International Business Law student Xueli Zhou studied with us through our partnership with Cerstar in China. We caught up with her to discuss how knowledge from the course will help her progress and why she chose to study online.
By Cara Fielder. Published 17 January 2023.
I work for a world-class copper mining project financed by a leading international mining corporation. I act as an in-house lawyer and provide legal support for China-related project affairs, including international trade, international logistics, project risk control, and engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) bidding and management. Also Chinese corporation affairs and compliance work, depending on the different development phase of the project.
I had been working from home during the pandemic and was looking to study online in early 2021. An online course appealed to me as I would not need to travel abroad and I could achieve overall work/life balance. I chose to study at The University of Law as I had completed some short-term legal training there previously. I appreciate the academic atmosphere and the teaching style of the lecturers (strong sense of student participation). I also admire the legal elites cultivated by the University all over the UK.
The topics covered within International Business Law are areas I have been exposed to during my work. I really want to enhance my knowledge in these areas. I am also interested in conducting deep research, especially around cutting-edge theories. Furthermore, it will help me better understand company policies regarding business strategy and corporate governance; I need to improve myself.
Through studying this programme, my goal is to enhance my professional skills and continuously improve my problem-solving ability. My former supervisor once said that ‘sharpening your axe will not delay your job of cutting wood’. Studying law is a serious undertaking but may help me gain professional knowledge, look at issues and relations from multiple perspectives, learn to think deeply and problem solve. It is true that a person with a good education can solve any problems that he/she encounters.
I liked many aspects of the course, including the company law textbook which combines theory with vivid case discussions and the interactive online class where teachers pay great attention to the questions raised by student. The unit reading list is also very comprehensive.
The most impressive aspect of International Business Law is the contents of the test paper designed for the mid-term and final exam. It covers a wide range of knowledge and is up to date with the latest development trends.
I personally enjoyed the arrangement and design of this course. I think it will appeal to lawyers who are involved in business with a foreign element because the course helps you to better understand the international trade dispute system from a macro perspective. You study the corporate and commercial legal structure of common-law countries as well as risk management measures. People in corporate finance and management might benefit from this course too as it helps to expand your understanding and application of international accounting standards and provides advanced management experience on international corporate governance.
I advise anyone considering studying a course with The University of Law and Cerstar to have confidence. Some of the study skill courses arranged by the University are very useful for this, such as effective time management. Most of the students have jobs; to balance their work, study and life requires good time management. Secondly, it is important to comprehensively understand the textbooks of each subject. Thirdly, both mid-term and final exams are the opportunities to improve your argument and analysis skills. Think about the test questions in a professional way and carefully study the teacher's professional comments and feedback.
In short, self-confidence is based on good preparation, and self-discipline is a strong guarantee for self-confidence. I believe that everyone who considers studying with The University of Law and Cerstar will recognise the value that their input brings, and it will be a new start.
Discover more about studying with us as an international student.
