PNG workshops building local leadership
Last week, Burnet Institute PNG staff came together for one-day ‘Localisation Workshops’ in Kokopo and Port Moresby.
The workshops were facilitated by Dominique Dihm, Annie Dori, Tracey Terry, Homiri Dorogori, Noreen Ogepawe, Koma Selese and Rudy Viriu along with Chad Hughes, Burnet Deputy Director, International Operations.
The workshops provided an important platform for staff to reflect on the principles of localisation and how we can shape equitable partnerships within the Institute.
Discussions centred on recognising Burnet PNG as a local actor with local expertise, ensuring mutual respect, and strengthening national leadership in research, program management, and decision-making.
Staff actively participated in group dialogues and shared experiences on how cultural knowledge and lived realities should guide project planning, design, and implementation.
The workshops highlighted Burnet’s ongoing commitment to locally led development as outlined in its principles, by prioritising inclusivity, building local leadership capacity, and ensuring research and projects align with the priorities of communities in PNG.
Through collaborative brainstorming and team presentations, staff examined ways to embed decolonisation into everyday practice – whether in research authorship, clinical engagement, or operational decision-making.
The sessions reinforced that genuine impact comes when national staff are empowered to lead and international colleagues enter as guests.
This milestone event strengthened the collective vision of Burnet PNG staff to drive meaningful, sustainable change led by the people and contexts they serve.
