About the position
The Faculty of Law is calling for expressions of interest from Law graduates wishing to complete a PhD. Please see below for details of proposed area of research. These are preliminary questions. Further research by the HDR Candidate can lead to refinement of the specific research questions:
| No. | Topic | Outline |
| 1 | PhD in Social Licence to Operate (SLO) in the Australian Live Export sector: Regulatory Challenges and International Trade implications. The successful applicant’s doctoral thesis will be supervised by Dr Umair Ghori as Principal Supervisor along with another Associate Supervisor (TBA) and will seek to answer the following research questions: | 1. What factors have prompted intrusion of social licences beyond the mining sector? Is this because of general disillusionment with institutional regulation? 2. Who are the issuers and custodians of social licences? Do the issuers and custodians of social licences also regulate the regulators? 3. Impact and fallout of allowing social licences to become part of the regulatory landscape? 4. Engagement with foreign stakeholders on compliance with social licences? These are preliminary questions. Further research by the HDR Candidate can lead to refinement of the specific research questions. |
| 2 | PhD in the area of Corporate Law and Corporate Social Responsibility. The successful applicant’s doctoral thesis will be supervised by Associate Professor Ying Chen as Principal Supervisor and Professor Benedict Sheehy as external Associate Supervisor and will explore one of the following research projects in Corporate Law Reform, including but not limited to: | 1. Non-financial reporting 2. Stakeholder rights and CSR 3. Normative and positive sustainability focused corporate law reform 4. CSR in a comparative perspective |
| 3 | PhD in Law focusing on international trade law and food security. The successful applicant’s doctoral thesis will be supervised by Dr Umair Ghori as Principal Supervisor and Dr Ying Chen as Associate Supervisor and will seek to answer research questions linked to the project theme, including but not limited to: | 1. What factors drive global food security narratives? 2. Are the current international trade mechanisms under WTO law effective in ensuring food security for nations on the Global Hunger Index (GHI)? 3. The questionable role of export restrictions on food staples? 4. Climate change factors and the use of climate funds to meet food needs of nations on GHI? 5. Food security as a fundamental human right and the effectiveness of current international mechanism (including WTO and beyond)? 6. Engagement with foreign stakeholders on food security? 7. Food security in producer nations versus the interests of net food importers. |
| 4 | PhD in the area of banking and/or central banking law. The successful applicant’s doctoral thesis will be supervised by Dr Louise Parsons as Principal Supervisor and a panel of experienced supervisors, depending on the research area. The thesis may address research questions and topics such as: | 1. The relevance of legislated central bank mandates: does limited enforcement mechanisms detract from their efficacy? 2. Regulating the regulator: the central bank as an independent operator and regulator 3. Requiring private banks to perform public functions: should commercial banks accept more liability for business email compromise and similar fraud? 4. Requiring private banks to perform public functions: The inherent difficulties associated with making banks responsible for detecting money-laundering and terrorism-financing, and other fraud. |
| 5 | PhD in the area of comparative private law examining options for remedies arising from claims for distress or emotional harm short of diagnosed psychosocial injury. The successful applicant’s doctoral thesis will be supervised by a panel comprising Associate Professors Louise Parsons and Associate Professors Wendy Bonython and will seek to answer the following research questions: | 1. What, if any, remedies are available through private law (tort, equity, contract) in Australia and comparable jurisdictions for distress and emotional injuries? 2. What, if any, remedies are available under legislation in Australia and comparable jurisdictions for distress and emotional injury? 3. What international laws apply to govern access to remedies for emotional injury or distress occurring outside the scope of domestic private law or statutory coverage? 4. How, and importantly why, do laws distinguish distress and emotional injury from other more widely recognised forms of psychosocial harm? |
| 6 | PhD in Law and Technology (legal education/copyright law) The successful applicant’s doctoral thesis will be supervised by an experienced panel led by Dr Francina Cantatore as Principal Supervisor along with another Associate Supervisor (TBA) and will explore one of the following research projects in Law and Technology, including but not limited to: | 1. The effectiveness of technology use in clinical legal education 2. The use of virtual reality in legal education 3. The impact of large language models on copyright law 4. The regulation of copyright in the metaverse |
About the person
Selection Criteria for these opportunities include the following:
Essential:
• A Master of Laws, Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Laws with Honours
• Excellent legal analysis and legal writing skills
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills and a demonstrated ability to work in teams
• Evidence of project management and organisational skills, including the ability to achieve goals and deliver outcomes within a specified time period
Desirable:
• Demonstrated interest in the research area.
• Experience undertaking a substantial research project (e.g. Masters thesis or Honours thesis)
• Publication in a peer-reviewed journal
• Capacity to seek external funding with support from supervisors
In addition to high quality, personalised supervision and access to the full range of facilities available to Bond University students, the successful applicant will be entitled to the following benefits:
• Tuition fee waiver: The Australian Government’s Research Training Program (RTP) scheme provides tuition fee waivers for eligible Australian and New Zealand citizens, and Australian permanent residents enrolled in higher degree programs such as a PhD. The tuition waiver lasts the duration of the program.
• Support in applying for a scholarship: The successful applicant will be encouraged and supported to apply for the Living Stipend Scholarship at Bond University. The RTP also provides a limited number of scholarships for PhD students by way of a living stipend. Application is made through a competitive round held twice a year (closing 31 March and 30 September).
• Employment opportunities: The successful applicant may be provided with research assistant work within the Faculty of Law. Employment will be subject to the conditions of the PhD program and the terms of any scholarship awarded.
The successful applicant will need to meet all Bond University requirements for entry into the PhD program and achieve the milestones required by the University throughout their doctoral program. It is also a requirement that the successful applicant be based full-time at the Gold Coast campus.
Additional information
Why study at Bond?
The Bond Faculty of Law has a reputation for providing the best professional legal education in the country, and we leverage that reputation to attract exceptional law students and establish useful professional and institutional partnerships. We offer a suite of academically rigorous and professionally focussed law programs, delivered in an engaging and innovative manner by exceptional law teachers. We demonstrate an outstanding student service ethic, offer an engaging and satisfying student experience, and prioritise student wellbeing. We engage in high quality, impactful research in niche areas of research excellence.
The successful applicant will have the opportunity to work alongside highly respected senior academics conducting leading-edge research.
Application and submission details
How to submit an expression of interest
Please submit your expression of interest via email to the faculty at [email protected].
Your EOI must include:
• The number and title of the position you are applying for
• A written statement (maximum of 2 pages) describing your interest in the research project and your capacity to answer the research questions
• A written statement (maximum of 2 pages) addressing the selection criteria set out above
• A current curriculum vitae including the names of two academic referees
• Your academic transcripts
• An example of your written academic work (e.g. Honours thesis, peer-reviewed journal article, law essay or assignment)
For all enquiries related to this position, please contact the faculty on [email protected].