Cooperation
  4. Economic and Commercial Diplomacy for Trade, Investment, and Jobs
  5. Development Cooperation Coordination and Aid Effectiveness
  6. National Branding, Soft Power, and Public Diplomacy
  7. Reforming the Department of Foreign Affairs and Strengthening Whole-of-Government Foreign Policy Coordination

Each group was required to select one case study, explain the rationale for its selection, identify the main problem, develop a preliminary research question, map relevant government agencies and stakeholders, and prepare a rough work plan for the written report and oral presentation.

Screenshot of the PG428 Foreign Policy in PNG Moodle page showing the Assessment Task 3 case study topics, including Strategic Bilateral Partnership Prioritisation and PNG’s Multilateral Engagement and ASEAN Aspiration.

During the session, students were encouraged to treat the assessment as a live policy exercise rather than a purely academic assignment. Mr. Ako reminded students that these case studies have real-world relevance and could generate practical ideas for public policy discussion. Students were also encouraged to use available professional networks, including relevant officials and policy practitioners, as resource persons to strengthen their research.

Another important point raised during the session was the need for balanced group participation. Students were encouraged to consider gender balance, shared responsibility, and the importance of learning from areas outside their normal comfort zones. This was important because foreign policy work requires teamwork, institutional awareness, and the ability to engage with unfamiliar policy areas.

Four groups completed their preliminary presentations during the session. These groups presented on reforming the Department of Foreign Affairs and strengthening whole-of-government coordination, national branding and public diplomacy, development cooperation and aid effectiveness, and economic and commercial diplomacy. Each group outlined its initial thinking, including the main policy problem, possible research question, relevant agencies, and work plan.

The presentations showed that students were already beginning to think critically about implementation challenges. For example, the group working on reforming the Department of Foreign Affairs focused on how PNG can strengthen institutional coordination to implement the 2025 Foreign Policy White Paper. The group on national branding and public diplomacy examined how PNG can promote itself more effectively both internationally and domestically. The group on development cooperation identified problems of coordination, transparency, accountability, and alignment of aid with national priorities. The group on economic and commercial diplomacy focused on how PNG can attract investment, expand trade, and better connect foreign policy with economic development.

Mr. Ako and I provided feedback to each group, encouraging them to refine their research questions, consult relevant government documents, identify the correct agencies, and think carefully about implementation mechanisms. Students were reminded that their research questions may change as they read more, gather information, and sharpen their understanding of the case study.

The remaining three groups will present their preliminary plans on Tuesday, 7 July 2026. These groups will present on strategic bilateral partnership prioritisation, PNG’s multilateral engagement and ASEAN aspiration, and border, maritime, and cybersecurity cooperation.

A major strength of the session was that students were not only forming groups but also beginning to think like policy analysts, public servants, and foreign policy practitioners. They were asked to consider how policy ideas move through institutions, how agencies coordinate, how implementation gaps emerge, and how practical recommendations can be developed.

Assessment Task 3 is therefore designed to build more than academic knowledge. It is intended to develop applied policy thinking. Students are expected to connect their case studies to the PNG Foreign Policy White Paper 2025, PNG Vision 2050, the Medium Term Development Plan IV, and other relevant national policy frameworks. This alignment is necessary because foreign policy should support PNG’s broader national development priorities.

By the end of the session, all seven groups had been formed and case studies had been allocated. Four groups had presented their initial plans, while three groups were scheduled to present the following week. The next step is for the groupings to be allocated on Moodle so that students can continue working together in a structured online environment.

This fully online session demonstrated that meaningful foreign policy learning can take place beyond the physical classroom. With proper guidance, clear assessment expectations, and active student participation, online learning can support serious policy engagement.

Through this exercise, Mr. Lahui Ako and I are helping students understand that PNG’s foreign policy future depends not only on vision, but also on implementation capacity. The challenge for PNG is to ensure that its foreign policy priorities are backed by capable institutions, coordinated decision-making, and practical action.

Recording of the session on my YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/kL7-k-wQIbk   

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