Focus on World Trade Organisation law

Hu Jiefei grew up in a remote Chinese province.  Studying law in Beijing opened up a new world to him.  After graduating, he wanted to expand his horizons even further.  ‘I needed more diversity and a more challenging environment’, he said.  He chose Amsterdam as the best place to continue his legal studies.

A preference for the UvA

‘One reason for choosing Amsterdam is that it’s central in Europe and it’s the biggest city in the Netherlands. I figured I could meet more people here than in smaller places. Amsterdam is one of the most famous cities in the world and everyone says it’s so unique.’

‘I had a preference for the University of Amsterdam.  For one thing, it is the Dutch university with the highest ranking. I chose this master’s programme for its focus on World Trade Organisation law. Master’s programmes with a focus like this don’t exist in China, even though there is a huge demand there for lawyers with a specialisation in WTO law. I also checked the backgrounds of the professors and was impressed to find they’re all advisers at the World Trade Organisation or other international institutes.’

An excellent foundation in European law

‘The courses have given me an idea of what is going on in international public law, but also of subjects such as dispute settlement.  I had no background in European law, but the ‘European law introduction’ course gave me an excellent foundation in European law that is tremendously helpful throughout the programme.’

‘I thought that after graduation I would look for an internship. After the first few courses, though, I am now considering continuing my studies to a PhD level. I would like to specialize even more in a WTO law-related field – there are plenty of choices.’

Be prepared to be challenged

‘My advice to others considering to study here would be: be prepared to be challenged, but also be prepared to enjoy yourself. Of course, when you study abroad you will run into some problems, but people here are warm-hearted and helpful. The atmosphere is really good and you’ll meet people from lots of different countries. There are 41 nationalities in my classes!’