Cornelia Koch

Ms Cornelia Koch

Senior Lecturer

Adelaide Law School

Faculty of Arts, Business, Law and Economics


Cornelia's interests are in public law, particularly constitutional law and human rights, and comparative law. Much of her research is on issues related to human rights. She has a strong interest in the public law relating to First Nations Peoples, including the South Australian First Nations Voice.

Cornelia is an Education Specialist and a Member of the Adelaide Education Academy. She has won teaching prizes at national, university and faculty level. She contributes to the scholarship of learning and teaching through conference presentations and publications. Currently she focusses on involving students in public advocacy on contemporary issues and work-integrated learning through internship courses.

Cornelia is a member of the Public Law and Policy Research Unit, University of Adelaide, and a member of the Convening Committee of the Australian Association of Constitutional Law (SA Chapter). She is also a member of the Rights Resource Network SA, the International Association of Constitutional Law, Australian Lawyers for Human Rights and the Australasian Law Academics Association.

Cornelia's research interests are in public law, particularly constitutional law and human rights, and comparative law. Much of her research is on issues related to human rights and currently she is pursuing projects on children's right to bodily integrity and autonomy. In this research she looks at how the law engages with male and female circumcision as well as genital surgery on children with an intersex variation.

As an Education Specialist and Member of the Adelaide Education Academy, Cornelia contributes to the scholarship of learning and teaching through conference presentations and publications. Currently she focusses on work-integrated learning through internship courses, inquiry based learning and the flipped classroom methodology.

Cornelia is an Education Specialist and a Member of the Adelaide Education Academy. She loves to work with students and see them engage with new concepts that expand their horizons. Seeing students develop throughout their time at uni is a real joy for her. Cornelia teaches undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Comparative Law, Constitutional Law, Principles of Public Law and coordinates the Law and Justice Internship.

Cornelia has won the following tertiary teaching awards: 

2022 Nominee, Australian Legal Education Awards (ALEA), Excellence in Teaching category (Team nomination with Matthew Stubbs)

2021 Nominee, Australian Legal Education Awards (ALEA), Excellence in Teaching category (Team nomination with Matthew Stubbs)

2020 University Award for Outstanding Achievement for 'A Connected and Enriched Community - An Award for Promoting a Diverse and Inclusive Culture', The University of Adelaide (Embedding Indigenous Knowledges Team)

2020 Special Commendation - COVID19 Emergency Teaching Response, The University of Adelaide (Team Award with Anna Olijnyk)

2020 Executive Dean Awards - Employability Award, Faculty of the Professions, The University of Adelaide (Team Award with Laura Grenfell and Anne Hewitt)

2020 Australian Awards for University Teaching (AAUT), Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning (Team Award with Matthew Stubbs)

2019 Nominee, Australian Awards for University Teaching (AAUT), Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning (Team nomination with Matthew Stubbs)

2016  Beacon Commendation for the Enhancement and Innovation of Student Learning
Category: Enhancing student learning through Small Group Discovery Experiences
The University of Adelaide (Team award with Matthew Stubbs and Adam Webster)

2010  Nominee, Australian Learning and Teaching Council Award for Excellence in Teaching
(Team nomination with Anne Hewitt, Margaret Castles and Andrew Ligertwood)

2009 Australian Learning and Teaching Council Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning
for the Development of a Suite of Law Courses Designed to Facilitate Student Learning of Legal Theory by Immersion in Simulated Legal Practice
(Team Award with Anne Hewitt, Andrew Ligertwood, Margaret Castles and Matthew Stubbs)

2008 Stephen Cole the Elder Award for Excellence in Team Teaching

2008 The Executive Dean of the Professions Prize for Excellence in Teaching (Undergraduate Teaching) (Team Teaching)

2007 Runner-Up for The Executive Dean of the Professions Prize for Excellence in Teaching (Undergraduate Teaching) (Team Teaching)

2006 Nominee for Stephen Cole the Elder Prize for Excellence in Teaching (Undergraduate Teaching) (Individual Teacher)

  • Committee Memberships

    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2006 - ongoing Member Convening Committee, South Australian Chapter Australian Association of Constitutional Law Australia
  • Memberships

    Date Role Membership Country
    2019 - ongoing Member Rights Resource Network SA Australia
    2017 - ongoing Member Australasian Law Teachers Association Australia
    2016 - ongoing Member Australian Lawyers for Human Rights Australia
    2014 - ongoing Member Public Law and Policy Research Unit, The University of Adelaide Australia
    2006 - ongoing Member International Association of Constitutional Law Australia
    2004 - ongoing Member Australian Association of Constitutional Law Australia
  • Position: Senior Lecturer
  • Phone: 83135713
  • Email: cornelia.koch@adelaide.edu.au
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Ligertwood, floor 3
  • Org Unit: Adelaide Law School

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