The participants in this edition, which took place in Madrid and Galicia, were four representatives of prominent Australian think tanks
Think tanks have become a useful, indispensable tool to analyse and understand the global economic and political changes that have taken place in recent years. Australia is one of the most prominent countries in the new world order, both due to its geographical location in the key Asia-Pacific area and its characteristics as a nation, given that its robust economy was barely impacted by the global economic crisis.
The country is also a hotspot for many Spanish companies seeking to expand internationally, mainly due to its attractive infrastructure projects and its commitment to renewable energies, although Spanish companies in Australia also operate in many other areas. The fact that Spanish companies are leaders in many fields has been their passport into the country, which tends to be meticulous and efficient in doing business and highly demanding of companies seeking to access the market.
For all these reasons, the Spain Australia Council Foundation invited a select group of representatives of Australian think tanks to Spain. The objective was to gain first-hand insight into all aspects defining Australia and its place in the world, as well as giving those reputed analysts and opinion-leaders an overview of the Spanish economy and its potential in various areas, including technology, business, culture and education. In turn, the meetings and visits organised sought to create a contact network that will serve as a foundation to increase cooperation between the two countries.
The Programme took place in Madrid and Galicia from March 27th to March 31st. One of the main activities on the agenda was the "Spain-Australia Dialogue: Reflections before a changing world", which took place in March 30 with the support of Fundación Garrigues. The event was also attended by SICF’s patron of honour, Antonio Garrigues Walker. The participants in the Australian Leaders Programme took part in two roundtables with a select group of representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, GESTAMP, ESADE, Universidad Pontificia de Comillas ICAI-ICADE and Fundación Alternativas.
III Australian Leaders Programme: Activity summary
