The AIIA National Conference

“The AIIA National Conference has been a part of [the national] conversation, providing an opportunity for a cross section of the foreign policy community to come together and to share perspectives on the challenges and opportunities that we have faced as a nation.”

-Then Foreign Minister Senator the Honourable Marise Payne, 2018.

The AIIA National Conference is Australia’s leading event on Australian foreign policy. Usually running annually, the conference has hosted many distinguished guests who shape the nation’s policies including ministers, academics, top government officials and industry leaders. The day brings together some of Australia’s most prominent international affairs experts examining new developments in international affairs and the place of Australian foreign policy within them.

The conference regularly draws around 400 attendees. In the last national conference, in 2022, attendees included 20 ambassadors, officials from 12 government departments, engagement by participants from more than 20 of Australia’s most prestigious tertiary education institutions and guests from around 30 countries. Masterclasses attract highly-engaged early-career professionals and tertiary students from around Australia, allowing selected participants to engage in intimate discussions with experts in international affairs.