Student and Alumni experiences - International Economic Law

17.02.2023 Kathleen Evers is currently completing the second part of her Masters degree in International Economic Law at the University of Glasgow. She has taken a lot with her from Leuphana, such as the prior knowledge from her Bachelor degree in Law, an inter- and transdisciplinary academic interest as well as good memories of the intensive supervision.

Why did you choose the International Economic Law programme at Leuphana Graduate School?

The decisive factor for choosing the IEL programme was the opportunity to study at one of the most renowned universities in the UK and to receive degrees from both Leuphana and the University of Glasgow / University of Bridgetown at the end of my studies. Also, the entire programme is in English, which I feel is important in an international context.

What did you study before you started your Masters degree at Leuphana Graduate School and how were you able to connect to it?

I already did my Bachelor degree in Law at Leuphana College. This meant that I was already taught certain basics, which were further deepened in the Masters. Nevertheless, the requirements in the Masters programme were significantly greater compared to the Bachelor programme. More emphasis is placed on self-study and on deepening one's knowledge, which requires discipline. In addition, the change to a completely English-language degree programme involved a little extra work. But after a certain period of acclimatisation, that was no longer a problem.

In your Masters programme, you not only have the option of choosing between different paths, but also between places of study, so you can follow your own path. What did you choose?

I decided to go to Glasgow and do the LL.M. in International Commercial Law there. I wanted to broaden my knowledge in the commercial application area of law. My courses are mainly related to the topics of European and international competition law and international investment law, especially the compatibility of sustainability aspects and the financial sphere. It was clear to me early on that I wanted to go to Glasgow: the reputation of the university, the positive testimonials from other students and the broad academic offer of the university convinced me from the beginning. The choice of electives was almost endless. However, also influenced by Leuphana and its interdisciplinarity, I found it particularly exciting to examine the interfaces of sustainability and law, especially in the financial sector, in greater depth.

The programme is very internationally oriented. How does this manifest itself for you? How is studying in Scotland like?

Studying in Scotland differs in many ways from the experience I had in Germany. I have significantly fewer lecture hours per week - but in return I have to read a lot more and invest even more time in self-study. The lectures are also usually much larger than I'm used to in Germany, which makes intensive supervision like I'm used to in Lüneburg almost impossible. This was especially noticeable because our class was particularly small. I don't find the language a problem because we already had all lectures in English in Lüneburg and there were also international students. Of course, there are still times when you have to look up specific technical terms, but these are becoming fewer and fewer.

My fellow students come from all over the world and the cultural exchange, especially across European borders, is very enriching. There are almost only internationals in the entire Masters programmes, so we all share the same fate and have to adapt to the new environment.

Overall, I feel very much at home in Scottish culture. The people are incredibly nice and accommodating. The slogan of Glasgow is: "People make Glasgow" and I can only subscribe to that.

What keeps you busy besides your studies?

Besides my studies, I work as a student assistant at the European Centre for Advanced Studies (ECAS), a research institution founded by Leuphana and the University of Glasgow. With my degree programme, I unite the two founding universities and can now also support ECAS on site in Glasgow to expand the research exchange between Lower Saxony and Scotland.

I also volunteer on the committee of the Environmental Law Society at the University of Glasgow and plan workshops and similar events around the topic of environmental law together with other students. Each month we produce a compendium of short articles written by us on interesting environmental law topics.

A special mention should be made of the wide range of sports on offer at the University of Glasgow. Everyone is sure to find a sport they are passionate about. I chose volleyball. It's a great way to meet new people - even outside your own degree programme.

Do you already have an idea what your Masters thesis could be about?

Because of my academic interests, I could imagine my Masters thesis looking at the extent to which sustainability aspects are included in the examination of competition law issues in the European context. It would be exciting to find out whether there is room in the assessment of compliant conduct to take into account factors such as the climate impact of the conduct - both in the justificatory sense of actually unlawful conduct and in the assessment of lawful conduct. In doing so, I would probably analyse case law to that effect and incorporate current academic opinion.

Despite my idea, I do not yet know 100% which topic I will deal with in my Masters thesis - of course, this also totally depends on the research situation and my supervising lecturers. I am sure that I would like to include the trans- and interdisciplinarity of Leuphana in my Masters thesis and combine economic and sustainable aspects.

What are your plans after finishing your Masters?

After graduation, I would like to enter the free economy and first gain professional experience. I could imagine a wide variety of jobs, but I would like to start out in a larger company in order to have the widest possible variety of work areas.

I would not completely rule out the possibility of doing a PhD after a certain period of time.

To whom would you recommend your study programme at the Leuphana Graduate School?

I can recommend the Masters in International Economic Law to anyone who is interested in looking at legal contexts on an international and trans- as well as interdisciplinary level. While the time in Lüneburg lays the essential foundations in European and international (business) law, in Glasgow you have the free choice of which subject area you want to specialise in.

Those who would also like to spend a year at an elite university in the UK and have a completely different experience in their studies should definitely consider this Masters programme.

02.09.2020 The 25-year-old studied 'International Economic Law' at Leuphana and at Glasgow University. The master's programme leads to a double degree. The qualification was a professional door opener for the business lawyer.

When Zedlira Kelmendi got on the bus in Glasgow for the first time, she did not have enough small change for the ticket. "I had just arrived in Scotland," the 25-year-old recalls. The driver took her to university anyway: "It's ok. Enjoy your time in Glasgow." Not only was it a nice start, things went on just as well: "I was given a friendly welcome everywhere. I had found my accommodation on the net beforehand. It worked out very easily," the business lawyer remembers. In the autumn of 2019, she completed the master's programme ‘International Economic Law’ with a double degree from the universities of Lüneburg and Glasgow, which is partially studied at both universities. The students spend the first year at Leuphana University. "There we studied civil law and European economic law on a general level," says Zedlira Kelmendi. At the University of Glasgow, the specialisation then follows. "There are many opportunities there. I studied international property law, including copyright aspects. 

Zedlira Kelmendi went to Scotland together with her fellow students: "We were the ‘German students’ at the beginning, but we soon blended in. Students there come from all over the world. Today I have friends in China, India and Mexico”. Zedlira Kelmendi had completed her bachelor's degree in law, corporate and commercial law, at Leuphana and was already taking courses in English at the time: "It was important to me to continue my studies on an international level". That is why she decided to take part in the master's programme ‘International Economic Law’: "Trade routes almost always lead across borders. Business lawyers must understand the legal implications". 

Today, the law expert works for an internationally operating law firm in Hamburg. "The double degree was rated very positively in each of my job interviews. Not many people have something like that," says Zedlira Kelmendi. The tuition fees for the year in Glasgow were also quickly recovered: "You have the money back in after two or three months on the job," reports the business lawyer.
For her, the programme has paid off. "I feel very well prepared for the challenges of my career. I am familiar with international legal terms and I can provide support in many areas," says Zedlira Kelmendi. The curriculum was demanding, but the support was just as great. "In our first year at Leuphana, we were introduced very well to the British writing style, learned to write essays and studied legal writing. At Glasgow University, students were given a weekly reading list and had to be able to discuss the texts at the end of the week. "But here, too, we were not left alone. Open questions were answered with appreciation," says Zedlira Kelmendi. She also wrote her master's thesis on patent law in Great Britain. Professors both from Leuphana and Glasgow University evaluated the thesis.

Author: Dr. Marietta Hülsmann