Visiting Scholars

Each year, exceptional scholars and thought leaders visit Trinity and contribute to our intellectual development and aspirations.

Scholar categories
Visiting scholar activities
Endowed visiting lectureships

Previous visiting scholars

Previous visiting scholars have included two Nobel laureates in economics, several Miegunyah Fellows, professors from Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge and other leading universities, media dons such as David Starkey CBE, critical theorists such as Terry Eagleton, as well as leading scientists.

Professor David Tan

Head (Intellectual Property) at the EW Barker Centre for Law & Business, and Co-Director of the Centre for Technology, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence & the Law (TRAIL) at NUS Law.

David holds PhD, LLB (First Class Honours) and Bachelor of Commerce degrees from the University of Melbourne and an LLM from Harvard. He was also Valedictorian at Trinity College in 1994. 

At NUS, David pioneered courses in Entertainment Law, Fashion Law, Freedom of Speech and Privacy & Data Protection Law; he has also taught as a visitor at Melbourne Law School, Tsinghua Tokyo (Toida) and University of Hong Kong. His areas of research cover personality rights, copyright, trademarks, freedom of expression and tort law. He has published almost 100 articles, comments, book chapter and op-eds since joining NUS Law in 2008.

David has distinguished himself as a fine art and fashion photographer having had a number of solo exhibitions since 1999, such as Private Moments (presented by TAG Heuer, CNBC Asia and American Express); Visions of Beauty (presented by Versace); Tainted Perfection (presented by Cartier) and 7 Rules (presented by 7 For All Mankind). His photographic works – advertising campaigns, celebrity features and fashion editorials – have appeared in publications such as Vanity Fair, Time, Harper’s Bazaar, and Marie Claire.

Kelly Roberts

'There is an odd sense of normalcy at Trinity in sharing breakfast in the Dining Hall with a preeminent global health expert! For me, a Fireside Chat in my second year inspired me to change my course preference and now I am half way through my Juris Doctor – a pathway I would not have taken if I hadn't met Larry Gostin.' 

Professor Lawrence Gostin

Founding CAS scholar and regular visiting scholar, Founding O'Neill Chair in Global Health Law, and Director, WHO Centre on Public Health Law & Human Rights at Georgetown University

'Trinity College is simply my favourite place on earth. It possesses that rare mixture of a vibrant intellectual community; lively conversation and social engagement; and deep warmth among students, faculty, and staff. It is a special place that forges connections and enduring friendships throughout the world. I consider myself an integral part of Trinity College's social and intellectual fabric, which means so much to me in my life's journey.’

Scholar categories

Invited scholars

For a stay of one week or longer, chiefly to take part in symposia, conferences, master classes or workshops, and whose visit is entirely supported by the College, such as the Gourlay Visiting Professor of Ethics in Business. Trinity would expect to have up to 10 themed scholars in the College in any one year. 

Partnership Scholars, including Meigunyah Fellows

Trinity College is proud to partner with the Faculty of Law at the University of Melbourne, the Miegunyah Committee, University of Melbourne, and other arts, legal, scientific and cultural institutions based in Melbourne. Visiting academics who are working with the University of Melbourne or other institutions (such as Miegunyah Fellows, associates of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and other institutions). A partnership scholar's visit may be subsidised by one quarter to one half, in return for a set number of master classes or other learning opportunities, and one Fireside Chat.   

Visiting scholars

We are currently not accepting casual bookings due to current building works and the resulting limited room availability.  Therefore, Visiting Scholars will be invite only until further notice.

Visiting scholar activities

Engagement activities are negotiated individually between the scholar and the College to reflect the length of stay, the scholar’s interests and availability. Activities might include:

• meeting students at a reception or dine with a Scholar at High Table event
• presenting one Wednesday night to a general audience on as part of our regular Fireside Chat series;
• offering a class(es) or lecture(s) to Foundation Studies or the Theological School;
• participating in a public debate, symposium, forum, lecture or conference sponsored by the College.