Tell us a bit about yourself...
I grew up in the city of Jeddah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, one of the most important cities for tourism in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the reason for this is that it located on the Red Sea. I graduated from King Abdulaziz University, majoring in law with a second class honours; after that, I joined the workforce as a lawyer in training until I obtained a license to practice the legal profession. During that period, I worked on many commercial, criminal and family cases, which helped clarify my path in the legal profession.
What inspired you to further your studies?
After I graduated from law school in 2015, one of my plans was to continue postgraduate studies to gain more experience and develop my English in addition to the legal language, which is one of the most critical languages in the current era.
Why did you choose to study for the LLM International Commercial Law?
One of the most important things that helped me choose to focus on international commercial law was my previous work in the law firm and my knowledge of the importance of this specialization in the near future in my country. Recently, foreign investment has become one of the most important attractions that characterize the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as the law has facilitated many obstacles in order to attract foreign investors to the country. Among the essentials that a lawyer should know are the rules and agreements that regulate international trade between nations.
What attracted you to Strathclyde specifically?
When applying to universities in the United Kingdom, several factors helped me choose this university, the first of which is the university ranking, as the University of Strathclyde is one of the most distinguished universities in international commercial law, with many professors specializing in this field.
Secondly, many of my colleagues have graduated from the University of Strathclyde and have advised me to apply because of the diversity of international commercial law subjects.
What was the highlight of your time at Strathclyde?
The lecturers' experience in teaching law and their ability to communicate information clearly without leaving any doubt is the most crucial feature of this university. In addition to this, it is impressive how the professors deal with students and involve them in working groups to integrate students to talk and share their ideas about certain topics, which helps students to build their personality and allow them to speak in front of the audience and other skills that students acquire during lectures.
Have you come across any challenges during your studies, and how have you overcome them?
One of the most prominent challenges that all students faced during this year was Covid 19, as this led to a change in the teaching method from face-to-face to online education. In the beginning, I didn't want to proceed with distance learning because of the obstacles that would face me and my inability to communicate with the rest of the students in order to improve my speaking and other skills, but after starting the lectures, I found the interaction between students in class discussions and pre-preparation and making presentations to participate in the class, all of this to changed my idea of distance teaching. Also, I cannot forget the moral support that my family gave me in order to continue completing my studies during that period, which had a positive impact.
What would be your advice for people considering taking this course?
Strathclyde's International Commercial Law course will significantly benefit students due to the variety of classes and support systems available. However, my advice for students is that they should strike a balance between studying and their personal life in order to motivate themselves. Secondly, students should organize their time from the beginning of the semester to hand over the assigned tasks on time, without delay.
What do you think of the support available?
One of the most critical aspects of the University of Strathclyde is the support of supervisors and teachers. Students are contacted if they request psychological or counselling support for their university life. In addition, one-to-one sessions are available if needed.
What are your ambitions for the future?
After completing my master's degree, I plan to return to my country and work in the legal profession and build international partnerships specialized in the field of international commercial law. Also, I will continue learning and studying by participating in international seminars and conferences as education has no limit. Every day there is a new idea or a new law discussed on the local and global scale.
