“It is mandatory to go abroad for at least one semester as part of this programme. I’m currently at Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, Canada, which is a partner university of the UM law faculty. I'll spend the second semester in Hong Kong. Content-wise, Toronto is very different from what I did in Maastricht, but that’s what I like about the programme. You can explore so many different fields of law and you have the freedom of creating your own schedule according to your preferences. Whereas I focused on European law in Maastricht, I'm now taking classes in international law. I thought it would be a great opportunity to learn about Europe and the EU from a non-European perspective.

After graduating from high school, I spent a year volunteering with autistic people in Spain and during my bachelor's I did an exchange in France. I've grown to feel very European and I appreciate the free movement the European Union provides for its citizens. I’m a big fan of the EU, but unfortunately many people just make the EU the scapegoat for everything that affects their life in a negative way. They forget about the advantages and achievements of the EU, most importantly the establishment of peace on a continent that was divided by bloody conflicts for centuries. I want to change something in society, which sounds a bit ideological, but I like working for social justice and the wellbeing of all the people I'm surrounded by.

Among other plans, I would like to work for the EU later in my life and fight for its acceptance among its citizens. Generally, I want to work in a European environment, at the interface of politics and law. A multi-national environment makes life so much more exciting and inspiring. You can learn a lot from working with people who have different cultural and linguistic backgrounds. While negotiations and decision-making may appear more difficult at first, you learn to make concessions and to come to agreements which are satisfactory for everyone. I suppose that's why I enjoyed studying in Maastricht so much.

I also really appreciated being taught by the professors in the master’s programme. During my bachelor’s, tutorials were mostly given by senior students. What struck me most is that Maastricht University, and particularly the law faculty, is very flexible and continues to adapt. It creates new courses regularly and promotes the university in the whole world. Not many universities and law faculties have embraced the changes that are necessary for a university to maintain a long-lasting reputation on this international playing field with such a speed and willingness.”