Get the skills and knowledge to help you advance your career in policy development.
IS THIS COURSE RIGHT FOR YOU?
Are you a policy specialist seeking the skills and knowledge to formulate, advise and implement strategic policy outcomes?
Could your career benefit from a better understanding of all aspects of the policymaking process?
This revised course offers the opportunity to assess the perspective you bring as a policy practitioner. This includes learning more about taking an evaluative approach to policymaking and reflecting on the influence you can wield in achieving policy objectives.
An understanding of policy development was identified by the NSW Public Sector leaders as one of the Skills for Success that all public servants now need. This course builds the knowledge built in our Policy Basics course.
Whether you are an experienced policy formulator or putting together advanced policy analysis, this course will build on your existing knowledge and experience to give you a fulsome understanding of the intricacies of policy development across the government.
WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?
You will finish the course knowing you can:
- respond to risks, opportunities and challenges in policy development.
- anticipate factors that shape the policy process, including responsibilities at different levels of government and stakeholder interests.
- use evidence to support sound, well-informed policy decisions, and to plan for monitoring and evaluation of policy performance over time.
- design a program logic that links policy actions to intended results.
TOPICS COVERED
- Intergovernmental coordination challenges, including addressing data gaps for evidence-informed policy design.
- Using stakeholder consultation to obtain meaningful inputs.
- Building program logic and theory of change into proposals with financial and risk assessments.
- Working from a structured problem analysis to develop implementation, monitoring and evaluation planning.
Policy Development Advanced is for people at the Adept to Advanced levels and you will develop the following capabilities:
- Relationships: Influence and negotiate
- Results: Deliver results
- Results: Think and solve problems
The course is also mapped to IPAA
Policy topic area.
PATHWAYS
Policy Development Advanced is part of the following Pathways: Public Sector Essentials: Policy.
Find out more here.
COURSE DETAILS
This course is scheduled for delivery in 2026, please visit our scheduled courses page to register now and secure your spot.
If you have a group of 5 or more, please reach out to [email protected], for an in-house course and our Learning team will be in touch.
Be at your best, for NSW.
Register now to secure your spot.
PRICING
Professional Member: $1085.00
Affiliate Member: $1190.00
Non-member: $1305.00
WHICH POLICY COURSE IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
|
Course Name
|
Policy Development Fundamentals |
Policy Development Intermediate |
Policy Development Advanced |
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Course Description
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New to policy development? This course is designed for those starting out in public sector policy roles or anyone looking to understand how policy shapes public service work.
Learn about research, problem analysis, outcome design, policy history, and effective collaboration. Gain the skills to navigate whole-of-government approaches and empower communities through policy. Perfect for newcomers or anyone keen to deepen their understanding of policy’s essential role.
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Looking to deepen your understanding of the policy cycle? This course explores research methods, problem-solving approaches, and the political factors shaping policy.
Learn about the Cabinet’s role in decision-making and the processes that drive effective policy development. Ideal for those ready to build on their existing policy knowledge.
|
This course is designed for policy specialists aiming to enhance their skills in creating, advising, and implementing strategic policy outcomes.
Explore the entire policymaking process—definition, development, implementation, and evaluation—while understanding the influence of the political system and the role of consultation in achieving goals. This course includes learning more about the impact of the political system on policymaking, and the importance of internal and external consultation in achieving policy objectives. |
| Who is this for |
This course is ideal for anyone newly stepping into a policy development role or who wants to understand how policy underpins the work we all do. For people with 1 year or less of policy experience or at the foundational level of the NSW Public Sector capabilities listed below.
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For people who have worked in policy for 1 to 3 years who want a comprehensive overview of key policy theories and instruments, or who have achieved intermediate level of the NSW Public Sector capabilities listed below. |
For people who have worked in policy at a high level for more than 3 years who want reflect on, analyse and learn from their policy experience with other senior policy practitioners, or who have achieved adept to advanced levels of the NSW Public Sector capabilities listed below. |
| Format |
Virtual |
Virtual |
Virtual |
| Duration |
2 x Half days |
2 x Half days |
2 x Half days |
| Capabilities covered |
• People management: Manage reform and change
• Results: think and solve problems |
• Plan and Prioritise: plan to achieve priority outcomes and respond flexibly to changing circumstances
• Results: think and solve problems |
• People Management: manage reform and change
• Results: delivers results |
| Price Guide (see course outlines for more details) |
$950 |
$1150 |
$1190 |
| Course Link |
Learn More |
Learn More |
Learn More |