Program Overview

Course Overview

The course PUBL 310, Complexity and Collaboration in Public Policy, explores modern theoretical thinking on policy and collaborative governance arrangements. Students extend their policy skills by learning how to examine the relationships between policy design, participatory policy processes, and institutions. Best practices worldwide are illustrated for complex policy challenges facing 21st-century societies.

Course Details

• Dates: 23 February 2026 to 21 June 2026
• Starts: Trimester 1
• Fees:
  • NZ$1,360.00 for domestic students
  • NZ$6,257.60 for international students
• Lecture Start Times: Thursday, 10:30 am
• Campus: Pipitea
• Estimated Workload: Approximately 200 hours or 11.8 hours per week for 17 weeks
• Points: 20 points

Entry Restrictions

• Prerequisites: PUBL 201, PUBL 210
• Corequisites: None
• Restrictions: None

Course Objectives

Students who pass this course should be able to:

1. Analyse complex, multi-jurisdictional policy challenges and identify opportunities for policy entrepreneurship and leadership.
2. Compare and contrast contemporary frameworks of governance and policy processes to determine their suitability for tackling complex problems.
3. Design effective strategies for the facilitation of collaborative policy processes and management of conflict resolution in policy settings.
4. Select analytical strategies and options in light of uncertainty and complexity, by developing innovative policy arrangements and mechanisms of good governance.
5. Demonstrate skills in written communication tailored for a variety of audiences.

How This Course is Taught

This course is optimised for face-to-face delivery on campus. All lectures will be recorded and available throughout the course. Tutorials are available face-to-face with at least one Zoom option and are not recorded. There are no assessments requiring in-person attendance.

Assessment

• Policy Innovation Challenge (2,500-3,000 words): Group Work, 40%
• A Blog Opinion Piece About a Recent Public Sector Innovation Initiative (900-1,000 words): Individual, 20%
• Complexity Analysis Essay (2,500-3,000 words): Individual, 40%

Mandatory Requirements

There are no mandatory course requirements for this course.

Lecture Times and Rooms

• 23 February 2026 to 5 April 2026
• 20 April 2026 to 31 May 2026

What You'll Need to Get

You do not need to get any texts or equipment for this course.

Course Coordinator and Administrator

• Dr. Kemi Igiebor: Course Coordinator
• Kenny Childs: Course Administrator

Past Versions of This Course

You may be able to access older versions of this course through the course archive.

Student Feedback

You can search for and read previous students' feedback on this course through the student feedback database.