Trinity College grounds on a beautiful sunny day

Visiting Scholars and Lectureships

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

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.

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.

  • Justice Janak De Silva
  • Associate Professor Colleen Butcher-Gollach
  • Professor David Tan
  • Professor Lawrence Gostin
  • Kelly Roberts