POLS3206 Policy Challenges of Asia-Pacific Security

Associate Professor Melissa Curley
School of Political Science and International Studies

Course overview

• Workshop and seminar
• Level: undergraduate, third year
• Size: medium class – approximately 75 students

POLS3206 is a third-year International Relations elective that builds expertise in Asia-Pacific security and policy writing. Through workshops, practitioner-led activities, and authentic assessments, students develop professional policy skills while critically engaging with the ethical use of AI and data validation in policy development.

Teaching tools and techniques

• Keywords: Academic/practitioner collaboration–interactive problem-based learning–flipped classroom–multi-modal learning activities

Pre-assigned seminar tasks to focus time in class on group work and interaction. Two specialist Writing Workshops by Public Policy practitioner to help student develop writing skills relevant to governmentt and non-profit organisations.

Lecturer's biography
Dr Curley is an Associate Professor in International relations and a member of the HEA@UQ network. She is interested in research-led learning in the undergraduate curriculum and faciliating and teaching students how to improve the flexibility of their writing for academic, government and policy environments.

Dr Prudence Brown is an academic with rich practitioner experience. She adapts her professional experience to scholarly frameworks and academic debates to create learning experiences grounded in the real world. She is motivated by a love of learning and a desire to share her knowledge and experience with students and have a real impact on public sector effectiveness.