2022 Tang Prize in Rule of Law is awarded to Prof. Cheryl Saunders to recognize 
"her pioneering contributions to comparative constitutional law, and in 
particular her work on constitution-building in the Asia-Pacific region". In 
the citation, the Selection Committee paid tribute to her working methods, 
noting that she applies "her scholarship to inspire and advise 
constitution-making exercises, often under challenging circumstances", and that 
she "consistently broadens the boundaries of comparative constitutional law 
scholarship through active engagement, dialogue and collaboration with scholars 
and political actors at home and abroad".

Prof. Saunders is not only a pioneer in comparative constitutional studies but 
also an academic practitioner. Always taking great interest in constitutional 
law, she was early to develop a passion for the emerging but often undervalued 
discipline of comparative constitutional law. In 1988, she set up the Centre 
for Comparative Constitutional Studies to increase the international reach of 
this discipline, an effort that, when she reminisced about it, allowed her to 
begin "to realize how fascinating it (comparative constitutional law) was and 
how comparative work could shed light on way that we all do things, including 
in Australia". Prof. Saunders places special emphasis on an inclusive approach 
to comparative constitutional studies, advocating for incorporating 
constitutional experience from all over the world into our thinking, which 
broadens the vision of studies of comparative constitutional law beyond 
focusing on developments in Europe and North America.  

Her commitment to comparative constitutional law became the impetus behind her 
engagement in the making and implementation of constitutional change in the 
Asia-Pacific region and in other parts of the world. These activities in turn 
broadened her understanding of constitutional experience around the world and 
gave her insights into how comparative constitutional knowledge can most 
usefully be shared. From the 1990s onwards, she was involved in constitution 
building and other related constitutional discussions in a wide range of 
regional countries including Fiji, East Timor, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the 
Philippines and Bhutan. In some of these cases, constitution-building was 
taking place in the most challenging of circumstances, involving transition to 
democracy from authoritarian rule. In all of them, the issues raised were 
difficult and important for the wellbeing of the people of the country 
concerned.

Some of Prof. Saunders engagement in practical assistance of this kind has 
taken place under the auspices of national or international agencies of various 
kinds, including International IDEA, with which she has worked for many years, 
in many parts of the world, including the Middle East and North Africa. In 
recent years, with colleagues at Melbourne Law School, she has founded the 
Constitution Transformation Network (ConTransNet) to explore both theoretically 
and practically the role of constitutions in the current age of global 
interaction and how constitutions can be made and changed in ways that support 
their practical effect.

Prof. Saunders' work is characterized by collaboration with networks of experts 
and scholars in the Asia-Pacific region and elsewhere, bringing community-based 
talents along the road. Constitution-building can be a tortuous journey in 
which progress is met with setbacks. Through applied knowledge and experience, 
Prof. Saunders has learnt the importance of prioritizing both national 
ownership and fit with local context, in the interests of effective 
implementation. Prof. Saunders always shows full respect for the culture and 
customs of communities and grassroots decision-making. To make comparative 
insights useful, she prefers to work with local scholars and practitioners, in 
workshops and forums, to identify priorities, issues and options from a local 
perspective. She has made considerable contributions to countries in the 
Asia-Pacific and elsewhere in terms of assistance with constitution-related 
problems and has inspired people who want to change society through 
constitutional reform.          

About the Tang Prize

Dr. Samuel Yin established the Tang Prize in December 2012. It consists of four 
award categories, namely Sustainable Development, Biopharmaceutical Science, 
Sinology, and Rule of Law. Every other year, four independent and professional 
selection committees, comprising many internationally renowned experts, 
scholars, and Nobel winners, choose as Tang Prize laureates people who have 
influenced and made substantive contributions to the world, regardless of 
ethnicity, nationality or gender. A cash prize of NT$50 million (approx. US$1.7 
million) is allocated to each category, with NT$10 million (approx. US$ 0.35 
million) of it being a research grant intended to encourage professionals in 
every field to examine mankind's most urgent needs in the 21st century, and 
become leading forces in the development of human society through their 
outstanding research outcomes and active civic engagement.

Source: The Tang Prize Foundation

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   Caption: 2022 Tang Prize in Rule of Law is awarded to Prof. Cheryl Saunders