Testimonials

I am 24 years old and although a Russian according to my passport, I am a global citizen by character. With this testimonial, I would like to share my unforgettable experience as an LL.M. student.

I first discovered the challenging world of international law during my Bachelor`s programme in Moscow. Subsequently, I was given a unique opportunity to apply this knowledge to practice during an internship at the United Nations Office in Vienna, where I was part of the legal team that keeps a record of material damage in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Needless to say, this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, during which I gained practical work experience, made friends from all over the world, and, most importantly, discovered my true passion for international law. How do you hold a state accountable for breach of international norms? What do multinational corporations have to do with international human rights law? I wanted to explore all these things, and much more, in depth, and that is why I decided to pursue an LL.M. degree. And what  better place to study international law than in the home country of its founder Hugo Grotius?

Receiving the letter of acceptance from Erasmus University was one the most exciting days of my life. Without any doubt, this master raised my perception and knowledge of law to a whole new level. Every lecture or written assignment was an opportunity to be creative and to think outside the box. I remember how anxious I was at the beginning: meeting fellow students for the first time, listening to the first lecture entirely in English, and submitting the first written assignment. But the common denominator for all these things were the exceptional professors who taught us during the year: they were always there to encourage, to answer any question, and to point us in the right research direction. The teaching approach is different from the one in Russian universities; in The Netherlands, you are given much more independence and freedom of choice, but this also means taking full responsibility for your actions and for any missed deadlines. Our faculty has done an amazing job at keeping our course interactive and enjoyable: this included study visits to such prominent places as the Peace Palace and the International Criminal Court; arranged guest lectures with legal practitioners; and of course I cannot forget the fun part, which we certainly enjoyed at the Christmas dinner party.

Of course, one should not forget the vibrant and welcoming Rotterdam atmosphere, which cannot be compared to anything else. Moscow is diverse and energizing, Vienna is dignified and artistic, but Rotterdam is all these things and much more. The best plan for a weekend is to get on your bike and explore the hidden Rotterdam gems. But living here is not just about discovering the city and getting your degree; it is also about getting to know the locals. Dutch people are very open and easy-going, and they made me feel very welcome; I found some of my closest friends here. We have had so much fun together that I have not even had time to feel homesick.

Following graduation, I feel that there is an ocean of possibilities out there, and I cannot wait to explore it. I would love to continue the Dutch journey, and to fulfill myself professionally here as well. Erasmus taught me to be courageous and ambitious, and not afraid to stand out in a crowd. This master year gave me so many opportunities and life lessons, and I wish all the newcomers the same possibility. I strongly encourage all future LL.M. participants to go for every opportunity that comes your way, and to make the most of what Erasmus has to offer; you will not regret it.

I would like to leave you with this thought: Dare to be free, dare to go as far as your thought leads, and dare to carry that out in your life.

From the first days of orientation to my final farewells with friends and faculty, my experience at the EUR was nothing short of spectacular. The university, which sits within the wonderful city, provides ample access to academic and social development.

The students naturally become a close-knit group, both with themselves and with the university professors. The quality of teaching, and student support both surpassed my expectations. For those in search of a rigorous, and ultimately rewarding, experience – I would recommend Erasmus. From a rich choice of on-campus activities, to academic opportunities, to social gatherings, there is hardly a dull moment. Outside of the university, I enjoyed the dynamic Dutch culture, as well as opportunities to travel within and outside of the country.

My name is Friedrich Ernst and I am 27 years old. I grew up in the vibrant city of Berlin, where I also spent all my years in school. At 20, I moved to Heidelberg, a very calm and beautiful, typical University city, to study Law. After 5,5 years of studying in Germany (with an Erasmus exchange to Istanbul after 2 years), I needed to go somewhere else to see how Law is taught and practiced elsewhere.

When I decided that I wanted to participate in an LL.M. programme, I looked around for places that interested me the most, rather than for the best fitting curriculum. Quite some friends told me that Rotterdam is the perfect mix of a metropole that is not too big, so it is possible to feel like home quite soon. When I looked for the programmes offered, I found that Erasmus University Rotterdam has quite a focus on economic (law) courses, which was not what I was looking for. Luckily, there was this International and European Union Law master programme and since I was always interested to dive deeper into the increasingly important EU law, I was ready to give it a try.

When I started the programme, it was quite a new experience for me. First, from my point of view law is being looked at a lot more practical in the Netherlands then in Germany, where the theoretical approach is much more visible. Secondly, the classes focus a lot on discussion which I like a lot, so there is quite some interaction between the students and the professors. Add to this that the classes are rather small compared to Germany and that a lot of classes are taught by two professors rather than one, further enhancing the discussion. Furthermore, the students as well as the professors are quite international which is extremely interesting, because you get insights from very different points of view.

On the other hand, there are some things to consider in the decision as well. For example, it was a little hard to adjust to the fact that there is a deadline for something to hand in basically every (second) week, so there is always something to do. In addition, in the course there is no real semester break in the spring, so the courses go on during the whole year (except for Christmas and some shorter brakes in between). Furthermore, the housing in Rotterdam can become an issue since there is quite a lot of demand and not so many places. Therefore, the city in general is not the cheapest, but in the end, I would say it is worth it! Especially since the University is very helpful when foreigners come to Rotterdam to study and need help with accommodation and other questions. The very efficient and supportive organization could also be seen when the University got shut down during the Corona crisis. The staff made a huge effort to keep the classes running online and keep everyone satisfied as much as possible.

