Centre for Environmental Law (MU-CEL)
Macquarie University has a strong history of involvement in environmental studies and our Centre for Environmental Law was one of Australia 's first. It has been formally recognised as a Centre of Excellence within the University and also functions as the Department of Environmental Law (DEL) within the Division of Law. MU- CEL members hold joint appointments in the Law Division and teach in their programs through the Department of Environmental Law.
The Centre’s research and teaching is enhanced by its members enjoying a wide range of legal practice and judicial experience in environmental law and related areas. Much of our research work adopts interdisciplinary and collaborative approaches.
MU-CEL builds on the research strengths of its academic staff and focuses on international, comparative and national environmental law, climate change, biodiversity, marine law and oceans governance, planning and local government law, pollution law, corporate environmental law, Indigenous peoples and environmental rights, trade and environment, and environmental litigation and mediation.
We offer post-graduate degrees in Environmental Law to both lawyers and non-lawyers.
MU-CEL has co-operative research and teaching arrangments with several overseas universities including the National University of Singapore (Asia Pacific Centre for Environmental Law); Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Japan; the Indigenous Peoples and Law Program at the University of Arizona; the Washington College of Law, American University, Washington DC; WWF - India; Pace University, USA and the United Nations University, Institute of Advanced Studies, Tokyo.
MU-CEL is a member of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and Macquarie University , through MU-CEL, is a founding member of the IUCN's Academy of Environmental Law . Its members are active in a wide range of other national, international, industry, government and community organisations.
The Centre encourages student and staff exchanges and each year hosts a number of distinguished academics from the international environmental law community around the world through its Distinguished Visiters Program.
We also offer a postgraduate “clinical” course (unit), which places students with international and national organizations to work on environmental law research projects. Students may also undertake one semester and two semester dissertation units. Many MU-CEL students publish their research papers and they are encouraged by Centre staff in this process. A number of our Masters student enroll in PhD programs, after completion, and receive scholarships for this further study.
Students are encouraged to participate in MU-CEL activities (such as conferences and workshops), research projects and the production of the Macquarie Journal of International and Comparative Environmental Law through a volunteer program (see links on this website for details). Undergraduate students may also enroll in a unit and be assessed for the work that they undertake on the Journal (contact Ms. Susan Shearing).