Construction begins on NZDF/ MFAT Leadership Centre in Tonga

Construction of Tonga’s Pacific Leadership Development Centre at His Majesty’s Armed Forces (HMAF) Masefield Naval Base, Nuku’alofa, has begun.

Funded by a joint New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) initiative, the new Leadership Centre is and will provide a location for HMAF leadership training, meetings and talanoa (conversation).

The $NZ5.2 million centre will incorporate a fale-inspired conference centre, and classrooms and staff facilities. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2023. It is the second of four centres that the NZDF and MFAT are funding in the Pacific region.

“The first, the Kumul Leadership Centre at Murray Barracks in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, opened in April and the Papua New Guinea Defence Force has been making full use of it since then,” said Lieutenant Colonel Gordon Milward, Programme Principal for the Pacific Leader Development Programme (PLDP).

The final two centres will be built in Fiji and Vanuatu, in support of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces and Vanuatu Mobile Force.

The Leadership Centres are a component of the NZDF-led and co-MFAT funded Pacific Leader Development Programme which commenced in June 2019.

The programme supports the military forces of Fiji, Tonga and Papua New Guinea, and the Vanuatu Police Force, in the development of bespoke leadership frameworks and the delivery of different levels of leadership training for their personnel.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Milward, the number of personnel who are completing leadership training was increasing rapidly.

“Over the past three years the NZDF has supported the training of about 2500 leaders across all four nations, with 327 of those being in Tonga, ranging from Lead Self through to Lead Organisation levels,” he said.

Each nation’s Leadership Framework is based on the NZDF Leadership Framework, but incorporates each nation’s specific values and culture.

The NZDF provides advanced design, development, delivery and facilitation training support for each nation’s leadership programme through a team of six NZDF Institute for Leader Development personnel based at Trentham Military Camp.

Senior uniformed NZDF personnel, with the role of Technical Advisor – Leadership Mentors, will also be seconded to each country for a period of three years.

“As a result of the programme, Tonga, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Fiji are collaborating for an exciting and innovative future in leader development that will be of increasing benefit for all five nations,” Lieutenant Colonel Milward said.

POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN INTELLIGENCE

MASSEY’S POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN INTELLIGENCE HAS BEEN SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED AS AN ADVANCED INTELLIGENCE PRACTITIONERS COURSE WHICH CRITICALLY EXPLORES STRUCTURED ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES AND THE INTELLIGENCE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THEY APPLY.

The qualification develops and advances critical research, critical thinking and writing, analytical best practice as well as exploring relevant twentieth and twenty-first century intelligence operations. It is aimed at those wishing to develop advanced critical skills in relation to their existing or prospective intelligence sector careers in New Zealand.

Graduates of this year long programme will possess an advanced knowledge of intelligence analysis processes, be grounded in relevant previous operational intelligence experiences and have a critical understanding of the ethical and professional issues involved.

The programme of study consists of two 30-credit courses:

Qualification Requirements

Semester One, 294.741: Intelligence in the International Security Environment A critical examination of intelligence theory and practice, focusing on key concepts and methodologies of intelligence collection and analysis, analytical tools, frameworks and concepts applied to investigations and operations in the contemporary international security environment. Course Controller: Dr Rhys Ball, Centre for Defence and Security Studies (Auckland) Semester Two, 294.744: Intelligence Operations A comprehensive grounding in the operational intelligence environment in the second half of the 20th century, into the 21st century. Participants will consider the development of intelligence practices both in New Zealand and around the world, and the evolution of intelligence contributions from the end of World War Two, to the intelligence challenges of the 2020s. Intelligence operations are critically reviewed, including intelligence success and intelligence failure, espionage against friends and allies, policing and private intelligence formats. Course Controller: Dr John Battersby, Teaching Fellow, Centre for Defence and Security Studies (Wellington)

To enroll in this qualification, students must have been awarded or qualified for a relevant Bachelor's degree, or be able to demonstrate scholarly work in conjunction with extensive relevant professional experience for Admission with Equivalent Status.

For further information, please contact CDSS@massey.ac.nz