ANOTHER cohort of Solomon Islands media leaders have completed the highly prestigious University of New South Wales Australian Graduate School of Management General Manager program, supported by the Australian Government.
Mr Ofani Eremae, President of the Media Association of Solomon Islands and co-owner In-depth Solomons, Ms Elizabeth Osifelo, co-owner Tavuli News, and Mr Benjamin Afuga, administrator of YUMI TOKTOK FORUM, spent ten days in Australia.
This is the third cohort of media leaders from Solomon Islands to complete the program.
The Australian Graduate School of Management’s General Manager program focuses on leadership and business skills and helps executives refine leadership capabilities, functional knowledge, and strategic insight to drive organisational performance.
The 25-person cohort included business executives from Australian companies including Rio Tinto, Woolworths, Standards Australia, and Santo, as well as international participants from New Zealand.
Australian High Commissioner, his Excellency Rod Hilton said Australia is the nambawan media partner in Solomon Islands.
“Our support for the Solomon Islands media sector is long standing; working with all media organisations in Solomon Islands, from print, to radio, to online,” High Commissioner Hilton said.
“Mr Eremae, Ms Osifelo and Mr Afuga are leaders in the media sector and strong executives will lead a strong, independent media sector, which is a central pillar of democracy.”
Mr Ofani Eremae said the training offered the opportunity to learn new management and leadership skills, while providing the opportunity to mingle and interact with some of Australia’s senior managers and company executives.
“The five-day training opened a whole new world of management and decision-making processes for someone like me, because I am new to managing a news outlet and I am leading the Media Association of Solomon Islands at the same time,” Mr Eremae said.
Ms Elizabeth Osifelo said the program was timely because it gave her the opportunity to step back from ‘business as usual’ and look at Tavuli News through a different lens.
“Being in the same room with other CEOs gave me insights which will benefit Tavuli News in the long term. I appreciate the cultural program before the training too as I learned more about Australian history and culture,” Ms Osifello said.
“The training has been beneficial, looking at the current systems in place within the organisation and keeping up with the evolving technology and adapting to best practices in the workplace. Sincere thank you to the Australian Government for enabling this opportunity,” Ms Osifelo said.
Mr Benjamin Afuga said the General Manager program at the Australian Graduate School of Management was an invaluable experience.
“[It offered] fresh perspectives and practical strategies that I can immediately apply in my work,’ Mr Afuga said.
“The insights gained will not only enhance my leadership capabilities, but also contribute positively to the growth and development of Solomon Islands. I’m grateful for the opportunity and look forward to leveraging these learnings for lasting impact.”
Mr Eremae, Ms Osifelo and Mr Afuga served as ambassadors for Solomon Islands while on the course, deepening the partnership between Solomon Islands and Australia by giving other participants a better understanding of Solomon Islands’ history, culture, and ambitions for the future.
Before the commencement of the Australian Graduate School of Management General Manager program, these three leaders participated in a cultural program showcasing Australian arts and sport in Sydney.
Such people-to-people links are key to the closeness of the Solomon Islands – Australia Partnership.
