A new partnership between the University of Newcastle, the Kenyan Government and the Australian Government will facilitate a valuable education initiative under the Australia Awards Fellowships, launched recently in Newcastle.

A collaboration between academics and government representatives, the fellowship is aimed at strengthening public service performance and building governance capacity in Kenya.

University of Newcastle Business School lecturers, Dr Patricia Johnson and Professor Jim Joseare leading the fellowship, which will involve a fortnight of workshops with senior executive officers of the Kenyan Public Service Commission.

Patricia and Jim believe the initiative will offer Kenyan Commissioners a unique opportunity to engage with some of Australia’s leading policy practitioners. The aim is for the fellowship to have a tangible impact on the ground in Kenya.

“This fellowship represents a mutually-beneficial partnership between the University of Newcastle, the Australian Government and the Kenyan Government and we are excited to welcome 14 senior members of the Kenyan Public Service to Newcastle,” Patricia said.

“The fellows will have access to some of Australia’s best thinkers and leaders in the policy and governance space while they are here. It’s quite a unique opportunity that we hope can start to generate impact almost immediately.”

Fellows have spent two days in workshops in Parliament House (Sydney), attended a reception at the Kenyan High Commission (Canberra) and participated in workshops at the National Library of Australia, before finishing their visit with another week of workshops at the University of Newcastle’s flagship NeW Space city campus.

The Australia Awards are prestigious international scholarships and fellowships funded by the Australian Government.

Australia Awards Fellowships build capacity and strengthen partnerships between Australian organisations and partner organisations in eligible developing countries in support of key development and foreign affairs priorities. By providing short-term study, research and professional development opportunities in Australia, mid-career professionals and emerging leaders can tap into Australian expertise, gaining valuable skills and knowledge.

IMAGE |Dr Jim Jose, Ambassador and Chairperson of the Kenyan Public Service Commission Peter Nkuraiya,Dr Patricia Johnson and Chief Executive Officer of the Kenyan Public Service Commission Alice Otwala.