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RMIT’s APEC Study Centre partners with PNG’s
new APEC Study Centre

5 Dec 2017

The Australian APEC Study Centre (AASC) has partnered with the newly established

Papua New Guinea APEC Study Centre (PNG ASC) to provide technical support and advice.

6.PNG

(L-R) Ravu Verenagi, Manager APEC Study Centre (PNG ASC), Bonnie Rivendell, Acting Senior Manager (AASC), Alan Oxley, Chairman (AASC), Dr Osborne Sanida, Acting Director (PNG NRI), Martin Aspin, Senior Program Manager (PNG ASC), Professor Simon Feeney (AASC), Associate Professor Alberto Posso (AASC).

The partnership will assist in the preparation for the PNG ASC Consortium Conference scheduled for May 2018, where researchers from across 21 APEC countries will present on a diverse range of topics addressing the overall APEC 2018 theme ‘Creating Inclusive Opportunities, Embracing the

Digital Future’.

In mid November 2017, a team from the AASC visited the PNG ASC, located at the National Research Institute (NRI) in Port Moresby, PNG. The visit provided an opportunity for the two Centres to meet and explore research and partnership opportunities to ensure long term success. Discussion surrounded planning, preparations and collaboration between the Centres, in addition to the ASC Consortium Conference.

As a leading research and capacity building institution in the Asia-Pacific region, the AASC supports APEC’s objectives through the delivery of training and research which builds capacity among policy makers and regulators to create positive and sustainable economic, social and educational outcomes.

AASC Chairman Alan Oxley led the AASC visit, providing the PNG ASC team with a deeper understanding of the region’s free trade agenda and APEC priorities including trade, economic development, the digital economy, and inclusive growth; all of which will contribute to key policy discussions for APEC 2018.

RMIT researchers, Professor Simon Feeney and Associate Professor Alberto Posso, also joined the visit to provide guidance on research approaches and how best to identify, select and prepare research for both the Consortium Conference and the long term research partnership.

NRI Acting Director, Dr Osborne Sanida welcomed the team and said, “the PNG ASC will draw on the experience and expertise of the AASC to help build a valued Study Centre at NRI.” The Study Centre will complement NRI as a leading public-policy think tank and will have the capacity to produce evidence-based research to address local and regional public policy.

At the visit’s conclusion, AASC’s Acting Senior Manager Bonnie Rivendell and PNG ASC’s Manager Ravu Verenagi formally committed to the partnership by signing an agreement which will inform the ongoing twinning arrangement to build capacity in the PNG ASC.

“As a well-established APEC Study Centre, we are thrilled to share our expertise with the PNG ASC and support them in building their Centre”, said Bonnie Rivendell. “The AASC looks forward to a successful ongoing partnership with PNG ASC, collaborating on the development of APEC related research ideas and programs leading to greater positive outcomes for both PNG and APEC.”

For more information on the twinning partnership with PNG ASC, please contact AASC’s Acting Senior Manager, Bonnie Rivendell (bonnie@apec.org.au).

The PNG ASC – AASC twinning arrangement is supported by the Papua New Guinea Governance Facility and the Australian Government in partnership with the Government of Papua New Guinea.

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