Swansea University law students have been seeing LA law for themselves in California this summer while some of its nursing and medical students have travelled to The Gambia.
These are just two of the many opportunities available for students to gain international experience as part of the University’s range of study and work abroad programmes.
The six law students, who were tested and interviewed to win their placements, received scholarships from the College of Law and the University’s International Development Office to help with travel and accommodation costs. They spent six weeks just outside Los Angeles shadowing federal public defenders and staff in the offices of district judges.
Head of the College of Law, Professor John Linarelli, said: “This is a tremendous opportunity for our students. It represents the sort of active and engaged learning we are developing as the hallmark of Swansea Law.
“One of the best ways to learn the law is to experience it in action. Add to this the comparative element which Swansea law students are getting in this California experience and the results will be transformative for our students.”
Will Davies, a second year Law with Business student from Bedfordshire, said: “My time in California is something I certainly won’t forget. It taught me a lot about life as a Federal Defender in the United States and I really enjoyed learning about an entirely different legal system, forming a comparison with our own.
“It was also fantastic to be thrown right into the thick of the US life, experiencing July 4th celebrations as well as being able to enjoy some of California’s more famous tourist hot spots.
“I am very grateful to all in the US for being so welcoming and hospitable to us all, and to everyone at Swansea University, for helping put together an amazing opportunity.”
Fellow student James Denton said: “The time I have spent in California has been completely different to anything I have done before. Being able to spend time in the chambers of Federal Judges has been invaluable and observing a wide range of cases in their entirety in a court room outside the UK has been enthralling, especially due to LA’s famed crime and justice system.
“As a group we were welcomed with open arms by everyone we encountered and were made to feel very welcome. We also had the chance to visit the penitentiary unit of a prison, a Metropolitan Detention Centre and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s headquarters. Of course, we also ventured to some more traditional American events, such as an LA Angels’ baseball match, a county fair and a tour of Hollywood.”
About 400 Swansea students have participated in international summer programmes since they were first launched in 2009.
Nursing is also a popular area for study and work abroad. Matt Cone, who studies Child Nursing at the College of Human and Health Sciences, spent two weeks in The Gambia, taking advantage of the Swansea-Gambia Link programme.
While this is focused primarily on Medicine, the College is pioneering a new partnership with the School of Nursing and Midwifery at University of The Gambia.
This link will allow practitioners to share skills and best practice, as well as providing opportunities for future students to experience new environments of study and work. The Swansea-Gambia Link aims ultimately to have a wide-ranging exchange between multi-disciplinary teams from both Swansea and Banjul.
Matt was accompanied by Clare Sulley, also a third year Child Nursing student and third year student midwives Anneka Bell and Zoe Ward as well as 10 second year students from the College of Medicine, and Simon Branning, an Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeon based at Singleton Hospital.
Matt said: “Clare and I took part in care over a wide variety of clinical settings, including paediatrics, neonatal, accident and emergency, intensive care, mental health, theatre, community and outpatients. We also spent time teaching fellow nursing students and other nurses about practice and potentially things they can improve in the future (an aspect of the trip I enjoyed most!). We also spent time getting to know the medical students from the Gambia and socialising with them.“
He added: “It was an amazing experience and something which I will never forget. At times it was deeply harrowing … at times it was extremely rewarding.”
Summer placements are available all over the world including China, India and the US as well as many European destinations. New opportunities are added regularly.
Many students prefer to spend longer overseas. Swansea University students can choose to spend a semester or a year abroad as part of their course in an increasing number of subjects. The number of students studying or working abroad increased by 40% increase in in 2013/14 with some of the biggest increases in Psychology, Law, Politics and History.
The University’s International Development Office provides bursaries for all approved summer programmes. These are worth up to 50% of the total programme cost up to a maximum of £500.
The EU Erasmus programme provides funding for students studying or working in Europe while a new Swansea University fund will provide up to £1,000 to students who choose to study in a country outside of Europe for a semester or a year abroad as part of their degree.
Other schemes include the Florence and Don McGregor Travel Bursary (provides three fully funded places on the India summer programme), the University of Mannheim Scholarship (for two Swansea students taking part in the Mannheim exchange programme) and the University of Newcastle Australia scholarship (currently one scholarship for a Swansea student on their exchange programme).
For more information about studying or working abroad and the bursaries and scholarships available visit: http://www.swansea.ac.uk/international/opportunities/ or email [email protected].
