University of Texas School of Law - Peregrinus Yearbook (Austin, TX)

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Quanajuato Exchange Program Q: How long lias the exchange program been around? A: More than 20 years. It’s been in the last two years though that it’s resurged and become a really popular program. Twenty-five people went this year. Q: Where is Quanajuato? A: It's about four hours northwest of Mexico City and is the capital of the state of Guanajuato. Q: How large is their law school? A: It’s significantly smaller than ours. There are only about 100 people per class, but they have a five year program, so it’s about 500 people. Q: How are the people that make the trip selected? A: Flyers are placed around the school in the Fall. We have a first meeting and ask the people who arc interested to sign up. Q: How long is the program? A: We go down there essentially on Spring Break and they come up here on what is their equivalent of Spring Break, which is Easter week. Q: What type of things do you do down there? A: There are lectures we attend which give a brief introduction to Mexican law and their legal system. We also meet with dignitaries, like their mayor and members of their state legislature. Then there’s the cultural aspect of Gua- najuato, which is very picturesque and colonial, so it gives people that don’t have an idea of what Mexico is like a taste of it further than just going to the border. Q: Do you have to speak Spanish to be involved in the program? A: No, not in the least. Of the 25 people who went, eight could speak some level of Spanish. It’s funny, many people learn Spanish while they’re down there. When we go down, we’re housed in the individual Mexican law student’s apartment, so those one-on-one mcctinp really force both sides to learn a little oi the language. Q: How long of a bus ride is it? 14 — Qu.m.ijujto Exchange Program

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Fall F.x-Parte — 13

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A: It’s definitely an ovcr-nighter. But it seems shorter when you cross the border and get a cooler of beer. The social part of the trip involves going out every night. Q: Does the University give any funding? A: The University gives $500, but that only pays for about one-tenth of all the bills. Q: What happens when the Guanajuato students come to Austin? A: We try to return the same type of hospitality we received down there. They’re here for a week, and wc pick up their tab, just like they did for us, for everything from lunch to their bar tab. They also attend some lectures and spend time at the law school to get an introduction to the American legal system. Semester in London Program The Semester in London Program began in the fall of 1987 as an exchange program with the University of London’s Queen Mary and West-field College, one of England's most prestigious law schools. Students have the opportunity to spend a semester in London studying international and comparative law. Additionally, the professorial exchange program allows UT and University of London professors to spend semesters as visiting scholars. The exchange process gets underway nearly a year before the students selected will arrive in London. Each fall, students desiring to enter the program for the following year apply and are selected on the basis of academic performance, academic references and international interests. The SIL program stresses that a semester at the University of London is not a semester-long vacation but a rigorous academic experience. Approximately thirty students arc selected to enter the program for the next fall. Once selected, students may choose from an approved list of courses stressing international and comparative law designed to supplement the normal UT curriculum. Past courses have included such diverse courses as Information Technology Law and Comparative European Law. Students arc graded on a pass fail basis and normally receive 12 hours of credit for five courses. Since most University of London classes are taught on a year-long schedule, courses attended by UT students are designed so that the fall semester of the course comprises a discrete body of material. Participants generally begin class in late September and finish exams a few days before Christmas. The late beginning has allowed many students in the past to begin their semester with travel to various parts of Europe. Students also take advantage of long weekends to sec more of Eng- land and other countries. During the Fall 1989 semester, some students were able to see parts of the Berlin Wall being destroyed. Traveling has given students a different perspective on the study of international law. The excitement of living in the cosmopolitan city of London has also added much to past participants experiences. The University is located within a few minutes of London’s commercial and financial center, affording students with the opportunity to study law in an atmosphere completely different from that of Austin. London is also a legal center for England - past students have been able to meet the Lord Chancellor and visit English courts. According to students, perhaps the best aspect of the program is being able to study international law with students from a wide range of international backgrounds. Students from past semesters have been almost uniformly enthusiastic about the program. Several students from the Fall 1991 semester stated that the program widened their knowledge of the law in a unique way and was one of their best law school experiences. The SIL committee conducts a review of the program each semester and receives few, if any, bad reviews of the experience. In fact, many past participants rank the experience as the most influential aspect of their three years in law school. Without exception, past participants enjoyed their semester abroad and enthusiastically advised future students to follow their example if possible.’’ Perhaps the best endorsement for the program, beyond just the quality of the University itself, are the returning students overwhelming response to their semester abroad. As one participant stated, The program is without question an enriching experience for the participants.” Semester in London Program — 15