Testimonials

My name is Stefan Haeussler Vesco; I am an Italian student, raised in Guatemala, Central America. I applied to the specialisation of International Trade Law at Erasmus University Rotterdam around February of last year and ecstatic to find out I was accepted to the programme. I had very high expectations of the city when I first arrived to Rotterdam and fortunately they were met.

Life in Rotterdam is very relaxed and chill, with many parks and lakes to visit around. I cannot say there was once a moment where I felt I could not go on a short bike ride and find a new and beautiful place to visit. Even the most iconic landmarks in the Netherlands are a short train ride from Rotterdam’s central station.

My first few weeks of the master were a bit hectic, the pace and level of the master’s course is very high; Nevertheless, I knew from the start it was not going to be easy. The University is a very well-known academic institution through Europe and it does show by the professionalism the lecturers show during the classes. Not once I was met with a lecturer that could not answer the very hard and confusing questions that other students threw at them, which showed the experience and competence of the professors the University employs.

Students who want to apply for this LL.M. programme must know that they will be met with a great task, which is working and reading every week; whether it be by doing assignments, preparing for finals exams or constantly working on the master’s thesis. This does not mean that there’s no leisure time, there are many activities held either by the University on the campus or by student associations.

I highly recommend registering for a student association, because they not only organise professional meetings with important lawyers and advocates that work in different branches of the law, it is also a great way to meet new people and make friends that will make the journey much more pleasant during the year in Rotterdam.

The master’s degree is very internationally focused. I met people from all over the world and created great friendships along the way. Although social life was cut short for many due to the coronavirus outbreak, student associations held online meeting and games to maintain the morale of the group. Overall it was a great experience with different people, cultures, and ideas.

Last but not least the University has many facilities that make the student experience quite comfortable, even on high stress weeks, such as exams week. The lecturers and faculty are always eager to lend a hand to struggling students and will pay attention to the student’s need even on weekends. I would like to thank Erasmus School of Law for this academic year because, even through the pandemic, they rose up to the occasion to give students the education they deserve.

Why did I choose Erasmus for my LL.M. in International Trade Law? Well, as a legal practitioner in Latin America I realised it is important to have a holistic perspective of law. Even though I had just finished an LL.M. programme in international tax, customs and trade in Colombia. Nevertheless, when I met with multinational corporations and prospective clients, they recommended me to pursue a more international LL.M. because it would make me a better professional. At that moment I decided to enrol in another LL.M. I was looking for a high ranked university in international trade law with renowned staff members, located in a major city.
Thus, my search began. I found that Erasmus University Rotterdam was elite in international trade law and their staff members were important lawyers and researchers. Also, many of their alumni work in outstanding law firms and international organizations such as the WTO and the WCO. And on top of that, the Erasmus University is in Rotterdam. I was convinced right away.

On my first day, I realised that most of the students just graduated from their bachelor programmes. I thought that I would meet a lot of young, but more experienced lawyers as fellow classmates. Nevertheless, the fact that I was one of the oldest and most experienced in the class was helpful. I was able to exchange my professional experience with my fellow students and I learned many research skills from them that I had not explored before. My thesis tutor was prof. dr. Frank Smeele, a well-known professor in maritime and trade law. He guided me every step of the way, gave me great feedback and supervised me to write a powerful thesis. I thought it would be an intimidating process with him as my tutor, however, it turned out to be one of the best experiences I have ever had with a tutor. In sum, I truly believe that the LL.M. programme International Trade Law helps me become a better, more capable professional.

For future students leaning towards Erasmus University Rotterdam, I totally recommend that you enrol in this programme. It is a perfect combination between maritime law, trade finance, commercial contracts and carriage of goods. At the end, you will have the knowledge to engage any matter in international trade with confidence and enthusiasm. Rotterdam is a great city to live in. You will be surrounded with private ports and vessels everywhere. You will feel the 'international trade vibe' every time you walk around or ride your bike.  Finally, the campus is amazing, and Sanders Law Library will become your sanctuary, being a place where you will exchange knowledge with your fellow students