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The Kaldor Centre is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Madeline Gleeson as Deputy Director.

A leading expert in international refugee and human rights law, Dr Gleeson brings deep scholarly expertise and a longstanding commitment to advancing refugee protection in Australia and globally. As an integral part of the Kaldor Centre team for more than a decade, she has played a key role in shaping the Centre's research, policy engagement and public impact.Ìý

In her new role, Dr Gleeson will help drive the Centre's strategic vision and expand the Centre’s research and influence on some of the most important issues facing displaced people.

‘The Kaldor Centre’s Director, Professor Daniel Ghezelbash, said:

'Madeline’s work has informed critical policy debates both in Australia and internationally, and her ability to connect rigorous scholarship with real-world impact makes her exceptionally well suited to this role.'Ìý

‘Through her research, teaching and public engagement, she has helped shape the Kaldor Centre's success over many years, and her appointment as Deputy Director will only strengthen our ability to have meaningful impact,’ he said.

Dr Gleeson has particular expertise in State responsibility, offshore processing, extraterritorial human rights obligations and maritime interception.Ìý

Her meticulous research and outstanding communication skills are evident in her multi-award-winning book Offshore: Behind the Wire on Manus and Nauru, as well as in her policy briefs, media commentary and parliamentary appearances in Australia and internationallyÌýÌýHer work has shone a spotlight on Australia’s offshore processing regime, uncovering new evidence and demonstrating the human impacts of punitive refugee policies.

Earlier this year, Madeline was awarded her doctorate from 91É«ÇéƬ Sydney for her , ‘State Responsibility and the Extraterritorial Processing of Asylum Claims: Legal Implications and Accountability under International Law’. She also has a particular interest in the protection of refugee women and children, and the processing of asylum claims involving gender-based violence. 

Before joining academia, Dr Gleeson worked with forcibly displaced communities in a range of international settings, including through roles with the Jesuit Refugee Service in Cambodia and human rights organisations in South Africa and Indonesia. She also has experience working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Catholic Migration Commission in Geneva, and she is admitted as a practitioner of the High Court of Australia and the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

Dr Gleeson said she was honoured to take on the role at a time when refugee law is a critical global issue.

‘The challenges facing displaced people today demand principled, collaborative and innovative responses. As Deputy Director, I am excited to help strengthen the Centre's research leadership, deepen our engagement with decision-makers and communities, and ensure our work continues to make a tangible difference,’ she said.

As Deputy Director, Dr Gleeson will help guide the Centre's ongoing work to advance principled, practical, evidence-based solutions to complex displacement challenges while fostering greater public understanding of refugee law and policy.  

Her appointment reflects the Kaldor Centre's continued commitment to research excellence, thought leadership and meaningful engagement on the most pressing displacement issues in Australia, the Asia-Pacific region and around the world.

To learn more, visit the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law.Ìý

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