The University of Law has embedded a range of initiatives aimed at supporting the BAME community on campus. It’s BAME advocates are driven to empower minoritised students and work closely alongside academic staff to eliminate the awarding gap.
The iBelong club convenes monthly, platforming guest speakers from non-traditional backgrounds, providing advice and inspiring students. The institution is also in the process of putting in place provision of Racial Literacy Training for academic staff to instil cultural sensitivity across its learning environment.
How has your experience been of studying at the University of Law so far?
‘Studying at The University of Law was a stimulating experience. Due to the pandemic, most of my course was delivered online after a few weeks on campus. Even so, there were precautions and social distancing measures which didn’t interfere with access to the library and facilities. Online workshops – where we had opportunities to interact in small groups with fellow students – were equally engaging. The course was intense and very challenging (online proctored exams added to the difficulty) but The University of Law gave us ample support to ensure we weren’t disadvantaged by the pandemic.’
What kind of support has been made available to you during your time at the University?
‘The University made students aware of the different types of services available to us, from wellbeing support, career opportunities to library and study skills sessions. Due to the hardships of the pandemic, the University put in place mitigating circumstances and a No Detriment Policy for our cohort, which was reassuring and relieved stress. Our personal tutors were also available to guide us with check-ins to see how we were faring with the course. We also had access to additional material and recorded workshop guides as well as Q&A sessions before exams.’
How has your time at the university helped develop you in your professional career?
‘I pursued the LPC LLM to further my legal career aspirations and to hone the knowledge and skills required to succeed in the legal field. The modules contained within the course have given me confidence and skills in advocacy, interviewing, legal writing, practical legal research and drafting. I continue to use these valuable skills in my current role at a solicitors’ firm and I will hopefully develop them further with experience.’
Have you been able to access any opportunities that have helped you prepare for a career in your chosen industry?
‘The University’s careers and employability services provided guidance and advice on what to do after our LPC and how to improve our CV. Within my course, I undertook many workshops and assessments which have helped prepare me for my legal career which I utilise in my current legal role such as drafting legal documents, communication, and researching legal cases to support client cases. These skills are essential in the legal industry and will continue to be valuable as I develop. Beyond the classroom, we were also given opportunities to attend legal skills courses.’
Would you recommend postgraduate study at the University of Law to other British Muslims?
‘I highly recommend my fellow British Muslims study at The University of Law because it is a leading postgraduate legal education provider, with an exceptional student experience and connections to big law firms. Support is always available and the university listens to student experiences and acts on any complaints to improve their services. The university also offers a wide range of elective modules taught by tutors with industry experience. Studying an LLM will also increase Muslim and ethnic minority representation in the legal field and open a wide range of opportunities as education is vital for social mobility.’