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Bill & Coline Neilson Legacy Fund Award

The Bill and Coline Neilson Legacy Fund honours the lifelong commitment of Bill and Coline Neilson to education, global engagement, and cross-cultural understanding. In keeping with these values and vision, this fund supports an annual award for one University of Victoria Faculty of Law student to participate in a student exchange at a partner institution in the Asia-Pacific or Australasian region.

The award enables students to engage in international legal studies and broaden their academic and cultural perspectives by spending a term immersed in a partner university abroad. It is designed to foster global citizenship, academic excellence, and a deeper understanding of legal systems beyond Canada's borders. In an increasingly interconnected world, the fund helps prepare UVic Law students to be thoughtful, informed, and adaptive practitioners capable of working in diverse legal and cultural contexts.

Bill and Coline Neilson believed in the power of international education to shape lives and strengthen communities. Their gift reflects a commitment to advancing global learning opportunities for future legal professionals. The Neilson family is deeply committed to values of pluralism, inclusion, and respect for difference—including recognition of the importance of honouring neurodivergence and embracing the strengths it brings to academic and professional environments.

Whether studying human rights law in Australia, a public law term in Thailand, or comparative constitutional law in Singapore, recipients of the award will carry forward the Neilsons' legacy of open-minded inquiry, intellectual curiosity, and meaningful exchange. The Bill and Coline Neilson Legacy Fund embodies the University of Victoria's dedication to experiential learning, international collaboration, and academic enrichment. Through this award, UVic Law students are empowered to explore new ideas, contribute to global dialogues, and return with experiences that enrich the UVic community as a whole.