Our Approach
WHY WE EXIST
Learning to lead
Other positions of leadership require intense training as a prerequisite: years of education are required for lawyers, doctors, scientists and even Chief Executives. Yet despite the weight of expectations placed upon them and the highly stressful conditions under which they operate, there is no such equivalent training for our political leaders.
Professional development provides opportunities for politicians to learn about parliamentary systems, policy development, solving public problems and managing themselves, all which support stronger institutions and a thriving democracy.
We enable and support our politicians to be effective and legitimate in how they do their work. This is about not only outcomes, but respectful, ethical behaviour and their responsibility for safeguarding the traditions and norms of our system of government.
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WHAT WE STRIVE TO ACHIEVE
We start by asking our scholars to articulate the larger public purpose that brings them to politics. We encourage them to hold their purpose tightly, be accountable for their behaviour and become good stewards of our institutions.
We enable and support our politicians to be effective and legitimate in how they do their work. This is about not only outcomes, but respectful, ethical behaviour and their responsibility for safeguarding the traditions and norms of our system of government.
DIRECT INSIGHTS FROM PRACTITIONERS
Our mission is to strengthen the capabilities of our political leaders, so they can do their jobs, handle pressure, manage crises and deliver better governments and outcomes for Australia.
There’s no better way to learn this than from people who have been there. That’s why MKI’s faculty includes former prime ministers, premiers, ministers, ministerial staffers and senior public servants: people who have faced similar challenges that our learners face.
DESIGNED FOR IMPACT
Our curriculum and teaching have been rigorously designed, based on the best available evidence about how adults learn and on what leaders need to know. Four key design attributes underpin our programs:
Non partisan
We seek equal participation from the major parties and are non-partisan in all our activities.
Practical
Our programs draw on the experience of former politicians and their closest advisers, which today’s politicians are most likely to listen to and learn from.
Authentic
We ground discussions in real examples of how things have been done well and how they have gone wrong, which are explored in detail.
Curated
Our learners are suffering from information overload as it is. We think very carefully about what and who to put in front of them and when and how to do it for maximum impact.
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