Professor William Swadling Visits Sunway University for Academic Exchange
Sunway University’s Centre for Commercial Law and Justice (CCLJ) was pleased to welcome Professor William Swadling, Jeffrey Cheah Professorial Fellow and Senior Law Fellow at Brasenose College, Oxford, and Professor of Law at the University of Oxford, for a series of academic sessions and conversations with members of the University community.
The visit provided an opportunity for meaningful exchanges on legal education, teaching and learning, research, and curriculum development. Drawing on his experience at Oxford, Professor Swadling shared perspectives on teaching and learning, including the distinctive role of tutorials in encouraging students to think independently, engage critically and develop their own intellectual voice.
The discussions also explored approaches to legal research and scholarship. Conversations on research methodology offered valuable insights into developing rigorous approaches to research and engaging more deeply with legal questions.
Professor Swadling also spent time engaging with CCLJ’s developing curriculum, offering thoughtful and constructive feedback as the Centre continues to strengthen its academic offerings and consider how best to prepare students for an evolving legal profession.
As part of CCLJ’s broader engagement with the legal profession and Judiciary, CCLJ colleagues and Sunway University senior leadership, together with CCLJ Adjunct Professor Ooi Suan Kim, also paid a courtesy visit to the Chief Justice of Malaysia, YAA Tun Wan Ahmad Farid bin Wan Salleh. The visit provided a valuable opportunity for engagement and dialogue as CCLJ continues to deepen its connections with the Judiciary and legal community and advance the development of legal education at Sunway University.
A highlight of the visit was the Jeffrey Cheah Distinguished Speakers Series lecture, held on 6 August 2026 at the Recital Hall, Sunway University @ Sunway Square. Moderated by Adjunct Professor Suan Kim Mary-Ann Ooi, the lecture was titled “Why Should I Have to Repay a Mistaken Payment?”
The lecture explored the legal principles surrounding mistaken payments, starting with a question that can arise from a seemingly simple everyday situation: what happens when money is transferred to the wrong account, and should the recipient always have to return it?
Professor Swadling shared his expertise on the complexities behind mistaken payments, offering the audience an engaging look at how legal principles can be applied to questions that arise in everyday life.
The lecture brought together members of the academic community for a lively discussion and exchange of ideas, providing an opportunity to engage with an area of law that is both intellectually interesting and grounded in practical questions.
Beyond the formal sessions, the visit created many opportunities for conversation, reflection and exchange, making it a particularly enriching experience for colleagues at CCLJ.
Sunway University is grateful to Professor Swadling for sharing his time, experience and perspectives, and for the many thoughtful conversations throughout his visit. We also thank everyone who contributed to organising and supporting the academic sessions and distinguished lecture.
The visit was a valuable opportunity to strengthen academic connections and exchange ideas on the future of legal education, research and scholarship.
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