My name is Jonathan Ruff, and I graduated from Erasmus School of Law in 2008. My keen interest in international matters and surroundings has ‘drawn’ met to follow the predecessor of the current International and European Union Law LL.M. programme. I very much enjoyed the rich and stimulating academic programme, which entailed a broad variety of themes and sub-areas within the ambit of Public International Law and European Union Law, resulting in a deepening and broadening of my knowledge and understanding of these fields of law. Next to legal theory, this programme provided ample opportunities to further develop my writing, legal research and collaborative skills.

Against the background of the modern and cosmopolitan campus of Erasmus University and the vibrant city of Rotterdam, the current International and European Union Law LL.M. programme offers an inspirational and captivating palette of international and EU law courses, an international classroom featuring tailored small-scale teaching, proper attention to practical legal skills alongside theoretical knowledge and an open and welcoming atmosphere that fosters the exchange of ideas and dialogues between students, lectures and guest experts.

Public international law and European Union law can be practised in various professional contexts. I have been working as an attorney since 2009, mainly focusing on international matters in the fields of public international law, private international law and international arbitration. Next to private legal practice, national and international courts, international organisations, academia, non-governmental organisations and diplomacy are examples of organisations and career fields that may offer exciting opportunities to practice, study and research public international law and European Union law.

My advice to prospective master students is to follow their heart: when choosing a master programme, a professional career, and - generally - in life. Your time at university is an excellent period to acquire deeper knowledge about your interests, qualities and passions, which in turn can help you identify and formulate your ideas and vision for a future career path, and navigate towards it. Elective courses, the activities of various student associations and foreign exchange programmes, to name a few options, offer excellent opportunities to discover new horizons, meet new people and grow as a person. I also encourage you to do one or more internships at an organisation you feel enthusiastic about, in order to experience the daily life and work at such organisation. In sum: university life offers a great number of chances and opportunities, waiting to be seized by you. I believe that dedication, confidence, joy, courage, perseverance and authenticity will be helpful companions along the way in creating your own, unique path, imbued with happiness, meaning and energy.      

My name is Jana Trifunović and I am a graduate of Erasmus University Rotterdam (Erasmus School of Law), class of 2016. I am currently 28 years old and working in Maastricht as a second-year PhD researcher at Maastricht University’s Faculty of Law, Department of Public Law. I am, moreover, affiliated with the Montesquieu Institute Maastricht. In the context of today's data-driven information societies, my doctoral research is aimed at exploring the legal and social implications of a practice called independent judicial research. Questions that I address include whether judges confronted with non-routine or factually complex legal disputes may google any supplementary information regarding the dispute’s factual background. 

I obtained my bachelor in Dutch Law at Erasmus University Rotterdam (Erasmus School of Law) and graduated cum laude from the LL.M. programme International and European Union Law. I started working for Maastricht University in September 2016 in the capacity of lecturer in law, primarily teaching courses belonging to the LL.B. European Law School (ELS). I currently teach a course on European Human Rights to third-year ELS bachelor students and exchange students from all over the world. Prior to joining Maastricht University, I assisted in the defence of General Ratko Mladić before the former International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

I am certain that I would not have ended up where I am today had it not been for the LL.M. programme International and European Union Law at the Erasmus School of Law. Specialising in international and European law was something that I had been drawn to at a rather early stage during my university studies. Whilst I deliberated enrolling in an LL.M. programme abroad, I eventually settled on staying in Rotterdam. Looking back, I would not have had it any other way. The LL.M. programme International and European Union Law enabled me to excel academically and to develop certain practical skills that proved valuable all throughout my professional career. I felt positively challenged by the contemporary and engaging curriculum, and would express nothing but praise as to the guidance, expertise and intellectually stimulating environment offered by the university’s professors and teaching staff. Moreover, the programme’s small-scale and highly international learning environment made the experience all the more enjoyable. It allowed me to work together closely with colleagues from nearly all continents of the world and facilitated a dynamic educational approach tailored to students’ individual needs. In conclusion, I would highly recommend the LL.M. programme International and European Union Law to anyone, including my own students, given its outstanding academic staff and the exceptional learning experience that it offers.

I am Ipek Yalçindağ Dursun. I was born and raised in Istanbul. After finishing my bachelor at Marmara University on Political Science and International Relations, I did my first master in Berlin School of Economics on Political Economy of European Integration.

Since 2013, I have been working at the Turkish Ministry of Trade, Directorate General of International Agreements and EU Affairs. At my job, I had always felt the necessity of a law perspective, and a good knowledge of the law of the European Union. Therefore, I decided to study the LL.M. programme International and European Union Law at Erasmus Rotterdam University.

Actually, the LL.M. programme has helped me a lot in developing a law perspective. Besides, I was able to obtain knowledge about International and EU Law. I feel quite satisfied with the education that I have obtained from the LL.M. programme, since it provided with me what I was looking for.

The LL.M. programme started with basics of International and EU law, and proceeded with more specialized courses. For me, one of the most useful courses was International Economic Law, as it mostly deals with World Trade Organization law.

On the other side, the challenging part of the LL.M. programme is the intense structure of the courses. As I come from a different background, starting a new semester with quite demanding law courses was actually challenging for me. I had to work hard to catch up with my classmates who had a more extensive law background.  After the first block, I started to feel more confident about the courses as I had built relevant basic knowledge. Yet still, the LL.M. programme required good time management, as in the last blocks of the programme, we were busy with assignments, presentations, written exams and writing the master thesis all at the same time.

Unfortunately, my studies have coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the university was quite successful in adapting itself into online courses. We were able to continue to our usual course programme. At the same time, lecturers took care about our health, and asked us to confirm our well-being on a regular basis.

I strongly recommend the LL.M. programme, especially to those who want to work at public institutions, international organisations, and EU institutions. As a person having work experience in a public institution, I believe the LL.M. programme gives relevant education in order to be able to work in the said areas.