Information for visitors

The Law School is housed in the Old Government Buildings in downtown Wellington, steeped in New Zealand’s legal and political history. Located near Parliament, the Supreme Court of New Zealand, and government ministries, the Law School offers a unique environment for engaging with all three branches of New Zealand’s government as well as the legal profession.

Visitors to the Law School are typically law faculty members, jurists, or experienced practitioners with a defined research agenda that would be advanced by engagement and collaboration with members of the Law Faculty. Visitors are normally based at the Law School for a minimum of two weeks and a maximum of a full academic trimester, with preference given to those staying for longer durations. Our trimesters respectively run from March to June (Trimester 1), July to October (Trimester 2) and November to February (Trimester 3). Visits of longer than a trimester may be approved in exceptional circumstances.

Visitors are expected to pursue a well-defined research project while at the Law School and to contribute to academic life by delivering and participating in faculty research seminars and/or public events. During teaching periods, visitors may, with permission of the lecturers, attend courses offered at the Law School.

A dedicated workspace, shared computer facilities, printing, photocopying, Internet and library access privileges will be provided for each visitor. For visits exceeding two weeks, a flat fee will be charged for the use of the facilities unless a waiver has been secured in advance.

Application Process

Applications to the Visitors Programme are accepted at any time of the year and will be considered by the Visitors Committee on a rolling basis. To ensure that the Committee has sufficient time to process the application, prospective visitors should submit their applications at least two months prior to their intended visit. Interested scholars and practitioners are invited to read carefully the terms and conditions and to apply as much in advance as possible.

Due to space and resource constraints, only a small number of visitors can be accommodated at any time. In the selection process, the Law School considers the nature of the proposal, the expected duration of the research, prior academic or professional experience, and the potential for collaboration with members of the Law Faculty.

The Law School does not provide financial support for travel, accommodation, living expenses or medical insurance cover. Visitors are responsible for ensuring that they have the correct travel documentation, including visas. It is the visitor’s responsibility to obtain an appropriate visa as necessary.

The following information will be required in the application:

1. A completed Law School Visitors Programme Application Form.
2. A proposed research statement.
3. An updated curriculum vitae, including a list of prior publications, experiences, and qualifications.

In addition, applicants are strongly encouraged to contact an appropriate member of the Law Faculty or a Research Centre to seek their agreement to host the visit, and include an email or message documenting the correspondence with their application.

Completed applications and any queries should be sent by email to LawSchool-Visitors@vuw.ac.nz.