The British Experience 1

Law at the University of Leicester

Nikki Palmer did a semester at the University of Leicester as an exchange student in 2005.  This story was first printed on 26 January 2006.

It began as just an idea. Mr Barker announced to the third year law class that there was a possibility of an exchange to a university in the United Kingdom. I didn't know where Leicester was or what I wanted to do in 2005 but I liked the idea of studying at a foreign university. I decided to take the chance and apply.

It ended as one of the most rewarding and unique experiences of my life. For the past four months I have been studying law at Leicester University and loving every second of it. The university is international to say the least. With exchange students from all corners of the globe, France, Italy, America, Singapore and Spain to name a few, Leicester is geared to making international students feel integrated in a very short space of time. As a law student I could select four courses from the wide range offered by the Law Faculty. I chose International Law, European Union Law, Human Rights and Civil Liberties and Competition Law. Choosing international law allowed me to participate in the Jessup International Law Moot competition, the finals of which are happening in February. Although challenging to grapple with a new legal system it was a relief to know that my three and a half years at Rhodes had stood me in good stead for coping with the academic requirements.

The opportunities opened to exchange students are fantastic. I was able to attend a weekly art course at the Richard Attenborough Centre for Disability and the Arts. The course allowed me to pursue my own interest in drawing while assisting other less physically able students with access to the art materials. I played hockey for the university, competing in two local leagues on a weekly basis. This provided almost as much physical exercise as it did social occasions.

But Leicester was more than just an opportunity to do new things, it was an opportunity to meet new people and experience a new way of living. I stayed in a self-catering flat with nine other students and cycled to university every morning on an old second hand bike (although cost effective this can sometimes be a very cold experience). I got to travel around the country side of the English midlands and visit London over the weekend. If someone had told me on that morning in that law class more than a year ago that this is what it was going to be like, I wouldn't have just liked the idea, I would have loved it!