The Asian Law Centre (ALC) is devoted to the development of our understanding of Asian law and legal systems.
ALC commenced activities in 1985 and is the first and largest centre of its type in Australia. The Centre has pioneered extensive programs of teaching and research on the laws and legal systems of a wide range of countries and jurisdictions in the Asian region, including Japan, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, Islamic law and Timor Leste. Its work and engagement activities have also included Korea, Thailand, Laos and the Philippines.
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Asian Legal Conversations
Discusses country- and territory-specific issues from a range of sources.
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Australian Journal of Asian Law
A forum for debate for scholars and professionals concerned with the laws and legal cultures of Asia.
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ALC Briefing Paper Series
The Asian Law Centre publishes a series of Briefing Papers, which aims to increase understanding of current legal issues arising in the legal systems of Asian countries.
Stay connected
The Asian Law Centre is engaged in a number of innovative and important research projects relating to Asian law and Asian legal studies in Australia and overseas.
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Research Programs
Each member of the Asian Law Centre is responsible for a specific research program related to a country or area of interest.
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Research Grants
List of research projects currently undertaken by members of the Asian Law Centre.
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Publications
The Asian Law Centre supports various publications, including the Australian Journal of Asian Law. It also publishes its own series of Briefing Papers.
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Resources
The Asian Law Centre aims to provide resources about Asian law and Asian legal studies. Its online bibliographic databases include Asian Law Online and Rule of Law Online.
Events
News
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Asian Law Centre academic staff teach in both the Melbourne JD and Melbourne Law Masters programs, and supervise Graduate Research Students.
Melbourne JD
The Melbourne JD is the only degree offered by Melbourne Law School that leads to admission to the legal profession in all Australian jurisdictions, and can be used as a basis for seeking admission in many law jurisdictions overseas.
Students have the flexibility to pursue particular areas of interest through elective subject selection, such as Asian and Islamic Law subjects. Offering more than 35 electives each year, the JD program continually evolves to reflect current developments in law and legal practice.
For further information on the Melbourne JD, please visit the Melbourne JD website.
Malcolm DH Smith Memorial Scholarship
The Malcolm DH Smith Memorial Scholarship assists a first-year Melbourne JD student who has completed an undergraduate law degree or a degree majoring in Asian studies at a tertiary institution in Australia or Asia.
Melbourne Law Masters
The Melbourne Law Masters offers masters degrees and graduate diplomas across specialist legal areas to deepen knowledge and understanding in a general or specialised area of law, including in Asian Law and Islamic Law.
For further information, as well as information concerning entry requirements, please visit the Melbourne Law Masters website.
Graduate Research Degree (GRD) Supervision
Members of the ALC supervise a large number or Graduate Research Degree (GRD) students. If you would like to be considered for GRD supervision, please contact the relevant academic member of staff directly.
Current ALC Graduate Research Students
For further information about Graduate Research Degrees, please visit the Graduate Research Degrees website.
ALC is devoted to the development of our understanding of Asian law and legal systems.
Aims and objectives
Promoting understanding
Improve knowledge and understanding of regional laws and support the rule of law in Asia.
Building knowledge
Advance teaching and research on Asian legal systems and promote the importance of comparative law in Asian studies and research.
Interdisciplinary
Promote the development of Asian studies and Asian languages in other disciplines, and encourage links with legal studies.
Collaboration
Facilitate knowledge exchange and networking between the Melbourne Law School and Asian universities and institutions.
The Asian Law Centre (ALC) commenced activities in 1985 and is the first and largest Australian centre devoted to the development of our understanding of Asian law and legal systems. Since its establishment, the Asian Law Centre has gradually expanded its membership and the scope of its research and teaching.
The ALC has pioneered extensive programs of teaching and research on the laws and legal systems of a wide range of countries and jurisdictions in the Asian region, including Japan, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, Islamic law and Timor Leste. Its work and engagement activities have also included Korea, Thailand, Laos and the Philippines.
The ALC is closely linked to the Melbourne Law School's Centre for Indonesian Law, Islam and Society (CILIS), as CILIS has grown out of the ALC's longstanding programmes on Indonesian law. Professor Tim Lindsey is the Director of CILIS and remains an Associate Director of the ALC.
Seminars and Conferences
The ALC hosts an interesting and challenging program of activities, including student workshops and seminars such as the Occasional Seminar Series, the Brown Bag Seminar Series and Asian Legal Dialogues. The ALC also hosts regular conferences on Asian law-related areas of study.
Australian Journal of Asian Law
The ALC jointly publishes the Australian Journal of Asian Law with the University of Washington at Seattle and the Australian National University. A peer-refereed scholarly journal, the AJAL is edited from Melbourne and is now a leading forum for debate for scholars and professionals concerned with the laws and legal cultures of Asia.
Research
The ALC is associated with a number of research projects on topics such as Reforms in China, Islamic law, Dispute Resolution and Media Law.
Scholarship
The Malcolm DH Smith Memorial Scholarship assists a first-year Melbourne JD student who has completed an undergraduate law degree or a degree majoring in Asian studies at a tertiary institution in Australia or Asia.
Annual reports
The ALC publishes an Annual Report of its activities each year.
If you have any queries about any of the activities or research of ALC, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Our history
Since the Centre was established, Directors have included:
- 1985-2000
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Professor Malcolm Smith
- 2000-2012
- 2013-2017
- 2018-current