ANZSOG announces scholarship for First Peoples leaders in the public sector
15 February 2021
● News and media
ANZSOG will offer a scholarship to help the development of First Peoples leaders working in the public sector in Australia and Aotearoa-New Zealand.
The scholarship, worth $15,000 to $45,000, is for one of ANZSOG’s foundation programs – the Executive Master of Public Administration (EMPA), the Executive Fellows Program (EFP), and Towards Strategic Leadership (TSL).
The three programs are designed for public sector leaders in different stages of their careers, but each program has a strong track record of producing senior leaders and giving participants new tools and critical thinking skills to deal with the complex challenges of the public sector.
ANZSOG Dean and CEO Ken Smith said that the scholarship was part of ANZSOG’s goal of increasing Indigenous leadership in the public sector.
“ANZSOG’s mission is to lift the quality of public service leadership in Australia and New Zealand. Helping create culturally competent public services which value and include First Peoples perspectives and help build and strengthen First Peoples leadership, is a central part of that mission,” Professor Smith said.
“Efforts to improve policy outcomes for First Peoples that centre on self-determination, will not succeed unless public services recognise the need to work with First Peoples communities as equals, and to incorporate First Peoples ways of being and knowing, across policy and program design and delivery.
“Public services must work to recruit and retain First Peoples staff at all levels, foster First Peoples leadership inside and outside public services, and recognise and respect the existing strengths of First Peoples communities and styles of leadership.
“By giving an Indigenous applicant access to one of our highly-regarded leadership program, we will provide access to the skills and networks needed to become more effective in their role.”
The scholarship will be formally announced at ANZSOG’s Proud Partnerships in Place: First Peoples Public Administration Virtual Conference which begins on Wednesday 17 February.
ANZSOG Deputy Dean (Teaching and Learning) Professor Catherine Althaus, coordinator of the EFP which will be held in May this year, said that the program’s 2021 virtual format would be perfect for Indigenous leaders.
“Participants will be able to engage with peers and international and local experts in exploring the leadership challenges and opportunities of our times. In 2021, we are engaging with cross-cutting themes of social movements and Covid-19 as we take senior executive leadership to the next level,” Professor Althaus said.
“Participants will discover tools to help hem navigate the personal and professional dimensions of their leadership journey and bring their workplace challenges to the EFP community as we work together to support empathic service and high performance.”
The EMPA has been redesigned in recent years to incorporate perspectives and material relevant to First Peoples, and the unique challenges of working with Indigenous communities to develop and implement effective policy.
Interested applicants are encouraged to email their CV and a brief cover letter to programs_team@anzsog.edu.au. Deadline for applications is 12 April 2021. Only one scholarship is available, and applicants must choose from the Executive Master of Public Administration, the Executive Fellows Program, and Towards Strategic Leadership.
For more information email programs_team@anzsog.edu.au.