Bill & Coline Neilson Legacy Fund
Champions of education, inclusion, and global citizenship, Bill and Coline Neilson have always supported building just, compassionate, and interconnected communities.
Bill had a distinguished and varied career in law, education, and public service. He began as a Professor of Law at Osgoode Hall, York University, and later served as Dean of Law at the ßÉßɱ¬ÁÏ, where he played a formative role in shaping the faculty’s reputation for innovation.
He also helped establish the UVic Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives (CAPI), a multidisciplinary hub for research, dialogue, and exchange between Canada and the Asia-Pacific region. In addition to his academic career, Bill served in the BC public sector, founding the province’s Department of Consumer and Corporate Affairs, serving as Deputy Minister.
Throughout his career, Bill was known for his principled leadership, international outlook, and desire to drive change through education and public service.
Coline trained and worked as a nurse and later dedicated herself to leadership roles in a variety of volunteer-based organizations. Her work included directing programs that supported community, including services for adults with different abilities. She is admired for her warmth, compassion, and organizational insight.
Their legacy continues to inspire future generations to lead with empathy, think globally, and act with integrity.
The Bill & Coline Neilson Legacy Fund honours the lifelong commitment of Bill and Coline Neilson to education, global engagement, and cross-cultural understanding. In keeping with their values and vision, this fund supports an annual award for one UVic Faculty of Law student to participate in a student exchange at a partner institution in the Asia-Pacific or Australasian region.
The award enables students to engage in international legal studies and broaden their academic and cultural perspectives by spending a term immersed in a partner university abroad. It is designed to foster global citizenship, academic excellence, and a deeper understanding of legal systems beyond Canada’s borders. In an increasingly interconnected world, the fund helps prepare UVic Law students to be thoughtful, informed, and adaptive practitioners capable of working in diverse legal and cultural contexts.
Bill and Coline Neilson believed in the power of international education to shape lives and strengthen communities. Their gift reflects a commitment to advancing global learning opportunities for future legal professionals. The Neilson family is deeply committed to values of pluralism, inclusion, and respect for difference—including recognition of the importance of honouring neurodivergence and embracing the strengths it brings to academic and professional environments.
Whether studying human rights law in Australia, a public law term in Thailand, or comparative constitutional law in Singapore, recipients of the award will carry forward the Neilsons’ legacy of open-minded inquiry, intellectual curiosity, and meaningful exchange.
The Bill & Coline Neilson Legacy Fund embodies UVic’s dedication to experiential learning, international collaboration, and academic enrichment. Through this award, UVic law students are empowered to explore new ideas, contribute to global dialogues, and return with experiences that enrich the UVic community as a whole.