2025 Borrin Foundation – Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Postgraduate Scholarship Recipient Announced
The Michael and Suzanne Borrin Foundation is pleased to announce Kelly Mitchell (Ngāti Māhanga) as the recipient of the 2025 Borrin Foundation – Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Postgraduate Scholarship.
For the fifth year, the Borrin Foundation and Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, New Zealand’s Māori Centre of Research Excellence, have partnered to support the aspirations of Māori scholars undertaking postgraduate legal study.
Kelly Mitchell (Ngāti Māhanga) has been selected to receive $64,702 to pursue a PhD in law at the University of Victoria, British Columbia. Her research will explore how Māori legal theory can inform the constitutional role of the judiciary within a Tiriti-consistent legal landscape in Aotearoa New Zealand. Kelly is an Assistant Lecturer in Law at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington and an emerging scholar in Māori jurisprudence and constitutional law. Her work builds on her Master of Laws research and reflects a commitment to strengthening Māori-led scholarship within legal academia.
The Honourable David Goddard KC, Chair of the Borrin Foundation Grants and Scholarships Committee, says:
“The Borrin Foundation is committed to supporting Māori legal scholarship and investing in people who will help shape the future of Aotearoa New Zealand’s legal system. Kelly’s scholarship reflects both the depth of her thinking and her commitment to pursuing her research at the highest level.”
Professor Melinda Webber, Co-Director of Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, says:
“We are proud to partner with the Borrin Foundation to support outstanding Māori legal scholars. This scholarship is about backing tauira who are advancing Te Ao Māori and contributing to a more just and inclusive legal future. Kelly exemplifies that kaupapa, and we are excited to see the impact of her research.”
Upcoming Individual Funding Opportunities
The current round of applications for Borrin Foundation Fellowships and Travel and Learning Awards is now open and will close at 12pm on 7 April 2026.
This round includes:
• Borrin Foundation Justice Fellowship
• Borrin Foundation Women Leaders in Law Fellowship
• Borrin Foundation Community Law Fellowship
• Travel and Learning Awards
Information on eligibility criteria and how to apply can be found here: https://www.borrinfoundation.nz/fellowshipsawards/
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MORE INFORMATION
The Michael and Suzanne Borrin Foundation was established in 2018 through a $38 million bequest by the late Judge Ian Borrin. It is a philanthropic organisation which supports legal research, education, and scholarship. The Foundation’s current strategic areas of focus are the criminal justice system, family law and access to civil justice.
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