A collaborative governance approach to improving tertiary education in Papua New Guinea

Abstract

Tertiary education in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is in a critical state, as the sector struggles to address increased demand for student places with severely curtailed capacity. Recent thinking about improving public services in PNG has emphasized “whole of sector” or collaborative governance. Such an approach in tertiary education has the potential to improve the sector’s outcomes within its existing resource constraints. This exploratory paper examines the challenges involved in applying a deliberate collaborative governance approach to tertiary education in PNG. In particular, two theoretical models of collaborative governance are employed to gain insight into possible issues through the consideration of four main criteria: power, incentives, history, and leadership. The paper shows that the challenges to introducing collaborative governance to PNG tertiary education are substantive, and that any effective effort will require committed leadership and a carefully measured strategy that acknowledges the country’s particular circumstances.

Keywords:

• Tertiary education
• post-secondary education
• governance
• collaborative governance
• Papua New Guinea

Notes

1. This included 34 million for teacher education, 31 million for technical education, and 30 million for community colleges.

2. This included 153 million for tertiary education coordination and support, 10 million for student trade scholarships to Australia, and 120 million for technical education infrastructure.