Global perspective on law

6 October 2010

  • Participants paid a visit to the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya where they interacted with judicial officers.
  • Students visiting Shearn Delamore and Co, a premier law firm, for a session on corporate law

Law students from around the world are gaining knowledge in comparative law and foreign legal systems through a newly-introduced summer program at the School of Arts and Social Sciences at the Sunway campus.

Modelled after the award-winning Prato Law Program taught at the Prato Centre, the intensive eight-week program included student participation from the University of Windsor (Canada), City University Hong Kong, University of Malaya and Monash University.

The program aims to internationalise the law curriculum and prepare law students for the global practice of law, allowing the understanding and comparison of different legal systems.

Program Convener Dr Normann Witzleb said it was the first time the program was held in Malaysia and 40 law students from the four participating universities opted to pursue the experience at the Sunway campus while learning the local culture and studying a range of comparative and international law subjects.

"Law has traditionally been understood and taught as a discipline that differs from one country to another. Yet in the 21st century, law graduates are increasingly required to be able to function in a legal world that transcends national boundaries," Dr Witzleb said.

"It is therefore essential that law students be given the opportunity to learn about different legal traditions, systems and procedures which they will encounter in their future employment. The program does this by bringing together students and academics from around the world and by immersing them in an international environment."

The Prato Law Program won the Australian Award for University Teaching from the Australian Learning and Teaching Council in 2009 for its innovative approach to collaborative teaching and learning.

One of the lecturers in the program, Professor Jeff Berryman of the University of Windsor said his university participated in the Monash Law program as a way of expanding its course offerings to students particularly during the summer.

"By joining with Monash we have given our students a chance to enjoy an exotic location and to receive instruction in areas of law that we do not offer by experts in their fields," Professor Berryman said.