Kerala Law Academy Inaugurates CLEA-MILAT Research Mentoring Programme 2026 To Strengthen Legal Research Culture

Justice N. Kotiswar Singh, Judge, Supreme Court of India, inaugurated the programme as the Chief Guest, while Justice C.S. Dias, Judge, High Court of Kerala, attended as the Guest of Honour. The welcome address was delivered by Prof. (Dr.) N.K. Jayakumar, former Vice-Chancellor of the National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS), Kochi. The inaugural ceremony marked the commencement of the three-day residential programme, designed to equip legal scholars with contemporary research skills and sustained mentorship.

In a press statement, Adv. Nagaraj Narayanan, Director, Kerala Law Academy Law College, said the programme represents a significant milestone in promoting excellence in legal research and academic collaboration. Prof. Anil Kumar K., Director of Administration, Students and Faculty Affairs, Kerala Law Academy Law College, stated that the initiative has been conceived to foster research-oriented legal education by bringing together judges, senior academicians, researchers and young legal scholars on a common academic platform.

The CLEA-MILAT Research Mentoring Programme has been conceptualised under the academic leadership of Prof. (Dr.) S. Sivakumar, President and Trustee of the Commonwealth Legal Education Association (CLEA). Envisioned as a structured mentorship initiative, the programme seeks to move beyond conventional workshops by creating a sustained ecosystem for legal scholarship and nurturing researchers capable of producing rigorous, policy-oriented and publication-ready research.

According to the organisers, unlike conventional workshops, the programme follows a comprehensive mentoring model extending beyond classroom lectures. Participants will receive guidance in developing research proposals, undertaking doctrinal and empirical legal research, conducting literature reviews, using modern research technologies including artificial intelligence and data analytics, maintaining academic integrity, and producing publication-ready manuscripts. The initiative also aims to strengthen institutional research culture by fostering collaboration among faculty members, researchers, policymakers, legal practitioners and the judiciary.

The residential programme, being held from 25 to 27 July 2026 at the Centre for Advanced Legal Studies and Research (CALSAR), Kerala Law Academy, features an intensive academic schedule covering research proposal formulation, funding opportunities, data and text mining tools, artificial intelligence in research, legal research methodologies, policy research, multidisciplinary legal studies, literature review, academic writing, research ethics, publication processes, comparative law, empirical research methods, citation and footnoting standards, and mentor-mentee interactions.

The programme features sessions by several eminent judges, academicians and experts, including Prof. (Dr.) S. Sivakumar, Prof. (Dr.) A. Lakshminath, Prof. (Dr.) B.C. Nirmal, Dr. Gulshan Rai, Prof. (Dr.) K.C. Sunny and Prof. (Dr.) Gigimon V.S., among others.

According to the organisers, the broader objective of the initiative is to nurture a new generation of legal researchers capable of producing high-quality, policy-relevant and internationally competitive scholarship. By integrating doctrinal, empirical, technological and interdisciplinary approaches to legal research, the programme aspires to strengthen research capacity within Indian legal institutions while encouraging innovation, academic integrity and global academic engagement.

The programme will conclude with a valedictory ceremony on 27 July 2026, to be addressed by Justice A.H.M.D. Nawaz, Judge, Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, underscoring the initiative's international academic outlook and commitment to fostering cross-border collaboration in legal education and research.