Tell us a little bit about your background...
I grew up in Hunan province in China, a beautiful place where the movie, Avatar, was shot. I achieved a First Class Honours from my LLB that I studied at the Southwest University of Science and Technology, China, in 2017, and a Distinction from my LLM in Civil and Commercial Law from the Graduate School of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, China, in 2020. Most recently, I have also received the distinction award for LLM study in International Commercial Law at Strathclyde.
What inspired you to further your studies beyond undergraduate level?
I like the subject of law and was eager to know more about it. For career purposes, I want to be a researcher at academic institutions to contribute knowledge in the legal area; and I believe equipping myself with an international view would bring benefits for me to achieve that goal, which motivated me to study abroad.
Why did you choose to study for the LLM International Commercial Law?
LLM International Commercial Law is one of the subjects that is works closest to our daily life. There would be many sub-subjects open for further study in response to the fast changes of the global commercial world.
What attracted you to Strathclyde specifically?
Scotland is a perfect place for legal scholars to observe the interaction between Civil Law and Common Law. There is also a relationship between Strathclyde and my graduate school back in China, which prompted my decision to learn more about Strathclyde's Law School.
What has been the highlight of your time at Strathclyde, so far?
The multi-cultural learning environment at Strathclyde is amazing to me. We are encouraged to share ideas based on our background and experiences during seminars, which helps broaden my views. The design of our course content is wonderful as it closely combines theory and practice. For instance, the Negotiation course provides opportunities for us to put negotiation theory into practice via negotiation simulations, as well as inspiring us to connect the theory with our previous life experiences.
What do you like most about Glasgow?
As the slogan 'People Make Glasgow' says, it is the people in Glasgow that impresses me most. They are friendly and welcoming people from around the world.
Have you come across any challenges during your studies, and how have you overcome them?
The biggest challenge for me at the beginning was the language barrier. As English is not my first language, I had to spend more time to read all the course materials on the reading list. In order to improve it, I pushed myself to read papers every day with a daily target. Additionally, I booked the University's Study Skills service that provided me helpful screening tips.
What would be your advice for people considering taking this course?
Ahead of class, it is good to read materials on the reading list which could give you an overview of existing arguments about given topics as well as their reasoning. This is important since it would inspire you to generate your own opinions based on previous research outputs. During seminars, you should also actively participate in group discussion and brainstorm new ideas from different angles which is also helpful in expanding your views.
What do you think of the support available?
It is easy to access support at Strathclyde. For instance, tutors are always there to offer us advice, either about our study or future career planning. The librarian provided me with individual training sessions about how to make full use of our databases as well as the Endnote software on effectively managing sources. All I need to do is just send them an e-mail to book time in advance.
What are your ambitions for the future?
I intend to progress to study for my PhD in Law, in order to prepare for future career development.
