Chair in Regulatory Practice

From 2017 to 2023, the Chair in Regulatory Practice delivered research on regulation and governance associated with the most pressing challenges of our time.

The front lawn of New Zealand Parliament including the Beehive and Parliament House.

About the Chair

Headshot of man in suit
Prof. Van der Heijden

The Chair in Regulatory Practice was established in May 2017 with sponsorship from Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, the Government Regulatory Practice Initiative (G-REG), and The Treasury. The Chair was held by Professor Jeroen van der Heijden from 2018 to 2023, when it was disestablished.

The primary role of the Chair was to undertake research on regulatory practice and regulatory stewardship with the goal of improving regulation in New Zealand and elsewhere. Research was also conducted on the impacts of regulatory practice on economic and social performance.

The Chair actively engaged with the G-REG community in New Zealand and related communities elsewhere and contributed to the training of those involved in regulatory issues.

Regulation in this context is broadly defined as the institutions, processes, and instruments in place to steer behaviour towards desirable societal ends.

Research programme

The Chair pushed the frontiers of regulation and governance research through four research clusters.

Advancements in regulatory practice and stewardship in central and local government regulatory agencies in New Zealand

This research considered innovative regulators, regulatory instruments, and regulatory processes in New Zealand. Research was carried out to map, explore, and interrogate the development, implementation, and performance of innovations that are of interest to regulatory practitioners and academics around the globe.

Advancements in regulatory practice and stewardship outside New Zealand

This research considered innovations in regulation outside New Zealand. Research was carried out to draw lessons from international experiences that are relevant for regulatory practitioners and academics in New Zealand.

Regulation and governance of pressing societal problems

This research aimed to explore how regulation can provide the appropriate incentives, disciplines, and institutions to achieve desirable societal outcomes.

The initial focus of this research cluster was on urban climate governance. It continued Professor Jeroen van der Heijden’s leading research on the regulation and governance of climate change adaptation and mitigation at the city level.

Regulatory systemic change: Regulatory success and failure and regulatory stewardship

What conditions positively or negatively affect regulatory performance, what combinations of these conditions are likely to result in regulatory success or failure, and what stewardship roles and functions may increase the likelihood of regulatory success and reduce the risk of regulatory failure?

Building on data collected in the other research clusters and using a comparative configurational methodology, selected cases will be systematically studied to uncover pathways towards regulatory success and regulatory failure. These pathways will inform mid-term and long-term policy development.


Engagement programme

The Chair actively engaged with the New Zealand regulatory practice community and communities elsewhere.

Regulatory clinics

A series of weekly half-day meetings were held with government agencies involved in the G-REG initiative, The Treasury, and the City of Auckland. The Chair visited them on a rotating basis to discuss regulatory challenges with staff, provide workshops and seminars, and share the latest academic insights on regulation and governance.

Regulatory practice column

The Chair launched an online platform that served as a source of regulatory news, analysis, and opinion for central and local government regulatory agencies in New Zealand.

See posts by the Chair on the From the Regulatory Frontlines blog.

A brief history of regulatory governance

Research papers

The Chair's research papers reviewed the international academic literature and distilled key insights for an audience of regulatory professionals in government and other sectors.

View research papers

Newsletters, reports

Between 2018 and 2023, the Chair produced 15 newsletters, two annual reports, and a final summary report. These documents have links to further research outputs.

See newsletters, reports