PNG STUDENT LEADERS COMPLETE TRANSFORMATIVE AUSTRALIAN CULTURAL AND CORPORATE EXCHANGE

TWELVE talented final-year tertiary students recently undertook the trip of a lifetime – an experiential visit to Australia as part of the Archer Leadership Development Program, delivered by international development organisation, Kokoda Track Foundation (KTF).

The two-week exchange took the 2026 Archer Leaders across Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and to the heart of Australia, where they visited Mparntwe (Alice Springs) and Uluru to deepen their understanding of Australian First Nations cultures, histories and leadership.

During their time in the Northern Territory, the Archer Leaders visited community organisations, government agencies and significant cultural sites, providing an opportunity to reflect on different leadership approaches, cultures and worldviews.

Colin Moala, the 2026 Archer Leader, described their trip to the Northern Territory as an eye-opening experience that highlighted the resilience of Indigenous people in staying true to their values despite ongoing challenges.

Designed to challenge perspectives and develop the next generation of Papua New Guinean leaders, the exchange combined cultural immersion and cross-sector networking with adaptive leadership workshops by Conversus Leaders, career-aligned placements at Australian organizations, influential executive meetings, and a private NSW Parliament tour hosted by Kobi Shetty MP.

The program concluded in Brisbane with a networking event bringing together Archer alumni, partners and supporters, and Papua New Guinea Consul General, Mr Reatau Rau, who remarked that the Archers represented the ‘pinnacle of promise’.

Now in its 16th year, the Archer Leadership Development Program has supported more than 110 emerging leaders from across Papua New Guinea.