15 minutes in Canberra

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to work in foreign policy? Canberra is buzzing with seasoned foreign affairs and strategic policy experts, but for newcomers and mid-tier professionals, the ‘Canberra bubble’ can be tricky to navigate.

Join host Hayley Channer on the ground as she speaks with colleagues from government, academia, and the private sector, to bring you their unique policy insights and career advice in a neat 15 minutes.  

Based in Canberra, Australia, Hayley Channer is a Senior Policy Fellow at the Perth USAsia Centre.

Chasing a career focused on the UN, peacekeeping, and protection of civilians

At a time when Australia’s political confidence in multilateralism has been waning and less attention is being paid by Australia to Africa, now is a good time to reflect on the experiences of someone closely engaged in these areas. 

Lisa Sharland works for the Stimson Centre with the Protecting the Civilians in Conflict Program. She has spent time working at the United Nations as the Defence Policy Advisor to the Australian Mission and spent the last seven years in Canberra working for the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) as its Head of International Program.  

On 15 minutes in Canberra, Lisa explains what it means to work in an area charged with the protection of civilians in conflict, gives her take on whether Africa should be considered part of the Indo-Pacific, and provides tips and tricks for people interested in a career in this field.