On the evening of December 18, 2015, Bucerius Law School bid farewell to the 109 exchange students who spent a term on its campus.
Dean Boele-Woelki and Deputy CEO Benedikt Landgrebe offered praise and thanks to the group for its academic strength and for having contributed a wealth of international perspectives and knowledge to the Law School community. They additionally recognized students who supported local refugee efforts and showed gratitude for the initiative of the group in organizing cross-cultural events: celebrations of Diwali and Thanksgiving and international coffee hours to present aspects of daily life in Columbia and India. The 60 women and 49 men who composed the group represented 25 countries and 61 partner universities.
In addition to time-honored courses such as International Conflict of Laws and International Commercial Arbitration, the 2015 program included several new subjects such as “Emerging Economies: Law, Finance, International Financial Institutions and Development” taught by Dr. Alma Pekmezovic. “This year was particularly important for development,” reflected Pekmezovic. “Leaders from around the world adopted the Sustainable Development Goals at a United Nations Summit.” A research fellow at the Bucerius Institute for Corporate and Capital Markets Law, Pekmezovic structured the new course to explore law in a development context. “Law plays a crucial role here as it lays the foundations for a climate enabling investment and provides the necessary conditions for sustainable economic growth to take place.” Tom Hastings, a student from Washington University School of Law, commented, “The Emerging Economies course is a perfect fit for those with Promethean aspirations—it opened up a new world of possibilities for law practice on a global scale. With development, rule of law is the oil that allows the whole engine to run.”
Bucerius Law School wishes the cohort a happy and prosperous 2016 and looks forward to catching up with its international alumni at future reunions!
